Terrible CVs

[PymChurchBeach]

Disclaimer: I know times are hard and shitty right now and a lot of people are desperate for work so probably chucking out CVs left right and centre at anything and everything.

BUT. I have worked in HR for nearly a decade now and it has always been the same. The general standard of CVs is bloody awful. I'm recruiting for a mid level role at the moment and I have seen the following:

• people using little hearts and stars instead of bullet points
• massive glamour model style photographs taking up the whole first page of a CV
• people's dates of birth and marital statuses written up at the top. Just no!!!
• wacky, colourful borders and fonts. Comic sans. Enough said.

Also - this last one is possibly controversial but when women have had a break to look after DC, there really is no need to list all the skills gained as a SAHM - e.g. "excellent time management skills etc". You can just say you had time out to raise children. That's all you need to say. I'm not going to think any the worse of you for it.

I am desperate to implement application forms rather than have CVs and cover letters but my CEO is old fashioned and will not have it.

Thanks for that - yes by executive I'm meaning Director / exec director etc. I had to do a different style of resume for a highly competitive course I got into and I'm about to overhaul mine and blend the two.

Is it a bad idea to do a simplified work history? That's now less than 1/2 page - I grouped my first 7years as it's all one professional services industry - and then do achievements? I do implement things to save significant $$ so can put that in, I also save significant time (turned something from 3-4 months of work into literally one click) which translates to $ / increased capacity and have implemented things that are industry leaders and have been asked to present by professional bodies on them.

I'm just so used to trying not to intimidate people that I downplay myself quite a bit instead of going out and really selling what I'm capable of. Need to change that!

Women on Boards does a thing about how to get your CV board-ready, which might be worth looking at. Caveat - I haven’t used it myself, so it could be rubbish, but I think they usually have good advice.

Focus your attention - and give space to - the achievements over the last 5-10 years. Simplify the work history older than that.