4) Employment History

Friday, 25 July 2008 9:58AM

4) Employment History

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

The days of the two page CV are over!

The key to writing a good CV is the content as much as presentation, and, as in most cases it is your skills and professional experience that Employers or Recruitment Consultancies are looking for, it is important to deliver enough detail to the reader.

An Employment History should read fluidly and informatively without leaving the reader with too many questions unanswered. Unanswered questions do not promote a positive impact to the reader and will Stand Out from the Crowd but for the wrong reasons!

Employers and Recruitment Consultancies are usually interested in the last 7-10 years of your Employment History. If you have more experience then it is acceptable to just detail the Dates of Employment, Employers Name, Location and Position.

Your Employment History should contain the following for each Employer you have worked for;

Dates of Employment

Include Months & Years. Not confirming Months will lead the reader to assume gaps in employment and raise negative thoughts or questions. If there are gaps and you have been honest then it would appear you have nothing to hide!

Employers Name, Type of Business & Location

It is always very useful to detail not only the Employers Name but the Type of Business. It is not always obvious from the Employers name what Type of Business they are so if you state this it enables the reader to relate to your skills in that particular business.

Also, particularly if you have worked in various locations throughout the country or even globally it is helpful for the reader to if you have stated the location in order to understand your career. It is not necessary to add the whole address unless requested for references purposes.

Position/Job Title & Type of Employment

Your last Position/Job Title with the Employer. If you have had a number of positions during employment then it is beneficial for the reader to see your progress within the Employer with reference to the various Job Titles and the date you changed.

Don't be fooled into changing your Position/Job Title in order to secure a new job - if the Employer or Recruitment Consultancy takes a reference from the Employer it will become quickly apparent that the CV is falsified and could lead to an embarrassing situation!

It is always useful to the reader if you detail the Type of Employment i.e. Permanent, Temporary, contract/Interim, Part Time, Vacation Work, Work Experience etc.

Company Description

It is also useful to the reader to understand a little about the Employer including size and services etc. This is often particularly relevant if you are applying for roles in a similar industry or that require specific skills.

Duties

This is the toughest part of CV writing - To much detail or not enough?!

You should always write duties in bullet point format which will assist in presentation as they are easy to read.

A common mistake is to assume the reader will understand your skills - this is often not the case! Remember the reader is unlikely to know you or what you have done, so it is your job to help them understand more about you and your skills by writing enough relevant detail about your skills and experience.

You should methodically work through your duties and make sure you have accounted for all your experience. Key areas to get across in the duties are;

• The area/environment within which you work i.e. number in team?

• Lines of communication/reporting lines i.e. Reporting to Financial Director and responsible for 2 staff?

• Internal and external contacts for communication i.e. Regular communication with suppliers, Banks etc and other internal departments?

• Day to day responsibilities i.e. informative and detailed breakdown of your skills

• Achievements i.e. excellent way to demonstrate responsibility etc.

Reasons for Leaving

Unless you have experienced redundancy don't put down a reason for leaving.