employers - what are your CV pet hates?

[semicolon]

I am getting a CV together in a bid to resurrect my former glittering career. Trying to keep CV as simple as possible. Trying to avoid obvious pitfalls - poor spelling and punctuation, mentioning my cycling proficiency certificate, etc

Any other no no's?

Also any advice on explaining my (ahem) 5 year 'career break' while having three children?

It's maybe too obvious to even mention, but make sure you put things in consistently - give the same information in the same place about each job. And list all of them in the same order - I prefer most recent first, but am happy to skim down to the end and work back up if they're the other way round.

What I hate is trying to dig through the CV to find the information, because it's not written consistently - when you are working through a pile of them, you want to be able to pick out the important bits quickly!

Also, don't try to just "miss out" the career break - if you are putting things down in order, then put in "2005-present - not in paid employment, full-time mother to 3 children aged 1,3,and 5" or however you want to describe it. I think it's better to put it down in writing rather than leave a gap without explanation - taking time out to look after your DC is quite normal, and better than the same length of time unemployed or in prison!

thanks for that

Yes I suppose it's beter they don't assume that I have been doing time.

Compiling a CV is an arduous task after so long...

Don't put anything like

I have three children, aged 3, 5 and 7.
and especially, don't put their names

(I've seen this on soooo many cvs!)

No-one reading your CV cares.

It is, however, fine to put something like

2005-present: Stay at home parent, raising a family

I'm flabbergasted at people putting their children's names and ages on CV!

Do they get photos out at interview stage?

Seriously it's a good point and one to remember when in the office too - I have some freelance work coming up and will have to bite tongue rather than fill them in on DD3's latest nocturnal escapades.

A photo is a good idea, IMO, it saves having to go on FB for a nosey!

And don't put "clear criminal record" or "clean driving licence". Just driving licence will suffice.

FB!

The world has truly moved on since I was last at work. sigh.

Lock your FB page down as tight as a gnat's chuff too! and remove any tags on pictures that people may have added from that night out where you fell over showing your knickers and someone got an upskirt shot. A tag is enough in some cases for the entire album to be viewed if someone does their detective work.

I know it sounds silly, but I know that everyone who is applying for a job is ' an enthusiastic team player, who works well with others and on their own' I also know that you are 'reliable, honest and hardworking' etc etc etc...!

Be interesting and if you are writing sentances instead of bullet points, I don't want waffle, but I want to know what you have gained whilst you have been doing all the stuff you have been doing, iyswim.

It doesn't sound silly. That is good advice. Will be keeping it to the point. Thanks guys, this is really helpful.