Value my CV? It's very short

[viviloo]

PA to Managing Director, November 2018 – December 2018

• Diary management for the Managing Director, ensuring a busy and often changing schedule is up to date and MD is informed of any changes.
• Audio typing for meetings and interviews.
• Booking travel arrangements, hotels and accommodating all needs of the MD.
• Researching venues, locations and places of interested. Presenting all relevant information.
• Updating spreadsheets for pending court cases and complaints.
• Preparing reports.
• Composing legal document cover letters.
• Ensuring all relevant information is available and ready for any court dates.
• Office management, petty cash, stationary ordering.
• Ensuring HR aspects are kept up to date.
• Arranging meetings, and using initiative to decide if a telephone conference could take place to save time and travel.
• Managing staff training and keeping to tight deadlines regarding modules and training plans. .

PA/Medical Secretary, April 2017-September 2018

• Extensive diary management, responsible for updates and alerts on significant changes to three senior consultants.
• Dealing with all enquiries in relation to the clinic, including postal, telephone and email.
• Providing excellent patient care, dealing with enquiries both efficiently and in line with Trust procedures.
• Arranging appointments, alerting Drs when red alert patients appear and organising prompt investigation.
• Booking of travel arrangement/lunches.
• Organising office based events and fund raisers.
• Liaising with a variety of individuals, both clinical and non-clinical.
• Typing official documentation and appointment letters.

PA/Head of Administration, September 2014/December 2016

• First point of contact between clients, both external and internal.
• Screen and direct telephone communication, usually resolving quires by own means.
• Research and complete information sheets on places of interest to employer/employer’s family.
• Co-ordinating interviews for personal staff of employer, such as cleaners, nannies etc.
• Organise events, dinner parties and medical appointments.
• Processing all household invoices and arrange for payment of any bills and expenses.
• Updating systems, Microsoft package Outlook.
• Travel arrangements, both local and further afield.
• Ensure smooth running of office team, updating staff of system updates and booking relevant training.

How much roughly do you think I can ask for as a PA? Just out of interest.

I have left educational history and my first every job out on the thread. First job was a junior role at the same place I became PA/Head of administration. When I started someone else had that job title. They then left and I got the job, that was that :)

My key message is: if a recruiter has a pile of CVs to sift, think about how the information on your CV will convince them you are offering value-add that others may not be.

Reduce the word count, chunk up several activities into categories rather than a list of things you do.. Focus on your skills (eg why mention "preparing reports"? What does that even mean)

I'd look back through everyone's advice on here and reshape your CV as that's more important at this stage than wondering what you'll be paid.

You have to get your foot in the door first!

So can you add examples in a CV?

For example, "Complex diary management for three consultants. This includes considering three conflicting schedules, using own initiative to prioritise an often changing workload"

Your cv is quiet long already and that's not the end version. I would shorten it, ideally it should all fit onto about 2 pages. If you are applying within the same sector I wouldn't repeat the same duties throughout, so I would prob say something like- all general administrative duties plus xxxx. It looks like you may have copied and pasted your previous job descriptions. For example you have noted typing letters, which is a very basic admin duty. Not sure you need to specify it. I would highlight the over and above/ unusual tasks that you have completed as future employers want to see what makes you unique and won't have time to read through pages if duties.

Yes you can add examples on a CV. The one you suggest is good.

Your CV should include your experience and skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for.

This sentence for example is long, unless you're applying for a job where you'll be doing the same:

•Researching venues, locations and places of interested. Presenting all relevant information.

(Not the typo - interested should be interest)

I would make it simply "researching venues".

Every word on there should be working to promote you. Add a section at the top "personal profile" and draw out your skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for. Your selling points, basically.

I don't think your CV is at all long. It looks like it would fit on 2 pages comfortably.

Ignore people who say your CV should be on 1 page, that's an American thing. When I did one page, the guy interviewing me said "the recruitment agency didn't send me your actual CV, only this one page summary".

Agree with the people who say it reads like a list of job descriptions rather than what you have achieved.

Complex diary management for three consultants. This includes considering three conflicting schedules, using own initiative to prioritise an often changing workload.

This is much better than before but could be shortened further: Complex diary management for three consultants, considering conflicting schedules, and identifying priorities in fast changing environment.

As a PP said every word should count, don't use full sentences, start sentences with verbs and cut out all exraneous words.

For " researching venues ", how about something like

"Responsible for sourcing meeting facilities and negotiating competitive rates saving the company £xxx in 2018."

^ just an example you'd need to make relevant to your achievements.

This shows you know your worth to the company.

I really didn't think you had to go into a big write up of examples with a CV, I thought it had to be quite short and just point out experience and strengths

It should be short, but with the right information. At the moment, your CV is neither short nor showing much experience nor particular strengths.
Most of the tasks you list are within the capabilities of the average person, TBH, and nothing stands out.

For the number of jobs you list and the type of responsibilities, I would be surprised if you had to fill more than one page.

Example:

• independent diary management for three consultants.
• autonomous work management

Any examples should be chosen carefully. You shouldn't list examples in all bullet points, but it makes sense for things like email management.
Can you list a couple of advanced skills on Outlook that your prospective employers might be interested in?
Did you implement any new procedures?
Did you show initiative in solving problems? If so, what?