I keep hearing that employers and recruitment companies do not want long cv’s…..but what is too long?? I am a detail person so as long as it is concisely written with a bullet pointed list of responsibilities for each role, 4-6 pages is generally the norm….but if it has to be longer as long as it‘s clear and not a story format, size is generally not an issue. The content is more important so ensure you include the following sections.
Personal details
Name, address, contact phone numbers and e-mail if available.
Education & Professional Memberships
Your school history, including qualifications and achievements. Professional memberships. Further training, sales courses etc.
Your Key Skills or Competencies (optional)
What sets you apart from others relevant to the role your are applying for, i.e., Great time management skills, Proven sales ability, etc.
Work History (most important)
Apart from your contact details this is the most important part of your resume. It is a guide to what you achieved and it is where you should invest the majority of your time and effort. Most importantly it needs to be easy to follow and therefore "structure" is the key word. Start at your current role and work backwards. Prior to ten years ago, just a job title, company name and dates of employment are fine.
Also include,
Duration of employment - Start date until finish date, including the months.
The organisation and your position title - Including a sentence on the company and what they do is always helpful.
Responsibilities - 6 or 7 key responsibilities is fine (bullet points are easier to follow)
Achievements - This is your opportunity to show where you have added value to previous employers. Whether you have achieved outstanding sales success, improved a system or created award winning promotional campaigns. This section illustrates to a potential new employer what you are capable of doing for their business.
Interests
What are you interested in outside work; this enables a taste of your personality to show through. You can also include major achievements here, eg, sports, toastmasters etc.
Referees
A list of your referees is helpful. Include 2 or 3 people who you have previously worked for (overseas referees are generally fine, if none are available in NZ).
