My CV....Help needed

[Matt]

Well heres my cv. (at the tops all my details). Could someone please give me some ideas to help improve it.
Any help would me much appreshiated:y:

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr239/LethalLurch/untitled.jpg

[KamRacing]

only put the best bits on the CV.. as an employer I'm not really excited by the fact that you can clean / stack shelves. Customers interaction / demonstrating taking responcibility are important and should definately be on there.

stacking shelves is stock control ;)

Mention what areas of the store you've worked in. rather than describe as "other areas"

equally in the lower section i would take out the packing and the vouchers and leave the rest in. Handling money is a good thing to have in there

[Matt]

only put the best bits on the CV.. as an employer I'm not really excited by the fact that you can clean / stack shelves. Customers interaction / demonstrating taking responcibility are important and should definately be on there.

stacking shelves is stock control ;)

Mention what areas of the store you've worked in. rather than describe as "other areas"

equally in the lower section i would take out the packing and the vouchers and leave the rest in. Handling money is a good thing to have in there

Experience:
Nov 2008-March 2009 ~ J Sainsbury’s PLC.
General Assistant (Fresh Foods)
Part time job which included responsibilities such as:
- Stock Control
- Helping customers with queries
- Working in other areas of the store such as non-food and checkouts
- Collecting items for disabled customers.
I have also worked in other areas of the store which provided me with responsibililites such as:
- Packing items
- Meeting and greeting customers
- Handling money
- Think 21 scheme

Is that better Kam. And cheers for the advice too.

[91mikec]

Maybe go into more about your interests and hobbies.
Employers are looking for someone with a bit about them.
For example, im into sport, so i would say what sports i do on which days, who i play for and what achievements ive done.
This also gives conversation starters if you get through to interview!

[Matt]

Maybe go into more about your interests and hobbies.
Employers are looking for someone with a bit about them.
For example, im into sport, so i would say what sports i do on which days, who i play for and what achievements ive done.
This also gives conversation starters if you get through to interview!

Interests
I’m interested in rugby and motor sport. I like to play rugby whenever I have the chance and used to play for my secondary school team. I enjoy watching formula 1 and the world rally championship.

Something like that??

[SaxoLuverShane]

Seems a fairly decent CV.

What type of sector is this CV aimed at? I am guessing retail since your only looking for a part time job on the side? or will you be sending it everywhere and anywhere (Range of sectors).

I would change a few things in your initial paragraph by saying something like "and I am extremely meticulous at all tasks I am given to complete"

I would change another bit to "I am able to work on my own initiative....."

Also "I have experience working as a General Assistant at a busy (food/entertainment/Whatever the previous place was) store which has given me the key Customer Service skills needed to become a friendly and helpful member of staff." sounds fairly effective.

For additional info, I would add something along the lines of "and a car, which allows me to be extremely punctual and as flexible as possible due to not having to rely on public transport."

This just highlights the fact that you have a car and that always helps ;)

Maybe mention you would be willing to do overtime, studies permitting.

I'll be honest with you, I read a ton of CV's for a food store, and I think you'll find it works the same in most part time jobs in a shop, I end up looking at GCSE Maths and English results, if they are decent(ish), I then check if they have any higher education, a car scores bonus points due to reliability being (generally) higher and shows that they have committed to something (learning to drive) especially if they are young (16-19). Any previous experience in a shop also sky rockets the chance of an interview with me.
That is just me though, I know others will and do it differently though

[91mikec]

yeah, i mean im no expert, but sounds better than just a list dont ya think.
what job ya goin for?

[Matt]

Seems a fairly decent CV.

What type of sector is this CV aimed at? I am guessing retail since your only looking for a part time job on the side? or will you be sending it everywhere and anywhere (Range of sectors).

I would change a few things in your initial paragraph by saying something like "and I am extremely meticulous at all tasks I am given to complete"

I would change another bit to "I am able to work on my own initiative....."

Also "I have experience working as a General Assistant at a busy (food/entertainment/Whatever the previous place was) store which has given me the key Customer Service skills needed to become a friendly and helpful member of staff." sounds fairly effective.

For additional info, I would add something along the lines of "and a car, which allows me to be extremely punctual and as flexible as possible due to not having to rely on public transport."

This just highlights the fact that you have a car and that always helps ;)

Maybe mention you would be willing to do overtime, studies permitting.

I'll be honest with you, I read a ton of CV's for a food store, and I think you'll find it works the same in most part time jobs in a shop, I end up looking at GCSE Maths and English results, if they are decent(ish), I then check if they have any higher education, a car scores bonus points due to reliability being (generally) higher and shows that they have committed to something (learning to drive) especially if they are young (16-19). Any previous experience in a shop also sky rockets the chance of an interview with me.
That is just me though, I know others will and do it differently though

Thanks alot Shane:y: Ye im going for part time at a retail store. Hopefully finish it off tommorrow and send it around!

[Liam_]

I'd reduce the GCSEs bit to something like: one single and four dual award GCSEs at grades A* - D.

In your Sainsburys section, mention the consequences of not performing your duties, i.e customer unsatisfaction, health and safety hazards etc.

[Matt]

yeah, i mean im no expert, but sounds better than just a list dont ya think.
what job ya goin for?

A part time retail job mate. Thanks for your advice anyway

[Matt]

I'd reduce the GCSEs bit to something like: one single and four dual award GCSEs at grades A* - D.

In your Sainsburys section, mention the consequences of not performing your duties, i.e customer unsatisfaction, health and safety hazards etc.

Ye i agree mate there not exactly nothing to shout about

But what do you mean about consequenes? :S

[Liam_]

Ye i agree mate there not exactly nothing to shout about

But what do you mean about consequenes? :S

Didn't mean it like that bud... it just keeps it more concise as they're gonna spend literally 2 minutes scanning over your CV.

Talk about the problems/ issues that might have been experienced by customers and Sainsburys in general if you'd slacked off. ;)

[91mikec]

id reccommend a waitor as a part time job.
im a student and work for pizza hut :) i work a lot at weekends and rake in around £100 a week in wages, paid weekly.
but on top of that i earn between £40-£80 a week tips as well!
this means i can spend and live off my tips, whilst saving my wages for things like the car/insurance/ipods/other things i want.
also, im rushed off me feet so shifts seem to go so much quicker!!, unlike most of my friends stackin shelves!
so id advise getting ur CV into some restaurants, packed with emphasis on customer service, communication and presentation!

[Matt]

id reccommend a waitor as a part time job.
im a student and work for pizza hut :) i work a lot at weekends and rake in around £100 a week in wages, paid weekly.
but on top of that i earn between £40-£80 a week tips as well!
this means i can spend and live off my tips, whilst saving my wages for things like the car/insurance/ipods/other things i want.
also, im rushed off me feet so shifts seem to go so much quicker!!, unlike most of my friends stackin shelves!
so id advise getting ur CV into some restaurants, packed with emphasis on customer service, communication and presentation!

Cheers mate never thought about resturants :y: Cheers

[Liam_]

Put down your College course under education too!

[Matt]

Put down your College course under education too!

Well im not at college yet so im waiting for comfurmation on me getting the place. But i think ile put it in anyway

[Matt]

Ive rewote it now with everything you guys suggested what do you think now??

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr239/LethalLurch/1untitled.jpg

[alanrichie]

Think about the structure/format of your CV abit more mate, I see you've went on to a second page, why not re format the first page and make full use of the second page so it does not look cramped,

heres an example of mine, administration background :)

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/48/44639303at6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Hope this helps :)

[Penn]

Education should be AFTER work experience. No one gives a flying fuck what your qualifications are, all they care about is your work experience.

[bpm]

At the level your looking at your new CV is fine. Short and sweet, easy to read with a better layout and tables than a mass of words. Always keep a CV at 2 sides of A4 tops. Noone will read more than that and they are probably going to just scan read that first page anyway to short list you or not. I used to read loads for my company and they got about 20 seconds each and Id keep 1 in 10.

[SaxoLuverShane]

As alanrichie said, I would suggest trying to get in onto one page (neatly) or spread nicely over two pages.

Other than that, the CV looks pretty good to me :)

[Matt]

Thanks alot for the help guys. Ye ile look into the structure:y: