CVs - am I being fussy?!

[Ponzischeme]

Recruiting at the moment and we just have a sea of terrible CVs

Example:

Name: Sarah Jones
DOB: 15/6/1980 (don't need to know that)
Gender: Female (don't need to know that)

• Convoluted work history including saturday job at M&S in 1996
• List of all awards and achievements ever up to an including ballet certificate

I don't feel like I am that fussy when it comes to CVs - I just want an overview of the person's relevant employment history, skills and qualifications.

Am I wrong? Am I, in fact, expecting too much?

Why is birthdate important? You can't use it as selection criteria unless it's for something like working in a bar where you need to be at least 18. HR will need to know if you make a job offer for likely retirement dates and so on, but not until then. I agree that you can often make an educated guess by qualification dates, but it's only a guess. Not everyone does a degree straight from school.

why is birth date important?

I don't ever put my birth date, but the fact that I graduated in 1992 is a bit of a giveaway so I might as well...

Surely we should be stripping out all info that can cause bias - so no name, address, DOB, uni (just what your degree is) etc.

CVs by numbers drive me crazy.

'I'm an excellent communicator, both written and oral'

'I work well in a team and individually'

Say something that's going to stand out!

Oh yes, the email addresses! Anything remotely resembling [email protected] goes straight in the bin. How can people be so clueless?

YABU to assume everyone subscribes to your way of doing a CV.

I would assume a dob is important.

Having gender on there helps with how you might address any reply to me (with so many names not indicating one sex or the other).

Obviously, without knowing the role, how much detail of 'other' work experience might be relevant is difficult for us to say, but then you've complained in a later post that some people leave gaps - even you can't make your mind up. Do you want people to include everything, or just things they think might be relevant?

Out of curiosity whilst I'm currently drafting up a cv can I pick your brains over what to put in place of gaps without being wishy washy

I would assume a dob is important

Why?

Having gender on there helps with how you might address any reply to me

I don't know what industry you're in but we do "Dear first name", not dear "mr/Ms etc"

Re employment gaps, for this role I'd expect post university experience to be listed. A saturday job in m&s wouldn't be relevant.

Op, you forgot about the ones with CURRICULUM VITAE taking up the top 1/10 of the first page. And the CVs that go on for 6 pages. Two sides is ample. Just spell check, and when referring to yourself it's I rather than i.

If I was being really picky, can you do a couple of different CVs if you're going for different types of job. I don't work in sales but a really "I give 110% and strive to reach sales target" type CV puts me off.

What were the gaps for Witching?

Oh yes, I've received a lot of marketing and comms CVs when the job is fuck all to do with marketing and comms.

Seen recently on CVs/applications:
‘Last time I worked in x industry it made me unwell’ (on application to the same industry).
Under Skills: ‘failing to reach full potential in my last three jobs’
And actually naming grandchildren and even pets under hobbies and interests. As in literally naming them: ‘my Bassett hound Snuggles’, that sort of thing. Why?! Ditto listing favourite TV shows/video games...

The kind of gaps I'm talking about are the sort where they put "graduated from X university in 2010 (or whatever)" and then their CV leapfrogs straight to 206 .

Oh yes, the email addresses!

I get especially annoyed at adult women who share their husband’s e-mail address. If you want to be taken seriously it takes about two minutes to get your very own e-mail address.

Anyone who lists social media/Instagram as one of their interests.

Fair enough if you're applying for a job as a social media manager, but probably not great otherwise.

Mental health issues and children.

You don't need your address or date of birth. Name and email address only, it's not 1984.

I get especially annoyed at adult women who share their husband’s e-mail address.

^^

Do people actually do this?!

I would just say pretty much exactly that then Witching - health issues and bringing up children. I wouldn't have an issue with either.

Do people actually do this?!

Well yes. I’ve seen it several times. Which is why I mentioned it.

YANBU at all

If you include dob and dates of roles / qualifications, I think that shows that you are not up to date with legislation.

I'm quite shocked that someone working in recruitment thinks the opposite.

Photos totally unnecessary (& might encourage bias too) but I won't throw your CV away for it.

All of the above and then the email addresses shock. My winner so far was hotpinkpussylips@?????????????.com

LOL I raught FE, Iused to tell students that for UCAS they should use their college email not 'sexyasfuck@'.

Sadly I've also seen the husband's email address thing multiple times.

I put on my current and last job them just did one paragraph for all jobs since left school 20 years ago eg. worked in various offices doing etc etc. Said details can be provided.

My current job at the time I had been there 15 years.

I would assume a dob is important

Why?

Because it is a quick and easy identifier to separate me from the other Bob Jone / Annela Kaurs that apply.

don't know what industry you're in but we do "Dear first name", not dear "mr/Ms etc"

Again, just because you might do things differently, doesn't mean any other way is wrong. If an applicant gives more information than you need / and that you choose to operate informally, then you can still do so from the information given. Doesn't mean that giving that information is wrong.