NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm about to apply for an 3-week Sydney internship with a well-known finance company, and I think my resume looks like crap. I used it before to try and get a job at a pizza place, so I might just need to upgrade.

I think I've got my references sorted (one of my lecturers and my ex-manager at the pizza store), but that can't be all of it.

So what do you think a great resume looks like? What sort of formatting, what sort of things should be in there? Would it make sense to put in every single uni course I've done and the grade, or would it be better to just put my average GPA there?

I think this might be a science in itself, so I'm all ears...

The only purpose of a CV is to get an interview.

To that end, enclose pornography and promises of a bribe.

Call it a Curriculum Vitae and impress them with your knowledge of latin.

I usually put in all my working experience in some detail. You can make even crappy jobs sound cool that way.
If you worked in a pizza place, I'm sure you've got experience in Time Management, Scheduling, Order and Resource Management... that sort of thing ;)

Edit : Oh, and put in anything you did in your spare time that might look like it could qualify you for the position

I'm sure you could rip better advice from internet sites but here goes.

Include your average GPA, but also include any grades you think would shed light on your ability to perform the role (with perhaps a note explaining that these are the ones you think show your ability in specific areas). Just make the info easily accessible but make sure you get some of yourself into the prose, not just a list of qualifications etc.
For the record the above is a complete guess and I disclaim all responsibility for any failure, but claim all responsibility for any success

Call it a Curriculum Vitae and impress them with your knowledge of latin.

Is that impressive? That's what they're always called in the UK.

Make sure everything you put is relevant to the job. Make sure everything you've done can be made to look apparently relevant to the job - wrote a dissertation/thesis? You have excellent research, data analysis, and time management skills, as well as the proven ability to work on your own initiative.

Your pizza place job - you have excellent customer service, advanced numeracy, stock maintenance and purchasing skills. If you were ever in charge of the place (for example, your boss stepped out for a fag once), you have supervisory skills.

For your education, put that you have a high level of education and your university courses, especially if this is your first proper job out of university.

As for format: name, address, phone, etc at the top. Then any experience you have, then education. Education isn't really that important - any employers will judge your education on how well written your CV/resume is. If it's poorly laid out with loads of spelling/grammatical errors, it doesn't matter if you got a triple starred first from Oxford, it'll be going straight in the bin.

I'm about to apply for an 3-week Sydney internship with a well-known finance company, and I think my resume looks like crap. I used it before to try and get a job at a pizza place, so I might just need to upgrade.

I think I've got my references sorted (one of my lecturers and my ex-manager at the pizza store), but that can't be all of it.

So what do you think a great resume looks like? What sort of formatting, what sort of things should be in there? Would it make sense to put in every single uni course I've done and the grade, or would it be better to just put my average GPA there?

I think this might be a science in itself, so I'm all ears...



No matter what, do NOT mention your four-year stint as president of the Max Keeble Appreciation Society for Max Keeble Fans and Afficianados (Sheboygen Chapter). Employers are NOT as impressed as... Max Keeble enthusiasts, and Max Keeble enthusiasts only.

Is that impressive? That's what they're always called in the UK.
You'd be surprised how many people don't actually know what CV stands for.

You'd be surprised how many people don't actually know what CV stands for.

Carrot Vindaloo, the vegetarian's favourite friday-night post-pub prandial.

S'obvious.

Carrot Vindaloo, the vegetarian's favourite friday-night post-pub prandial.

S'obvious.
Or Cerberus Vent. But you'd only understand that if you watch Lost.

This is a CV made for me by a professional as way of returning a favour. I think it does the job well. The infomation is easily acessible, and it's not too flash, but not too blocky and boring either.

http://putstuff.putfile.com/65623/9525237

Or Cerberus Vent. But you'd only understand that if you watch Lost.

No, sorry... It's got that blonde guy from C&C3 in it, yes? And polar bears?

So what's a Cerberus Vent? A chasm that spews forth tri-headed demon-dogs? They sound cool, I'd happily send one of those to an HR department.

Is that impressive? That's what they're always called in the UK.

And in Ireland, but since he called it a resume I figured that's what they call it wherever he is.

No, sorry... It's got that blonde guy from C&C3 in it, yes? And polar bears?

So what's a Cerberus Vent? A chasm that spews forth tri-headed demon-dogs? They sound cool, I'd happily send one of those to an HR department.
I don't know who the blonde guy from C&C3 is, so maybe. And yes.

And I don't know. Nor does anyone, really, except the writers (I hope). It's all rather confusing. Here's a picture that might help: http://www.lostpedia.com/images/thumb/3/3c/Fullblastdoor.jpg/800px-Fullblastdoor.jpg

Is that impressive? That's what they're always called in the UK.

In the US, a CV is generally used for academic, scientific, research positions...those types of jobs. It tends to be a longer document that includes any of your published work and describes in better detail the focus of your research/area of expertise.

A resume is used for most other jobs, tends to be less detailed, and more bulleted points of your work experience, either chronologically, or by job function.

You'd be better off looking at a sample of what is expected in the area you are applying for positions -- e.g., looking at that sample that someone posted above, you'd never put your age or nationality on a resume here in the States. I suppose if you were not a citizen, you might make note of your work status, or any security clearances you might have (if, for example you were working for a contractor that worked with the government) but Equal employment opportunity laws prevent an employer from asking certain types of personal information such as age, marital status, ethnic background and the like.

I don't know who the blonde guy from C&C3 is, so maybe. And yes.

And I don't know. Nor does anyone, really, except the writers (I hope). It's all rather confusing. Here's a picture that might help: http://www.lostpedia.com/images/thumb/3/3c/Fullblastdoor.jpg/800px-Fullblastdoor.jpg

Josh Holloway (real name: Sawyer from Lost), apparently.

The art department had fun on that pic, didn't they? It's got everything! Glowy symbols! Pseudo-mathematical equations (including an integration)! Lots of writing that you can't quite read but know is important! A duck! Great fun :)

Or Cerberus Vent. But you'd only understand that if you watch Lost.

I don't know who the blonde guy from C&C3 is, so maybe. And yes.

And I don't know. Nor does anyone, really, except the writers (I hope). It's all rather confusing. Here's a picture that might help: http://www.lostpedia.com/images/thumb/3/3c/Fullblastdoor.jpg/800px-Fullblastdoor.jpg

Josh Holloway (real name: Sawyer from Lost), apparently.

The art department had fun on that pic, didn't they? It's got everything! Glowy symbols! Pseudo-mathematical equations (including an integration)! Lots of writing that you can't quite read but know is important! A duck! Great fun :)Stop spoilering me in a completely unrelated thread! Sheesh, is one not safe anywhere anymore these days?


Oh, and NL, the only thing I know about about writing a CV is that the cover letter for it should never be longer than 1 page.

I did, however, read this (http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/wdc/291196665.html) in great amusement the other day. So even if the info in it is all things you wouldn't do anyway it might still be useful to make you feel better about your own resume. :p

I think this might be a science in itself, so I'm all ears...

It is a science in itself, and I for one could never figure out how the best way to write one would be - especially seeing as how everyone I asked had a different viewpoint, including potential employers - so in the end I stopped trying.

Instead I focused on the fleshing out the application itself, leaving the CV / resume to be short and to the point. I tried to keep it on one page, maybe two, and only put the most relevant points on it.

Dunno if that was the best way to go, but I do have a job now so meh :)

A serious point: Don't worry too much about it. Chances are, no matter how much you work on it or how good it is, you'll fail to get an interview.

If you don't fail to get an interview, chances are you'll fail the interview and not get the job.

So don't worry; the less you invest, the less you lose. Trust me, I've had a lot of practice.

200 applications, 50 interviews, and - after all that - I got a job through nepotism. When I am king the HR drones will be the first against the wall.

Stop spoilering me in a completely unrelated thread! Sheesh, is one not safe anywhere anymore these days?
Hardly spoilers - they're from the second series. Not sure where you're up to in Germany, though. And it hardly spoiled anything, anyway.

Hardly spoilers - they're from the second series. Not sure where you're up to in Germany, though. And it hardly spoiled anything, anyway.Only because I yelled at you just in time! ;p But buh? From the second season you say? Hmmm. I'll check out that link, then. (We only finished the second season on TV here recently but I saw it a few months ago on DVD and am now I think 6 episodes into the third season and waiting to get some more from a friend.)

Edit: Buh? It's only the door. Should I know that word, cerberus vent, then? I'll go google it.

[/hijack, sorry NL. :/ ]

I'm about to apply for an 3-week Sydney internship with a well-known finance company, and I think my resume looks like crap. I used it before to try and get a job at a pizza place, so I might just need to upgrade.

I think I've got my references sorted (one of my lecturers and my ex-manager at the pizza store), but that can't be all of it.

So what do you think a great resume looks like? What sort of formatting, what sort of things should be in there? Would it make sense to put in every single uni course I've done and the grade, or would it be better to just put my average GPA there?

I think this might be a science in itself, so I'm all ears...
It's hard for me to say without looking at it. I was in charge of hiring for two years, so I know what a good resume looks like. If you want I can look it over and edit it. TG or IM me and I'll give you my email if you're interested.

Whats the internship for?

I look at a lot of resumes and the parts that get most of my attention are anything that discusses relevant experience and useful skills. What I consider relevant and useful are timely, too. I might need to hire a candidate with one skill set this month and something completely different in August.

Interns are different. Find out what the employer wants, if you can. If you have the classwork -- highlight it. If you have relevant experience, even better. Put it in the first couple inches down from the top. I would put my name and address on the top, my objective next, and my relevant experience and education next as bullets. Fill in the details of work and school last.

Write a good objective statement. Make sure they are know you are looking for a position that is exactly what they are hiring. Be explicit in the relevant work and school experience, i.e. "-- Prepared weekly payroll for XYZ Pizza", or "Responsible for daily produce and pepperoni orders".

Good luck.

Is that impressive? That's what they're always called in the UK.

It's what they're always called in academia, too. But most American company HR reps don't know Latin from Greek, so it's a wasted affection in the commercial world.

I look at a lot of resumes and the parts that get most of my attention are anything that discusses relevant experience and useful skills. What I consider relevant and useful are timely, too. I might need to hire a candidate with one skill set this month and something completely different in August.

Interns are different. Find out what the employer wants, if you can. If you have the classwork -- highlight it. If you have relevant experience, even better. Put it in the first couple inches down from the top. I would put my name and address on the top, my objective next, and my relevant experience and education next as bullets. Fill in the details of work and school last.

Write a good objective statement. Make sure they are know you are looking for a position that is exactly what they are hiring. Be explicit in the relevant work and school experience, i.e. "-- Prepared weekly payroll for XYZ Pizza", or "Responsible for daily produce and pepperoni orders".

Good luck.

Couldn't have said it better myself. My only additional suggestion would be to make sure that everything on the resume is perfect--spelling, usage, format. If you're an HR person looking to whittle the pile, you'll seize on anything, no matter how insignificant, to toss an application. Don't give them the excuse.

Couldn't have said it better myself. My only additional suggestion would be to make sure that everything on the resume is perfect--spelling, usage, format. If you're an HR person looking to whittle the pile, you'll seize on anything, no matter how insignificant, to toss an application. Don't give them the excuse.
One more thing. If you can bypass the HR morass, do it. They don't know an accountant from an actuary -- neither do I, but I'm not hiring one. Anyway, if you know who the hiring manager is, or if you know someone in the company that will forward your resume to the hiring manager, use them. It's a lot easier for me, as an employer, to call you first and deal with the HR red tape later.