‘Downshifting’ my CV

[Mich the Tester]

Now then, in my CV there are quite a few management roles and very senior roles. Trouble is, those roles have dried up in the market and really I’d like to actually do some testing again, instead of all this management and ‘coordination’ bumph. Should I change some of the job titles from ‘test manager’ to, for example, ‘senior tester’ or should I just carry on trying to sell the management stuff? Obviously there’s a risk that someone says ‘hey he was my test manager on that project’, seeing as testing’s a small world here in NL, but I still have the skills and have always tried to do as much hands on testing as possible in management roles.

Any ideas? Do others have experience with doing something similar?

[Ruprect]

Definately tweak the CV to the role you are applying for.

[zara_backdog]

Fed up with being told I am too senior ( and I don't mean my age) for some roles, so thinking about taking refernces to Senior BA or PM from my CV for some roles - but sods law the same agenb will also be looking for someone more senior

[Mich the Tester]

Definately tweak the CV to the role you are applying for.

Yeah, I do, but actually changing the job titles is something I’ve never done. It’s not just desperation (I’ve got work until end of march and a pretty good war chest), but I really want to do some nitty-gritty technical testing again, but keep being turned down before interview because agents/clients think I’m so experienced I’d be bored in the job.

[swamp]

Sounds reasonable.

Of course when you bump yourself back up again, someone will get your CV vetted and find out you've turned yourself into a test manager

[Pickle2]

Now then, in my CV there are quite a few management roles and very senior roles. Trouble is, those roles have dried up in the market and really I’d like to actually do some testing again, instead of all this management and ‘coordination’ bumph. Should I change some of the job titles from ‘test manager’ to, for example, ‘senior tester’ or should I just carry on trying to sell the management stuff? Obviously there’s a risk that someone says ‘hey he was my test manager on that project’, seeing as testing’s a small world here in NL, but I still have the skills and have always tried to do as much hands on testing as possible in management roles.

Any ideas? Do others have experience with doing something similar?

Just use a different version of the cv for each job you apply for. If the job says "test manger" your cv says "test manager". If the job says "tester" your cv says "tester". If the job says "enterprise test consultant" your cv says "enterprise test consultant". If the job says "tea lady" your cv says "tea lady".

The risk of someone saying anything doesnt really matter. If you are on the ground and doing a good job, they wont get rid of you just because you were once some elses boss. At worse, you may get recognised at interview and not get the gig - but then if you dont change your cv you wont get the gig anyway. In the current market, its an exact match for the client requirements or nowt. Agents are being swamped with cvs.

[Ruprect]

Yeah, I do, but actually changing the job titles is something I’ve never done. It’s not just desperation (I’ve got work until end of march and a pretty good war chest), but I really want to do some nitty-gritty technical testing again, but keep being turned down before interview because agents/clients think I’m so experienced I’d be bored in the job.

That comes under the "tweaking" umbrella

[Mich the Tester]

Sounds reasonable.

Of course when you bump yourself back up again, someone will get your CV vetted and find out you've turned yourself into a test manager

Yep, that's the longer term risk. having said that, I can prove with references that I was a Test Manager when I was, but there's a risk that I lower my 'image' and can never get the really good rates when the market improves.

[Drewster]

Any ideas? Do others have experience with doing something similar?

I have in the past produced a "More Junior/Technical" CV when in a lean patch........ the obvious drawbacks (as you have already intimated) are gotchas when either 2 conflicting cvs end up on one desk or (in a small/niche market) someone knows you.....

I did get called on it once when attending an interview when the Client said straight out "I have 2 different cvs for you here......... would you like to explain".

I told him that as the market was fairly tight at the moment I had tailored my cv(s) towards different role levels because I felt that my "high end" cv might not get put forward for more junior/technical roles that I was perfectly able to carry out blah blah blah.........

He said "Fair enough...... I thought that you were blagging it for the high end version rather than toning it down for the low end..... but it did get you through the door so I guess your strategy worked...... BUT unfortunately I think you are a bit too experienced for this role and will get bored!!!"

Hope you get a bit better luck than that........

[Mich the Tester]

unfortunately I think you are a bit too experienced for this role and will get bored!!!"

This is what f**king annoys me. I’ve known myself for 37 years now, and I f**king well know what I find interesting and what I find boring, and I don’t need some jumped up HR official who’s done a course in Maslow’s pyramid to tell me whether I’ll be bored by something on the basis of a brief look at my CV.

Why do HR people and many managers think they know me better than I know myself? Can’t they just look at my skills and ask me ‘do you find… interesting?’

Oh dear, I’m going into Grumpy Old Men mode now aren’t I? Incidentally, that’s one of my favourite TV programmes; those guys are so often right.