Writing a CV

could someone please help.

I need to write a CV and under job description I need to state.

> Loading and unloading of lorries by forklift.

Is there a better way of writing that.

Safely operating a forklift to load and unload lorries in accordance with the rulebook

Forklift driver, plus brief details of any formal training you may have received.

Many employers appreciate brevity, otherwise it looks like you're trying to b******t, errm I mean blag them. So it's not what you write, it's how you lay out your CV.

klambert said:

Many employers appreciate brevity, otherwise it looks like you're trying to b******t, errm I mean blag them. So it's not what you write, it's how you lay out your CV.

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There's a lot in this.

Bullet key points. Keep to the relevant (eg quals). That is why #3 is good.

I've been on interview panels, over 50 CVs, most end up on the floor. I hadn't got the time to wade through paras of b******t, and it is usually b******t.

AnthonyRail said:

could someone please help.

I need to write a CV and under job description I need to state.

> Loading and unloading of lorries by forklift.

Is there a better way of writing that.

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what part of the CV is this to go in? That governs the level of detail required. Also, what sort of job are you applying for? This will help fine tune the information required.

Also PLEASE try to keep the whole CV to 2 pages.

DarloRich said:

what part of the CV is this to go in? That governs the level of detail required. Also, what sort of job are you applying for? This will help fine tune the information required.

Also PLEASE try to keep the whole CV to 2 pages.

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I can't emphasise this enough. I've handled recruitment in a past life. The person sifting through the pile will have tuned out by the start of page 3.

Write all the detail down, then pick out the most potent stuff & condense & condense it some more into minimum sentences, and bulletpoint them. Think of it like advertising a car, you want to know the vital statistics at a glance, and not sift through a wall of words.

2 pages - absolutely, best advice that has been given, but please don't achieved this by reducing font size, and avoid fancy fonts (difficult to read).

Plenty of white space makes it easier to read (and for the reader to annotate, if desired).

Different note - (preferably) ask your referees if they are willing to act so, at least advise them that they have been used (and the job applied for). Gives them time to put together a decent reference or adapt an existing one. Some requests for reference give very little time before a response is required. No reference - interview unlikely. e-mail address useful for them to contact your referee.

And good luck!

Typhoon said:

2 pages - absolutely, best advice that has been given, but please don't achieved this by reducing font size, and avoid fancy fonts (difficult to read).

Plenty of white space makes it easier to read (and for the reader to annotate, if desired).

Different note - (preferably) ask your referees if they are willing to act so, at least advise them that they have been used (and the job applied for). Gives them time to put together a decent reference or adapt an existing one. Some requests for reference give very little time before a response is required. No reference - interview unlikely. e-mail address useful for them to contact your referee.

And good luck!

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In regards to references I wouldn't give these out until the employer has offered me the job, there is no need to contact referees until an offer is made. I will always question anyone wanting references ahead of an offer being made. I generally know who will be willing to give a reference and whether that will just be basic details or a full reference giving lots of detail about my performance etc... If I leave a company I do check with the relevant person(s) if they are willing to provide a reference in the future if required. The point about needing a fast reply is unfortunately a reality these days.

My CV has a line at the very end advising that references are available on request.

One time I got a job offer and one of my referees responded within 2 days but the other didn't even respond. I gave an alternative person to contact to try move things along but the company simply said they had continued interviewing and someone else's referees had come back promptly and they hired them instead. This has happened to me twice so getting references from past employers promptly is important as many companies won't wait around long for these to come in and you could lose the opportunity as a result through no wrongdoing on your part.

Lots of companies don't seem to bother taking up references now, I assume linked to the limited information often given on them.

If I can give a tip for CVs, only put detail for relevant stuff. If you're a 30something applying for a technical role, do detail the previous role you held that's very similar, don't detail the fact that you worked in a pub age 18 and your duties involved serving drinks etc.

I work in IT and my CV comprises of the basics and a bullet point list of my technical skills and the products I have worked with in relation to those skills, straight to the point basically. Although the irony is I've always worked in public sector so have only ever got jobs applying via application forms rather than with a CV!

My CV is on various databases god knows where though as I receive daily emails with job opportunities, which often clearly use keyword matching based on it! I currently work in a third line role, so I think I'll pass on your job opportunity of a first line help desk support role thanks!

johntea said:

I work in IT and my CV comprises of the basics and a bullet point list of my technical skills and the products I have worked with in relation to those skills, straight to the point basically. Although the irony is I've always worked in public sector so have only ever got jobs applying via application forms rather than with a CV!

My CV is on various databases god knows where though as I receive daily emails with job opportunities, which often clearly use keyword matching based on it! I currently work in a third line role, so I think I'll pass on your job opportunity of a first line help desk support role thanks!

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Same here. I bullet point my duties and make sure to detail what tech I have used and supported.

I also get numerous emails/LinkedIn messages for service desk and desktop engineer roles. I am also a 3rd line engineer so these roles would be a demotion and I don't waste time responding to these cold messages especially given I currently don't wish to leave the company that employs me.

I guess the advice is don't let recruiters talk you into going for roles that you are overqualified for or significantly less money than you want. You have to be tough and say no at times, in some cases multiple times to the same person. I am not interested in taking a lower level role with the promise of eventual promotion into a role I do want. Those promises often don't come true.

AnthonyRail said:

> Loading and unloading of lorries by forklift.
Is there a better way of writing that.

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Juse remove the 'of' and you're good to go. If a prospective employer is interested in you and wants to know more, they'll ask.

PudseyBearHST said:

Safely operating a forklift to load and unload lorries in accordance with the rulebook

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With respect to PudseyBearHST, this is precisely the kind of wordy nonsense that makes recruiters immediately switch off.

Don't forget they are never reading one CV - they are reading dozens, nowadays possibly hundreds, at a time. And it's a job that nobody wants to do! I've been there quite a few times and it's an absolute drag of a task. As has been said before, bulls&%t can be detected a mile off and will be promptly flushed where it belongs.

A CV is only supposed to be something to pique a prospective employer's interest, to make them want to get you in for interview and find out more about you. Many people (as those above have) say two pages, but I like to get it all on one.

Remember the KISS principle at all times... 'keep it simple, stupid'

Tom B said:

Lots of companies don't seem to bother taking up references now, I assume linked to the limited information often given on them.

If I can give a tip for CVs, only put detail for relevant stuff. If you're a 30something applying for a technical role, do detail the previous role you held that's very similar, don't detail the fact that you worked in a pub age 18 and your duties involved serving drinks etc.

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I once seriously pruned my CV for a job as a lot of ancient history was building up. I promptly got asked to provide details of duties performed in my clerical career prior to my, then, 15 years in IT.

I would say to tailor your CV to emphasise the skills asked for in any particular role rather than sending out a "one size fits all" version. The time behind the bar mentioned above shows good experience of a high pressure customer facing role and is worth mentioning of not too far in the past.

I agree that keyword matching will bring you a lot of silly offers. At one point I had used product A as a user and then moved on to do tech support for product B. Naturally I kept getting put forward for tech support on A.

Keep it short and simple, probably bullet point as well.
HR will probably only glance over your CV, so it needs to be easily readable.

I'm assuming it's a forklift driving job, so you might want to list some skills that would make you a good forklift driver, for example, but again keep it short.