Third or First Person

[PrimalJay 10]

Should a CV be in first or third person, like having it look like the following...

 

First = I am a good team worker...

 

Third = A good team worker...

 

Or = Jason is a good team worker...

 

And what looks more professional and would sell you the most?

[Leah-Lacie 10]

First = I am a good team worker...(I would assume is the way most are written)

 

Third = A good team worker... (would depend what would follow this, I'm having trouble thinking up a third person scenario conversation)

 

Or = Jason is a good team worker... ( I wouldn't make it look as though it had been written by someone else!)

[PrimalJay 10]

Mmmm so what is best then or you just nit picking lol

[Leah-Lacie 10]

I have no idea from an employers perspective to be honest, but mines in first person, and every other one I've ever seen is too

[Leah-Lacie 10]

P.S - If you have nits for me to pick, you might want to sort that out BEFORE you get an interview!

[spooky3 10]

...( I wouldn't make it look as though it had been written by someone else!)

 

This is also what I thought on this, also I seem to remember being told that it didn't matter that I used I numerous times since it is you on about you, so i'd guess in the first person is right.

[PrimalJay 10]

It is just when I say things about myself, that is what a CV should be seeing as am talking about myself but some people have a beef with it and say it should sound like a review, like someone reviewing my profile.

[Leah-Lacie 10]

It is just when I say things about myself, that is what a CV should be seeing as am talking about myself but some people have a beef with it and say it should sound like a review, like someone reviewing my profile.

 

I think you should go on about you, but keep the rabbiting on to a minimum, just try to highlight key skills and stuff. Then let the employer do the reviewing.

[HeadingNorth 11]

It is just when I say things about myself, that is what a CV should be seeing as am talking about myself but some people have a beef with it and say it should sound like a review, like someone reviewing my profile.

 

It always comes across as pretentious if you write about yourself in the third person. It perhaps should sound like a review, but even so - you are reviewing yourself, not somebody else. The first-person is probably the best choice.

[spooky3 10]

No recruiter has the time to play Sherlock Holmes to figure out a candidate’s background. Jobseekers must be aware that recruiters receive literally hundreds of resumes a day and spend only about 10 seconds “skimming” through each resume.

http://www.jobseekersadvice.com/cv-and-resume/recruiters-spend-less-than-10-seconds-reviewing-a-cv/

 

By writing in the first person you will remove any doubt about who it's on about.

 

 

Also from that it made think of writing things for search engine optimisation, i.e. remove any superfluous, erroneous or non salient intel, so don't use words anyone might need a spell checker or dictionary for

 

Ciao, Bella

[HeadingNorth 11]

"To Whom It May Concern:

 

 

Bob Smith, my assistant programmer, can always be found

hard at work in his cubicle. Bob works independently, without

wasting company time talking to colleagues. Bob never

thinks twice about assisting fellow employees, and he always

finishes given assignments on time. Often he takes extended

measures to complete his work, sometimes skipping coffee

breaks. Bob is a dedicated individual who has absolutely no

vanity, in spite of his high accomplishments and profound

knowledge in his field. I firmly believe that Bob can be

classed as a high-caliber employee, the type which cannot be

dispensed with. Consequently, I duly recommend that Bob be

promoted to executive management, and a proposal will be

executed as soon as possible."

 

 

 

Received a short time later:

Re: Letter Of Reference

To: John Doe

 

Mr. Doe:

 

Bob was standing over my shoulder while I wrote the letter I sent to you earlier today. Kindly re-read only every other line.

[Leah-Lacie 10]

http://www.jobseekersadvice.com/cv-and-resume/recruiters-spend-less-than-10-seconds-reviewing-a-cv/

 

By writing in the first person you will remove any doubt about who it's on about.

 

 

Also from that it made think of writing things for search engine optimisation, i.e. remove any superfluous, erroneous or non salient intel, so don't use words anyone might need a spell checker or dictionary for

 

Ciao, Bella

 

I got advised a couple of weeks ago, if I apply to big companies and attach a CV to the application, like M&S or Debenhams etc, the CVs you attach are scanned by a computer program, and it picks out key words.

If the job you are applying for needs certain things, and those words are not on your CV, then it will discard it, and move onto the next one. So, if possible, try to add words such as 'cash handling' if thats in the job description, to your CV, even if you have never done it - Maybe saying something like "I would like to gain experience with cash handling" .

I wasn't quite convinced, but I can kind of see the logic behind it.

 

Edit to add: It makes sense, to get your CV through the computer processed part, but then surely a real person reads it at some point? You don't have the experience required for the job, will they not discard it then?

Edited April 22, 2012 by Leah-Lacie