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I've always used a self imposed 2 sides of a4 limit for my cv.
I'm looking at a job now for which my last two roles have a lot of relevant experience. Basically the prospective role is a combination of the last two. I'm struggling to get everything I want to say on two sides without it getting very busy.
So do others subscribe to the 2 side limit, or can I stretch it to 3 now I have a few years more relevant experience to include?
Got mine down to one page.
I was always told to only use 2..
Can't you just condense you other experiences down and concentrate on your latest acheivements?
And then if you get asked forward, explain it all then?
2 side limit here. Doing a course at work and have to include current CV in with that. Was advised that 2 sides is a good limit. People don't like to read much and have been know to just bin longer ones*.
*Only what i have been told.
Pretty unanimous then, thanks,
And apologies for being in the wrong forum!
Ive been on the interview panel before and 2 sides is a good size. One side and you feel you dont know enough about the individual.
If you absolutely cant fit it on 2 then go to 3 but fill the 3 pages to maximise the space available. Another thing is have the pages on separate sheets. Its a PITA to keep turning the pages over when looking back at the details.
Probably teaching you to suck eggs but keeping it as easy to read as possible is the name of the game.
Just play with the margins to fit more text in. Obviously make it nice and clear to read. Good luck
Another trick is to send it on coloured paper so it has a better chance of standing out in the crowd.
Obviously no good if you are emailing them.
geoffj - Member
Another trick is to send it on coloured paper so it has a better chance of standing out in the crowd.
While you're at it, why not spray some perfume on it, write with one of those gold ink pens and put little hearts instead of the dots above the letter "i"?
😕
Obviously no good if you are emailing them.
😳 😳 😳
Anyone got any tips on how to get highlighter pen off the screen?
😳 😳 😳
anything you can't fit into your CV that you feel is relevant, include it in a covering letter (you should always include a covering letter)!
Going against the consensus here but, if it's relevant, stick it in.
I just recruited for a role that saw anything from one- to 8-page CVs. Wafflers and those that put irrelevant stuff went in the bin. Those who used the space well and included only stuff that was tailored to what I was looking for were interviewed.
Doesn't matter how much paper you use: if it's relevant, they'll read it.
Does nobody send naked pictures with their CV any more ?
cant you put some of the info you are trying to cram in, into your cover letter?
I just recruited for a role that saw anything from one- to 8-page CVs. Wafflers and those that put irrelevant stuff went in the bin. Those who used the space well and included only stuff that was tailored to what I was looking for were interviewed.Doesn't matter how much paper you use: if it's relevant, they'll read it.
How many candidates were you filtering out?
As an applicant you have to assume the recruiter has limited time to read your CV and you should do you best to make it as easy to read as possible. Tailor it to the post always, make it personal and don't include cliches such as ' i'm a self-starting individual' or 'I work well on my own or as part of a team' etc etc. give facts and figures of acheivements and explain any gaps in employment.
While you're at it, why not spray some perfume on it, write with one of those gold ink pens and put little hearts instead of the dots above the letter "i"?
😆
If its a mid level technical job you should stick to 2 pages, well laid out and easy to read. Use white space to make it appealing. More senior level jobs can go to 3 or at a stretch 4 if they cover a variety of areas and positions. I cant stress the importance of making it visually appealing before a word is read, as it needs to grab the attention instantly. Coloured paper, stickers, photos and keywords bolded amongst sentences are a no in my book.
stickers?
Stick to 2 pages in my opinion. If you really can't then go to three but fill all three and make it easy on the eye.
As above no waffle or buzz words/phrases, be concise and make sure it flows. Obviously the potential employer has limited time to read it, but it can be easier to read three pages of a well structured document than 2 or even one of a poorly put together one.
Good luck!
A recruitment consultant once told me he didn't know where this 2 pages nonsense came from.
You should try to keep it concise and I guess two pages is good to aim for.
But when you've been working for a while and have lots of relevant experience it can be nearly impossible to restrict yourself to 2 pages.
Mine is 2 and a half pages.
How many candidates were you filtering out?
49 applicants; interviewed 6. For a short-term relatively specialist role.
Hi Hels.
I might have a job that interests you. email in profile.
The problem for the applicant is that there is no sure way of knowing (unless you know someone on the panel) how many people the recruiter has to screen and if after 50, 100, 200 CV's he comes across an 8 page CV, I highly doubt he'll read past the first pages.
3 pages MAX, Covering letter with all other relevant info (no more than one side of A4) is more than enough to get an interview. The interview is where you can elaborate on your acheivements highlighted in you CV hence the CV is just to whet their appetite.
I think it depends on the role, for something like a senior technical IT role where experience is vital as well then 2 pages isn't realistic. To me the key was that everything on the CV was relevant, if it was then I didn't mind reading through the 8 pages, however if it was some gumpf dating back 15 years when you were in a junior desktop role then that's irrelevant and a waste of my time and your paper.
2 pages max. And if you are emailing it, send it in pdf instead of word - looks much more polished.
Really? You need 4000 words to get your experience down? Sounds like a bloody essay, I'd not read that!
2 pages is a very sensible guideline IMO. Too many people wait until they're applying for a new job before touching their CV, and simply add to their old one, so once they've had a few jobs it's stupidly long, and full of superfluous detail.
Most detail on current job, slightly less on previous one, slightly less on the one before etc. If you're a 50 year old applying for a management position it's likely not relevant what you did as a graduate!
i got my CV down from a long 8 pages to just 2..
list key skills and then put in a tailored selection of projects to give more in depth demonstration of experience for projects of direct relevance.
def PDF.