New Zealand CV format?

[drumminj]

So I'm polishing up my resume (CV for you non-american types)...this is my first time looking for a job outside of college - I graduated at a time when having a degree guaranteed at least 3 or 4 job offers - so I want to make sure I get this right.

After many hours of googling, all I could find were samples of UK CVs. I have found little information on the expected format and included information on a NZ CV.

Steve has a few relevant links on his website (finally read through that whole thing. Wow you have a lot of information there. Thanks for making it available, and amassing your great list of links), but there's only one sample available: http://www.itfutures.co.nz/cvguide.doc

Is this the standard way information should be presented? Does anyone else have samples of CVs? It's quite different from what is expected here in the states (I do recruiting, interviewing and hiring). Summarizing all my work experience and accomplishments is difficult enough - not because I have a ton, but it's just hard being succinct. Plus, that skills table is kind of odd.

Any help is always appreciated. Thanks Taffy and Steve for making such good resources available to all of us trying to make our way to "paradise".

J

Thats OK J, we just can't help ourselves, can we Steve? :icon_lol:

As for the CV format, I've looked at that page and it is pretty much the same as a recruitment company in NZ advised me to alter my CV to.

General rule seems to be keep it simple and straight forward, detailing all your major accomplishents, such as projects you've resurected from the dead, wonderful tasks you've performed for a third of the cost someone else could, and that kind of thing.

I think kiwis like to know you have a bit of personality too, so try and show that in your resume.

[drumminj]

Thanks for the reply, Taffy. I don't seem to be getting emails when threads are replied to. It broken for anyone else?

The format I found for UK CV's, that seemed good to me, was:

Personal Info (name, address, age, citizenship, etc)
Relevant Skills and Experience (kind of a "highlights" to get their attention)
Job Experience (list of employers, titles, responsibilities, accomplishments)
Education (degrees)
References

Does that seem in-line with what you've been told.

Really, there's just too much info to process and keep in memory. I need to hire an assistant or something.

J

UK CV's are not really much use in NZ.

They like the skills table and that kind of thing. I didnt have to adjust my CV too much, just needed to beef up my acheivments in the jobs i've had and add a skills table to the front end.

[drumminj]

Makes sense. Time for another re-formatting of my CV, then!

I need to start contacting recruiters, so hopefully I'll get some more feedback from them.

Thanks for the input.

[SteveNetWriter]

J,
I'll bet you 5 points that you won't get much from agencies while you're not in NZ :icon_sad:
I know it's a lot of work, but I think you'd get further if you searched for companies and contacted them directly.
Even then it's an uphill struggle until you're there.

Has anyone thought of doing an online CV ?
Not a boring text job, but something with pictures of what you've done.
Something a bit more interesting.

Just a thought.

Steve

Thats a very innovative idea Steve!!

I feel an idea for a new website service coming on here!!!

[drumminj]

[quote:e957045097="Steve NetWriter"]J,
I'll bet you 5 points that you won't get much from agencies while you're not in NZ :icon_sad:
I know it's a lot of work, but I think you'd get further if you searched for companies and contacted them directly.
Even then it's an uphill struggle until you're there.
Steve[/quote:e957045097]

Steve - that's actually my plan. I'm thinking of a trip next spring (fall in NZ), or perhaps summer. Sucks to have to spend an extra couple grand to do it, and miss time from work. I figure being in country 4 months before my planned move will be adequate timing for interviews and such on the job hunt?

J

[SteveNetWriter]

Hi J,
We might see you there then.
Subject to selling the house.
Steve