CV written in the 3rd person - thoughts?
Discussion
Morning all,
I've paid one of those CV writing services to give me a spruce up. Generally speaking, I like the new layout and the way they've formatted/bullet pointed my strengths/experience etc. It certainly looks better than the feeble excuse of a CV that I've been using for the last 20 years.
But... they've swapped it all to the third person. To me, it's rather weird to read through it - not engaging, impersonal, pretentious even. It is as if a teacher is doing a school report for me to take home. Except I'm in my 40's and consider myself reasonably successful and good at what I do.
I've read through many CV's in my time, conducted many interviews - albeit mostly in Germany, but I've never seen one written like this. Has anyone seen this? Is it now the done thing?
Being honest, if I got sent one like this, I'd probably think "cock", and move on to the next one.
I've asked them to re-write it properly, but interested in peoples thoughts/experience of this...
I've paid one of those CV writing services to give me a spruce up. Generally speaking, I like the new layout and the way they've formatted/bullet pointed my strengths/experience etc. It certainly looks better than the feeble excuse of a CV that I've been using for the last 20 years.
But... they've swapped it all to the third person. To me, it's rather weird to read through it - not engaging, impersonal, pretentious even. It is as if a teacher is doing a school report for me to take home. Except I'm in my 40's and consider myself reasonably successful and good at what I do.
I've read through many CV's in my time, conducted many interviews - albeit mostly in Germany, but I've never seen one written like this. Has anyone seen this? Is it now the done thing?
Being honest, if I got sent one like this, I'd probably think "cock", and move on to the next one.
I've asked them to re-write it properly, but interested in peoples thoughts/experience of this...
I have received quite a few like this but they have always been re-written by a headhunter / recruiter. Some do it so you have a consistent format to work with across the whole candidate pool. I quite like it.
If someone presented their own CV written this way though, I would think 'knob' and discard it.
If someone presented their own CV written this way though, I would think 'knob' and discard it.
Utterpiffle said:
OK, interesting replies. Thank you.
So perhaps I need to keep it in this format when sending to agencies then (I'm a contractor, so most of my work does comes through them), then have it as a more personable format for job profiles and stuff I apply to directly...
Exactly this.So perhaps I need to keep it in this format when sending to agencies then (I'm a contractor, so most of my work does comes through them), then have it as a more personable format for job profiles and stuff I apply to directly...
I am amazed when I get CVs through in the third person. I accept it is common nowadays but it doesn't change the fact I believe it is stupid and therefore many thousands of other employers out there would think the same. There is no disadvantage whatsoever to having the CV in the normal 1st person format hence why try and be clever and potentially alienate large numbers of potential employers?
blindswelledrat said:
There is no disadvantage whatsoever to having the CV in the normal 1st person format hence why try and be clever and potentially alienate large numbers of potential employers?
Seconded this. To me it says "this person doesn't know how to write/communicate well" so it would definitely detract. If it's a role that requires communication, then the CV would immediately go in the 'no' pile. If it was a 'technical' role, then I'd be more forgiving and they might still get an interview based on technical merit.Change it to 1st person!
walamai said:
blindswelledrat said:
There is no disadvantage whatsoever to having the CV in the normal 1st person format hence why try and be clever and potentially alienate large numbers of potential employers?
Seconded this. To me it says "this person doesn't know how to write/communicate well" so it would definitely detract. If it's a role that requires communication, then the CV would immediately go in the 'no' pile. If it was a 'technical' role, then I'd be more forgiving and they might still get an interview based on technical merit.Change it to 1st person!
Third person is pretentious and for knobs.
xjay1337 said:
walamai said:
blindswelledrat said:
There is no disadvantage whatsoever to having the CV in the normal 1st person format hence why try and be clever and potentially alienate large numbers of potential employers?
Seconded this. To me it says "this person doesn't know how to write/communicate well" so it would definitely detract. If it's a role that requires communication, then the CV would immediately go in the 'no' pile. If it was a 'technical' role, then I'd be more forgiving and they might still get an interview based on technical merit.Change it to 1st person!
Third person is pretentious and for knobs.
Hoofy said:
Maybe it could be jazzed up further into a sales brochure.
You could have photos like this:
(poncey photos)
To imply that you're successful and the right person for the job.
You present a strong argument. Somebody who included a photo of themselves like that in a CV would be guaranteed an interview from me out of sheer curiosity! You could have photos like this:
(poncey photos)
To imply that you're successful and the right person for the job.
walamai said:
Hoofy said:
Maybe it could be jazzed up further into a sales brochure.
You could have photos like this:
(poncey photos)
To imply that you're successful and the right person for the job.
You present a strong argument. Somebody who included a photo of themselves like that in a CV would be guaranteed an interview from me out of sheer curiosity! You could have photos like this:
(poncey photos)
To imply that you're successful and the right person for the job.
I do a lot of recruitment / interviewing for IT and I have never had a CV submitted to me in the 3rd person. Recruitment companies usually submit a covering letter in the 3rd person but the CV itself is 1st person and it would draw considerable negative attention for it to be otherwise. Maybe not an immediate trip to the bin but would certainly raise eyebrows in a bad way.
Don't do it, there is nothing to be gained.
Don't do it, there is nothing to be gained.
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