Writing a CV/Resumé

[KennyR]

Most of you out there must have done one, right? Can anyone give me any advice in writing one?

I've tried the internet guides, and they suck. They just don't tell me what I want to know - in fact, every time I've managed to write something, one of the guides out there will contradict it. I have no problem with layout or any of that, and certainly no problem with the English.

It's the "selling yourself" part that I just can't do. It's like facing a brick wall. I have no idea what to put here. This is the part that is apparently most important in a CV - sure, I have an honours degree, but everyone else applying for jobs I'll be applying for will have the same.

I'm not really well suited to exaggerating my abilities, which are very few but very specialised. That's why I can't write this buzzword bullsh*t that employers want to hear. I don't work well in a team and can't pretend I do. I don't do anything dynamic or upwardly mobile. None of my interests or hobbies (which I don't have much of) will cast a very positive light on me, in fact they'll probably stereotype me.

So what do I do here? Do I lie my ass off and say I'm a fun person who's great to be around, hard working and devoted, I enjoy playing squash and working voluntarily for the samaritans? Or do I miss this part out completely?

I haven't got a clue how to get this out of the way! :pissed:

[Speelgoedmannetje]

:-?
You only have to write down wich schools and studies you have done. And your abilities. The "selling" part is that you musn't underestimate your abilities and write 'em down.

If you wish, I can send mine to you.

[KennyR]

speelgoedmannetje wrote:
You only have to write down wich schools and studies you have done. And your abilities. The "selling" part is that you musn't underestimate your abilities and write 'em down.

I wish...

No, it's industry standard that you have a few sentences about yourself not related to work or education. That's where I'm having the problems.

For a start, if I wrote everything I learned, the CV would be 10 pages long. If I wrote everything that I am not related to my education, then I can't muster a sentence. See my problem?

[Speelgoedmannetje]

It has to be one page, very very globally pinpointing what you're capable of. Maybe you've worked on a project or so, and then you can mention the name of that project.
Hell, no one can write down exactly what they've done.

btw, Kenny, do you have Asperger's syndrome? This problem is typically for people having Asperger. As well as they choose either chemistry or informatics.

[whabang]

Write a few lines about your hard childhood (or something like that), and how it has made you a strong and flexible, yet cooperative person.

I has worked for me; I haven't been unemployed for more than two weeks since I was 16. :-D

[Speelgoedmannetje]

@KennyR
Just ask your mum or a close friend who knows what you're capable of for help. I don't know anything about you so I can't help you this way.

[KennyR]

speelgoedmannetje wrote:
Maybe you worked on a project or so, and then you can mention the name of that project.
Hell, no one can write down exactly what they've done.

I've done almost nothing outside education that would be of possible interest to an employer. I don't think "Has more comments on Amiga.org than anyone else" for instance would be of particular interest to anyone wanting to employ me.

btw, Kenny, do you have Asperger's syndrome? This problem is typically for people having Asperger. As well as they choose either chemistry or informatics.

Why, do you think I have difficulty communicating my opinions? :-D

[KennyR]

speel wrote:
Just ask your mum or a close friend who knows what you're capable of for help.

I have. Everyone I've asked so far (including whabang ;-))has suggested I lie.

[Mike_Amiga]

Just pay some professional CV making company to do it for you.  A friend of mine said it was money well spent. He got his done by these people.

*edit*

Link fixed!

[Speelgoedmannetje]

KennyR wrote:

speelgoedmannetje wrote:
Maybe you worked on a project or so, and then you can mention the name of that project.
Hell, no one can write down exactly what they've done.

I've done almost nothing outside education that would be of possible interest to an employer. I don't think "Has more comments on Amiga.org than anyone else" for instance would be of particular interest to anyone wanting to employ me.

btw, Kenny, do you have Asperger's syndrome? This problem is typically for people having Asperger. As well as they choose either chemistry or informatics.

Why, do you think I have difficulty communicating my opinions? :-D

What the employer is interested in is your social capabilities. So when you're an active member of an club, like scouting or a sportclub or something like that, you can mention that in your CV.
And having Asperger's syndrome isn't only about communicating at all. Hell no, I'm diagnosed Asperger (that's why I recognised this problem) and am I not social here at Aorg?

[KennyR]

Speelgoedmannetje wrote:
What the employer is interested in is your social capabilities. So when you're an active member of an club, like scouting or a sportclub or something like that, you can mention that in your CV.

I wasn't. I haven't been a member of any club or organisation. In fact I haven't been very active at all. ;-)

As for employers being interested in my social capabilities, the answer is: all are. For people who have lots of work experience, the personal section isn't very important. For graduates however, it's the only difference in a stack of degree-owning CVs some guy has to read through. We had this drummed into us at uni, and if you read any graduate CV guide, you'll see the same thing. There's no escaping it. I've got to prove somehow that I'm better than all the other graduates out there. Being 26 when most over graduates are 22, that has to be a very, very good trick.

And having Asperger's syndrome isn't only about communicating at all. Hell no, I'm diagnosed Asperger (that's why I recognised this problem) and am I not social here at Aorg?

I'm pretty sure I don't have Asperger's. In fact, I'm not even convinced a such a condition exists.

[KennyR]

@Mike_Amiga

Your link is broken. ;-)

Anyway, I did try to get my CV done professionally through the jobcentre. They sent gave me a questionaire to fill in.

It's easy up to when you get to:

2) Personal Profile

HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF?

In the following section please write down briefly what qualities you consider yourself to have, what achievements or successes you have attained, what your work outlook or ethics are and what your objectives or aims are for the future (work related). This will be the first section of your CV and a potential selling point to your prospective employer.

As soon as I read that, I'm stuck.

Doing a CV professionally just means doing the write-up in good English. I don't need help for that. It's content I need (unless someone's willing to make up convincing lies for me).

[Speelgoedmannetje]

You musn't pretend that you're better than any other. You must reveal your knowledge and interpretations in a short and convincing way (you must be convinced about yourself when you're writing it).

And Asperger's not existing? Once you meet one, you'll DEFINATELY notice otherwise. :lol:

[KennyR]

You must reveal your knowledge and interpretations in a short and convincing way (you must be convinced about yourself when you're writing it).

Then I'm f*cked, aren't I?

And Asperger's not existing once you meet one, you'll DEFINATELY notice otherwise.

Asperger's isn't universally accepted by psychologists. Some believe that most diagnoses are wrong, and actually shyness and social alienation are to blame for the symptoms. If you want social alienation there's no better way to go about it than being smarter than most of your peers, and as a result there is this mysticism around seemingly ultra-intelligent people who have social problems. More likely, they have social problems because they were isolated for being smart, and their answer to this is to hit the books instead of socialise and become even more smart and even more socially unskilled.

I for one don't believe in Asperger's. I think it's a case of nurture, not nature.

[uncharted]

KennyR wrote:

I wasn't. I haven't been a member of any club or organisation. In fact I haven't been very active at all. ;-)

Aren't you a member of AmigaZeux?  Is that not an organisation (a computer club of sorts?).  Don't you also program? There's something else you can shove on. Can you see where I'm going with this?

I'm pretty sure I don't have Asperger's. In fact, I'm not even convinced a such a condition exists.

eeek! Don't let Mrs. Uncharted hear you say that :-o  The problem is that that term is often misused to descibe people who don't have a condition at all.