CV's

[azlan]

Hello,

 

I know topics like this come up a lot, but search isn't finding anything especially useful at the moment.

I'm currently looking for work as a sound engineer, and seem to be getting depressingly few responses for the number of applications I send out, I have been working in a venue for the past couple of years, as crew and as a supervisor, so I do have some experience behind me, which makes me think that my CV might be at fault, so I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me out and have a quick read over of my CV and tell me if there are any glaring mistakes or any weaknesses they spot so I can work on improving them.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Azlan

[Shez]

By all means post up a link to it - people who have done that here before have received a good honest critique from the type of people that you're likely to be sending it to.

[azlan]

the link to my CV is https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6D6KJbsHD-uMHA4eGFGdTlzR00/edit?usp=sharing

[alistermorton]

the link to my CV is https://docs.google....dit?usp=sharing

 

Dunno about anyone else, but if I go there I get a blank screen with File Edit View etc, and if I try to download google invites me to log in.

[azlan]

I think I just fixed that, seems to be working from my laptop even though I logged out from google

[portytech]

works for me

[alistermorton]

works for me

 

Must be because I'm not logged in to a google account. I can't see it all, just a blank screen.

 

<tappity-tap>

 

Hey ho - works in firefox, but not in chrome.

[mark_s]

Two things immediately jump out at me - the layout is very bland and doesn't 'stand out' in any way, shape or form, and your dates of employment. About the layout, I don't know about other people, but when I'm faced with a white sheet of paper with some text on it and the minimum of formatting, I zone out somewhat. I'm not suggesting you go overboard, but some sort of structure beyond new lines and bold text would make it a lot easier to read, and a lot more likely to jump out at someone flicking through a pile of hundreds of CVs.

 

Regarding the dates, I doubt that anyone reading it is going to fully believe that you've been freelancing since the tender age of 16. The inference of describing yourself as 'freelance' is that you have a body of experience behind you and could be thrown in at the deep end on any sort of job and just get on with it, self-reliantly and without supervision. By all means include your experience, but perhaps think about labelling it differently. I'd also consider removing your date of birth; while anyone with half a brain could infer your age from the dates of your education and employment, I'm not a fan of explicitly stating age on CVs. It seems like a good way to get yourself subconsciously discriminated against before they even get to the important stuff.

 

Caveat - I don't make a living from reading CVs. They're just my thoughts based on lots of CV writing of my own, and on what I look for when sourcing crew of my own.

[alistermorton]

One thing that might seem minor - proof read it. There are one or two jarring errors.

 

e.g.

 

In the UK we spell center "centre". You've used both.

 

"working with extensively with" - doesn't need the first with.

 

A few sentences are a bit long, and make it a "tiring" read..

 

Nit picking on my part, I know, but it all helps.

[paulears]

I've always read "working knowledge' as CV speak for not a lot of knowledge?

 

If it helps, I wonder if the problem is the lack of detail in the 'real' work section. Two big chunks on the student work - which many readers pay little attention to, and the real work section being a bit vague. Can you fill out that section and reduce the other?

 

I'd suggest detailing what you did in schools, community centres and 'members clubs'? Excel is a prestigious venue so include details.You use 'extensively' twice, but give no real detail. I have no idea who or what Halfstack Music or Theatre Project Revolution are? I suspect other readers won't either. There must be some good stuff in that section, but after reading it, I don't know what you did at all - lights, sound, management? What's the old list? Who, What , where , when and how?

 

Does that help in any way?

[LampTramp]

Having a quick look at your CV there is a lot of reading to do.

When I've looked at CV's in the past a good opening statement, things you've done and what you want to do (objectives etc that can be changed to fit the job you're applying for) catches an employers eye to make them read on.

Try bullet pointing main duties and responsibilities that you have in past posts, so it makes 'snappy' reading.

Also, in this ageist world you don't have to put your date of birth on to a CV, anyone can kind of work out your age from it.

Just a few points that I hope help and not confuse the thread of what is a perfect CV.....

Also good luck on the job hunting!!

Brian

[ImagineerTom]

Overall the grammar and syntax jarr a lot.Too vague - the "Key Points" has "experience" for everything which means nothing at all. Experience working at height could mean you've stood on a small stepladder to put something on a shelf or it could mean you've been climbing in the roof of Earls Court dealing with 1ton points, same goes for all the other things you have "experience" in.

 

Your freelance work it too vague - it doesn't tell me a single thing about what you can actually do or the scale or class of event you're experienced at working. Showbiz CV's don't need to be like normal employment CV's, a list of shows/productions/events with a 3 word comment about what your role was at each of them is perfectly acceptable

 

I'm not sure why you've listed the Royal Holloway job as two totally separate jobs - generally CV's list the companies you've worked for and as a subset of that you list any promotions or changes. Listing essentially the same job with a minor promotion as 2 totally separate entries looks like CV padding.

 

In my experience when someone is vague on their CV (and actors are the worst for this) it immediately tells me that they don't have real experience/skills and that more importantly they are the sort of people who will lie and bluster when they're out of their depth rather than admit their shortcomings and ask for help. I would rather employ someone with a known skill-set and who I know will be honest with me from the outset than have to guess what someone's true abilities are and have to hope that in the field they'll be honest about their skills and not cause me headaches by implying they can do something then screw it up.

[azlan]

Thanks for all the advice so far, looks like I have some serious re-drafting to do!

[Jivemaster]

It's bland, very bland. But in reality you have little experience, however please don't big it up.

 

Justify things in detail

Sound- did you rig the lot or just do PAmix or do Monitor mix? What desk(s) did you use? What style, name bands, name venues.

Lights- as above lots of detailed specifics Bands/Desks/venues.

 

If you have a style then say so or are you really fishing across all genres.

 

However assuming that you passed from college your digital career should be MUCH more rewarding and still leave you time to some really competent am dram work.

[RichM]

I've always read "working knowledge' as CV speak for not a lot of knowledge?

 

I dunno, if I was selecting a freelancer from a CV I'd assume "working knowledge" would mean that they had enough practical, hands on, experience using that gear to be entrusted with it on a show.