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The length of a contractor's CV?

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    The length of a contractor's CV?

    Newbie (me) has a CV question!

    This guide to writing CVs follows accepted wisedom - no more then two pages. However, this dedicated contractor CV guide recommends an entirely different format that can span three or four pages - scroll to the bottom for their example.

    What do the established contractors here do? Any advice welcome!

    #2
    Two pages and no more than two pages. Two pages it will be.

    Drop old jobs / assignments off the end and simply say "previous employment / assignment history available on request".

    Comment


      #3
      Mine is just less than 2 pages to cover 10 years of employment. I get a call back from 90%+ of the pimps I send it to - so I'm happy with that.

      I could expand it to 4 pages with a load of waffle but I don't see any point in forcing the agent to go through all that just to get my skills.

      I don't want them to fall in love with me - just get me an interview.

      Comment


        #4
        I have several versions, some want the full history, all 12 pages and some want a summary, 2 pages. seems to depend on the HR muppet on the receiving end.
        Me, me, me...

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by jamescoleuk
          Newbie (me) has a CV question!

          This guide to writing CVs follows accepted wisedom - no more then two pages. However, this dedicated contractor CV guide recommends an entirely different format that can span three or four pages - scroll to the bottom for their example.

          What do the established contractors here do? Any advice welcome!
          A lot depends on the recruiter, to be honest. Most wouldn't know a good CV from a dog's dinner.

          I thoroughly disagree with the advice on renewals. According to this report, a CV that demonstrates that plenty of contracts have been renewed is a good sign and no renewals 'could spell trouble.'

          What rot. Some roles are usually backfill and are never renewed after intial periods are up because permie or cheaper alternatives are nearly always sought out from day 1 the contract starts. Of course, if the recruiter knew about the nature of the roles they were filling they wouldn't make such sweeping and inaccurate generalisations.

          What they really mean is this: if the client wants you to stay but the contractor wants to move on - this is a bad sign because their commission isn't there anymore. Therefore, renewals equals compliance and rolling mark ups with little or no effort involved for the recruiter.

          That's what they really mean when they say no renewals spell trouble.

          Comment


            #6
            I think I'm getting this 'don't trust agents' thing. Thanks for the tips.

            Comment


              #7
              Mine is 3 pages. In the last 3 years I have worked on 9 or 10 different projects so if they all get 3 lines (more for the latest ones) that adds up.

              The first page is me, my qualifications and experiance bullet pointed.

              Second page is job history

              Third page is "other":

              TA Qualifications, Other Qualifications (University Colours etc...)

              TO be fair if you read the last page or not it doesnt make any difference... might re-write it soon.

              Comment


                #8
                Mine is 2 pages. As with OrangeHopper I just drop older contracts off the bottom when necessary. I would give a fuller history if asked, but I never have been.
                Listen to my last album on Spotify

                Comment


                  #9
                  I do that too. When I turn up at interview they are expecting someone in their 30s.
                  bloggoth

                  If everything isn't black and white, I say, 'Why the hell not?'
                  John Wayne (My guru, not to be confused with my beloved prophet Jeremy Clarkson)

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by jamescoleuk
                    What do the established contractors here do? Any advice welcome!
                    Four pages. Front summary page, and I've got a lot of different contracts to list and keywords to include in the rest. Took me years to end up with the current format, but agents like it.

                    I don't do a one-or-two page summary CV, or recent CV, because I have usually spoken to the agent already and given him that level of information, and I put a few one liners relevant to the job in the covering email. Also, the agent will pass the CV on to a client, who usually like to know a bit more. I've been surprised by clients who like me partly because of something I did twelve years ago!

                    I don't drop contracts off the end, I just remove more and more detail from the earlier ones until they become just one-liners.

                    Comment

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