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Your CV should be
no more than two pages long. Think quality, not quantity. On average,
readers absorb 60% of the first page, 40% of the second, and the third is
generally a waste - this has been proven time and time again.
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Use an effective
summary on the first page and include a list of your key skills and key
applications in bold. You want to make an impact on the reader.
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Employers often
make up their mind from reading the initial summary and key skills. So, it
is always worthwhile noting the quantity of experience you have for each
key skill, e.g. Business Analysis (5 Years), Database Design (4 Years),
etc.
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Tailor the resume
to the company/department and position whenever possible - although this
may be time-consuming, it could help you clinch that job! So, in the
'position sought' section, always tailor the role to the one on offer.
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Put the greatest
emphasis on your last few roles, and summarise older roles.
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Always begin with
your most recent position - include dates and months of employment for
each. Do not indicate "to present" if you are no longer employed
in the position as some employers are actively looking for only those
candidates who can commence immediately.
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Foreign Languages
- as more and more contractors are considering working overseas, you
should include your competence in other languages (basic, good, fluent),
but you should be honest. Several of our agency contacts have sent
contractors to interview on the basis of their claimed fluency in 'Dutch'
for example, only to be rejected. So, if you only have 'O-Level French',
then you have 'basic French'.
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Do not provide
personal data such as age, marital status, graduation dates, weight,
height, place of birth and items of this nature. You can include
information about your interests, but keep it short. Don't enclose a
picture. Remember - you are not a permie any more!
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There is no need
to include your 'hobbies' - if you enjoy 'walking in the Pennines', it
will have no bearing on your suitability as an AP! If you have some
outstanding acheivements, such as 'Olympic rower' or suchlike, there is
clearly no harm in mentioning this, and it may enhance the interview.
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Don't include your
required rate. You cannot win - the figure will often be too high, or
sometimes even too low. You can negotiate the rate after you've got the
job!
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Take advantage of
technology - email your CV to agencies or submit it on agency sites. Jobserve
provides a CV submission service at no cost - your details will be sent to
100 agencies, and a summary to a further 500. An excellent way to get
noticed!
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Make sure your CV
has a clear structure - include career overview, skills overview,
qualifications (education/professional) and employment history
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Be positive -
don't be too modest and don't lie about your experience. Positive thinking
is vital in securing that next contract.
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