To ask for CV tips please?

[blubberball]

I haven't changed jobs since 2007. Do employers prefer short to the point CVs all on one page, or is it better to go into more detail over 2 pages?

Thanks.

One page.

Never more than two.

Depends what role and how much history/education etc you have.

Mine is 2 pages full. Have a look at pages like reed, monster, and Guardian careers have some good tips too.

Also agree with no more than 2 pages

Two sides of a page max, most important info first and on the same page. If its a CV and application keep it short and to the point.

Thank you.

Put a summary about yourself at the beginning - not with lots of adjectives of what you are like, but what you have done. The reason for this is if your CV ends up in the hands of someone who thinks you may be right but doesn't have the decision making capability, they will want to be able to copy and paste a paragraph of your experience to send to someone else who does, rather than have to fish through your roles and describe you themselves.

Things to bear in mind for your summary:
Have you run a business?
Can you read a balance sheet?
What is the largest number of people you have managed/given direction to?
What are your main skills? If the skills are not business related, eg communication - what have you achieved through communication? Were you influential in someone else's decision making that had a significant impact?

Always put a picture
Always put your birthdate

Picture and birthdate? I’ve never done that and it doesn’t seem to have been an issue. Why make it easier for discrimination to potentially take place at such an early stage?

Always put a picture
Always put your birthdate

That's against absolutely every advice out there.

@Nonstoprestlessleg

Put a summary about yourself at the beginning - not with lots of adjectives of what you are like, but what you have done. The reason for this is if your CV ends up in the hands of someone who thinks you may be right but doesn't have the decision making capability, they will want to be able to copy and paste a paragraph of your experience to send to someone else who does, rather than have to fish through your roles and describe you themselves.

Things to bear in mind for your summary:
Have you run a business?
Can you read a balance sheet?
What is the largest number of people you have managed/given direction to?
What are your main skills? If the skills are not business related, eg communication - what have you achieved through communication? Were you influential in someone else's decision making that had a significant impact?

Always put a picture
Always put your birthdate

Nope. None of this. Never a picture or birthdate. Or a summary.

Simple, plain design. When you set out your previous roles, don’t describe your duties, but give brief details of your achievements in the role, to demonstrate your success, e.g. not ‘managed 10 people’ but ‘built a team which achieved highest sales figures for 10 years’.

It needs to be easy to read and to find the information a manger is looking for, and show off how brilliantly you perform.

Short bio that is bespoke to the role, bullet point skills that are applicable and I always end with an added benefits section.

Example - bio.
I have worked on many sustainable projects that align with your 2022 zero-carbon strategy, such as x, y, z. (always research their website)

Example - key skills
/ Four years experience in x database
/ Advanced user in photoshop (try and align with all the essential criteria of the job description)

Example - added benefits
/ A member of x society
/ Vocal on social networks and organise community events such as x and y.
/ Have spoken at x seminar (try to align your core values with the company core values)

I don't have a picture or my date of birth on mine!

Recruiter here and I disagree with the advice re including picture and birth date, both of which make it easier for potential discrimination to take place.. Neither are needed. Two pages max and I agree with previous posters about a brief opening summary. Try to include information about measurable achievements rather than a general commentary. Try to have a simple design and plenty of white space so that the CV is easy to read. Most recent role first and as the positions are further in the past you include less detail on those. Information about highest qualifications rather than everything from secondary school. Good luck

A lot of places I have referenced recently recommend taking a STAR approach:
Situation
Task(s)
Action(s)
Result(s)

As someone currently wading through CV's - please double check spellings and that spell check hasn't substituted odd words. It's not a deal breaker, but definitely pushes you further down the list than someone who has double checked what they have submitted.

If you can, linking it to the job you are applying for always helps too; so why the experience you have listed makes you a good fit.

@Nonstoprestlessleg

Put a summary about yourself at the beginning - not with lots of adjectives of what you are like, but what you have done. The reason for this is if your CV ends up in the hands of someone who thinks you may be right but doesn't have the decision making capability, they will want to be able to copy and paste a paragraph of your experience to send to someone else who does, rather than have to fish through your roles and describe you themselves.

Things to bear in mind for your summary:
Have you run a business?
Can you read a balance sheet?
What is the largest number of people you have managed/given direction to?
What are your main skills? If the skills are not business related, eg communication - what have you achieved through communication? Were you influential in someone else's decision making that had a significant impact?

Always put a picture
Always put your birthdate

NEVER put a picture or your birthdate. Absolutely ludicrously unnecessary and embarrassing

Lots of newcoming foreigners have pic and birthdate and I am pretty sure it's costing them jobs.
Have you seen Europass CV? God. It has gender on as well. And nationality! That was recommended to me when moving to UK. Lucky I rather looked at job sites here👀

Google docs has a good CV template that's very clearly formatted.

Thanks so much everyone. I hope that other people find this thread useful as well.

Schrodingers good call ! I really dislike Europass CVs and find them off putting from the start. I know other recruiters who feel the same.

I disagree with those who are saying you shouldn’t put a picture and a birth date.

if you are diverse in any way (ie a woman) it increases your chances of getting the job. If someone is looking through 700 CVs and have been told they need to make a “gender diverse placement” if it Is immediately unclear whether you are a man or a woman and they are time poor, they will not double check.

Birthdate - meh. If you know that you are over qualified for your age and have done a lot for your age, it may differentiate you to put a birth date on the CV. It shows you are high potential.