CV Format

[happymartins]

Is anyone aware of a preferred format for cvs in New Zealand? I am about to send a load out and I would appreciate any advice on what format employers prefer.

Thanks in advance

[The Hodges]

Hello happymartins

Have a look at here http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread....ghlight=format and good luck with the job hunting.

[tigerlily]

I found this page yesterday- and thought it helpful.
http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/Page____13323.aspx

A CV is a statement about you. Its purpose is to provide a prospective employer with information about you and the skills, experience and personal qualities you have that are relevant to the requirements of the particular position for which you are applying.

A CV should list essential information about you, what you have learned and accomplished regardless of where, or when you obtained your knowledge and experience and regardless of job titles or pay. As part of this Ministry’s Equal Employment Opportunities Policy we recognise, when short-listing for positions, skills and experience that are obtained in both the paid and unpaid workforce.

There is no set way to lay out a CV. The following way is one suggestion:
Name: Give your full name.
Address: Give the address where you can be contacted.
Telephone Number: Give the phone number(s) where you would wish to be contacted about the application or where messages can be left.
Date of Birth: Optional. It is not essential to give your date of birth.
Qualifications: List your most recent qualifications first. Include formal education (school, university, polytechnic) and informal education (extension courses, night school, etc), with grades where these are relevant to the application.
Paid Work Experience: List your most recent job first and work backwards in time. Give the name of your employer, location, the job title and number of years in the position. Identify responsibilities, experience, skills and achievements you have gained in each position that are relevant to the position for which you are applying.
Unpaid Community, family and other experience: Outline community or family experience that you have had and how this is relevant to the job. For example, skills learned in running a home; being on a school, union or marae committee; helper at kohanga reo or playcentre; involvement in service groups or welfare organisations; personal growth projects etc.
Other experience: Outline other experience such as community or voluntary work and how this is relevant to the job. For example skills learned, involvement in service groups, welfare organisations, personal growth projects etc.
Training: List any training you have received, e.g. attendance at courses that are relevant to the skills and capabilities sought in the position.
Referee: List three referees who can be contacted about your work or community involvement. Give their names, addresses and phone numbers. Check that they are happy to be contacted.
Further Optional Information

You may wish to add further information about yourself which will add to the knowledge that the employer has about your skills and competence for the job. List other attainments and qualifications not already mentioned in your CV, e.g. language ability, cultural knowledge, examinations, scholarships, prizes, awards etc.
Covering Letter

We encourage you to accompany your CV with a covering letter. The letter should state your reasons for applying for the position, detail specifically what you are offering to the employer in terms of skills and experience. It's a good idea to highlight any qualifications already included in the CV which you feel are critical for the position.

Keep your application brief and focused on the position being applied for.

[TFR]

I found that they liked very similar to UK ones (assuming you are UK!) although do the obvious things like add all the international codes to your contact numbers, state that you host country is x hours behind NZ etc, don't use abbreviations as they may not be understood over there, compare your quals to the equivalent over there etc. Just think "if I was reading this, would I understand it as a kiwi"? Consider adding a photograph?
Hope that helps...

[tigerlily]

I'd be very interested to hear how photographs on C.V.s are received here?

[TFR]

I'd be very interested to hear how photographs on C.V.s are received here?

my thinking is if you stick one on, your prospective employer may recognise you from it or, after you've left the interview, they may remember who you are from all the others. Just my opinion...

[neilw71]

Just my opinion from time so far in NZ:

Photos - a big no no. It gives someone and immediate reason to throw you on the "reject" pile for no other reason than they do not like the colour of your hair! No need to do it - its not expected and not the "norm".

CV's - I would take your UK CV and add at least a couple of pages. Expand the commentary on previous roles and explain the functions in more detail. Add sections like "Technical Competancies" etc. When I was coming over, I knew a few people at some of the Exec Agengies in Akl. While not applying through them, I asked them to looked at my standard UK 3 page CV. They ALL said as above - expand the information out to about 5 pages. That is expected in NZ - they want to know all about you before you step through the door - as opposed to the UK, where you are expected to expand on the info during interview.

I'm sure that does not apply to every industry here, but from what I have seen it does apply to general business expectations here.

Neil

[Angelonthemove]

Having worked in an agency recently its a good idea to put a skills matrix at the front as so many use a software search that will pick up these key words quicker. that way you have more chance of being top of the search list. Plus no one reads it all they skim to start with.

Photo def not worth bothering with.

Personal profile a must

Do not use third party like David Smith was a great speller, use I etc, as its not informal enough for NZ.

Figures of how many staff you looked after, targets, specific training to your job and other courses like time managment, negotiation skills etc.