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Im really getting fed up of being turned down for jobs that any trained monkey could do and i really dont know why.

I'm applying for anything & everything including basic admin jobs on a salary of 14k a year and im getting turned down.

Heres a link to my CV can someone please tell me what is wrong with it & help me cause im getting fed up of not being able to get a salaried job and my current job is pants, im working 6 hours this week!

http://www.handley-farrell.com/content/cv.pdf

http://www.handley-farrell.com/content/cover-letter.pdf

I've obviously removed my personal address details etc.

[John Carter]

Quick response, it's too long try to get it in two pages. If I can squeeze 20 -odd years of work into 2 pages you certainly can.
The intro doesn't focus on what you can do. More focus on your skills linked to achievements is needed. A long list of responsibilities just makes it look like you are padding it out.

But no matter how good your CV if you aren't applying for the right jobs then it's a waste, make sure your CV matches what they are asking for, tweaking it if necessary.

[posh1]

Your CV is far too long for a start.

And I will be brutally honest here, a lot of firms dont like emloying people who are too clever because they see them as a threat. They would rather employ someone who will just plod on and do as they are told.

Interviewers/ employers sometimes see clever people who use long words as know it all busibodies who know their rights and could end up being hard to manage.

The person who is interviewing you does not want you stealing their job due to the fact you could be more experienced than them.

[Iphigenia]

I haven't read it in detail yet but I my first thought would to be to move the Personal Profile farther down (if I were an employer, my first concern would be for skills, rather than opinion of the applicant's own character. I'd want the personal stuff to feature though.

I'd also try and re-word it a little - using the same word ("positive") three times in a few lines, including twice in one sentence just jars a bit.

[Ethel_Fred]

It's a generic covering letter which doesn't say why you are the One for that particular job. You should be using the words of the job advert to show your skills in that job. So if the job asks for someone who can juggle and you can juggle then you say precisely that.

The first section of the CV would make HR want to throw up. Once again it is generic. They don't want to know that you are positive, they want to know that you can do the job. Once again tailor the CV to meet the job requirements. I'd junk that first section totally especially as the CV is too long and too generic. It also shouts to me that this is a person who doesn't stick at anything - why should I recruit anyone who in 6 months time will be looking for another job? If that isn't the case just drop a hint as to why you worked at HoF for a few months and make it a positive - eg not one to sit on backside but willing to turn my hand at anything.

Each CV you send should be tailored specifically for that job - if the job wants a juggler and you juggled in a previous job then that should be the first thing in the section for that job.

Look at what they want and include things that match those requirements. Add other things only if they are *amazing* (the special constable for example)

I probably would remove the bit about the web business - companies might think you'll work on that in their time rather than yours and many companies don't like the idea of "two masters". Some may even require you to obtain permission to do so especially in the financial sector. Perhaps mention it as something in the past rather than the present. No on second thoughts don't - it's another thing that gives the impression that you'll try anything but stick with nothing.

The two things companies really want to know - can you do the job and will you stick at the job. Neither shows through on the CV and some parts of it would make companies think you don't meet either.

[MeddlingMonkey]

Too long, not any content. General fluff and buzzwords that you seem to have heard and think sound good. How about shrinking it to a maximum of 2 pages, getting to the point of what you are good at and have experience in a lot sooner. Concentrate on what you can offer and tailor it.

To be honest, as an HR Manager with 20 years experience, I am fed up of seeing this type of CV. You need to shrink and get attention to the key points.

Also any decent employer, anyone worth bothering with i.e. not Dave's plumbers looking for a receptionist, would use a scoring system. For example a spreadsheet with a list of the key skills identified in the job description/advert/person spec down one side and the applicants names across the top. Then give a point for every skill the applicant has identified and given an example of/at least mentioned. If an applicant cannot be bothered to do this then it says two things: they have sent the same generic cv to everyone and are not specifically interested in this role. So if you make an effort and score 75% upwards then I will phone interview you. If you pass a similar system on the phone then I will interview you.

That system saves me hours and days a month of interviewing and sifting through CV's and even better it gives me a leg to stand on with regards to feedback and letting people know why they were not successful. Much better than some ridiculous system of deciding if you like somebody from a cv or not. That is what the interview is for. Predominantly a scoring system, with maybe 20% judgement.

Good luck.

[stargazer61]

1. Three 'positives' in the personal profile? That would put me off reading the rest!

2. Too long, and too 'wordy' in places. Too much unnecessary detail.

Agree with post #2........prune it down to 2 pages.

[howard h]

My CV is

(1) I'm available

(2) I don't need time off during school holidays.

(3) I'm very rarely off sick.

That's all they seem to want to know.

[adopter]

The first sentence would have had me reaching for the next CV in the pile I'm afraid. It doesn't tell me anything about you.

And then ass others have said if I did bother to have a quick flick through the rest of it (I didn't even count the number of pages) I would have realised that it would have taken me ages to read between the waffle to find out whether you were suitable for the job.

EDIT - just noticed that you write the least about your most recent job.

[John Carter]

Typeface is nice though.........

[MeddlingMonkey]

Originally Posted by howard h

My CV is

(1) I'm available

(2) I don't need time off during school holidays.

(3) I'm very rarely off sick.

That's all they seem to want to know.

For what job?? That CV would be straight in the bin unless I was looking for an office junior.

[Ethel_Fred]

Originally Posted by MeddlingMonkey

For what job?? That CV would be straight in the bin unless I was looking for an office junior.

Wouldn't even employ as office junior - perhaps a guy who holds up placards directing you to McDonalds.

[KidMoe]

Like others have said, it's far, far too long. Chop it down to 2 pages, max. In general it's far too wordy. Remember that your cv will be one of a big pile of them, and you need to grab the readers attention quickly. Whatever comes first on your CV needs to tell the interviewer who you are and what you can do.

To that end, your personal profile section is terrible, to be brutally honest, and I would in fact drop it in the situation where you are applying for more generic roles rather than specialist jobs. I like them when you can write something like "Steve is a software engineer with 10 years of experience in the finance sector" as that is conveying useful information. Saying "Steve likes a bit of a joke" is not useful information. In general I don't like CV's written in the first person, but that is something of a matter of personal preference. I just find 3rd person comes across in a far more professional way.

Your keys skills section is far too wordy. Cut it down to short bullet points only.

Your work experience section is again far too long. Lots of your responsibilities can go as they don't add anything to your cv and there is lots of repetition.

Most importantly - every CV you send out should be tailored to the position you are applying for. Chop and change your experience depending on whether you are looking for an web designer role, a support role or just working on a checkout. You cannot send out the same cv for every job and expect it to work for every role.

[MeddlingMonkey]

Originally Posted by Ethel_Fred

Wouldn't even employ as office junior - perhaps a guy who holds up placards directing you to McDonalds.

I was trying to be a little more polite. I would pobably just shred the CV.

[daleman]

Just keep trying , Something will turn up, Good luck.

[Psychosis]

You need to adapt it each time for the job you're going for. I don't even HAVE a generic cover letter, I just write a new one each time and snatch key phrases from old ones. Your cover letter in particular should not just say "This is who I am", it should say "This is who I am, this is why I want to work for you, and this is why you, specifically YOU, need to have me". In my cover letter I specifically use key words and phrases from the job pack. I go on their website and make a comment about something I've seen that I like or that impresses me to make it clear why I want to work there.

[Skyclad]

I'm an employer - and see CVs regularly. So my honest opinion.

Too many 'positives' in the first section - turned me off and I didn't read the rest. Was far too long. Two pages maximum, and one if you can manage it, would be ideal.

I'd like to see why you are suited for the job before I read about your personal details - so put your skills first, your relevant experience next then your fluff.

[MeddlingMonkey]

Originally Posted by daleman

Just keep trying , Something will turn up, Good luck.

That is a crap attitude though. With the market as it is, then mass producing your CV and just blindly posting it out is just a waste of time and money. You need to fight for things and tailor your VC. Not use an approach that died out about 20 - 30 years ago.

[ustarion]

This use of the word 'positive' three times in five lines puts me off.

Your key skills and personal achievements are too general. Nothing specific.

Your education suggests you have something to hide. You don't necessarily need to list your GCSES but why haven't you put your A-Level grades? This section should also have dates.

Your professional skills are too long and boring.

Your other relevant experience is pretty pointless.

[elke21]

Bullet points are the way forward.

Operations Executive at the age of 18? Really?

[Ethel_Fred]

Originally Posted by Psychosis

I don't even HAVE a generic cover letter, I just write a new one each time and snatch key phrases from old ones.

I don't even have a generic CV. I have a CV that lists all my wonderful attributes then create a new one for each job using only those attributes relevant to the job I'm applying for.

[The Mc]

A website that helps you write a successful CV....

http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv.htm

[stupidwheelie]

Working out in the community sounds like you're exercising in the street, take the 'out' out.

[Psychosis]

Originally Posted by Ethel_Fred

I don't even have a generic CV. I have a CV that lists all my wonderful attributes then create a new one for each job using only those attributes relevant to the job I'm applying for.

For me having a generic CV is pretty easy considering I'm applying for the same job in a different school every time. But yeah, if you were applying for different jobs definitely need a tailored CV.

[organiclive]

Thanks for all the input guys.

Ive had a crack at it, what do you think to this updated one

http://www.handley-farrell.com/content/cv-update.pdf