A cool CV tip
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- Continuity
So I was poking around LinkedIn this afternoon, and came across a discussion on CVs in one of the groups I'm in. This particularl response was really good:
The advice given was fine - though obviously an affirmation of the authors work practices. I've assessed many CVs in my time and the best advice I can give is make sure it's spell checked and grammatically correct. It never ceases to amaze me how many prospective employees (including highly educated candidates) do not check the document they send out.
I run the creative department of a fair sized agency and the other thing (bearing in mind I'm often looking for creatives) that makes a CV 'irresistible' is the thought that goes into the presentation. I once received a pill bottle (full of sweets) with a leaflet inside that was designed to look like the medical information you get with drugs. The author had crafted his CV to match that style and needless to say (as I was looking for a conceptual thinker) he got the job!
The moral of the story: do whatever it takes to get yourself noticed in the context of what you're looking for.
- airey0
and i've seen the opposite point made also.
the point i think is better is 'know your audience'. do some research if possible.
- Continuity0
Or find a middle approach. But, your point about knowing your audience is so true, and I'll give you an example in my own job hunt.
A few months ago, I found the website of a small shop that did good work, and their own site was really cool. Lots of easter eggs and off-the-wall buried links.
Anyway, one of those easter eggs was a link to different recipes from staff; apparently it's an agency of foodies, so I got the bright idea of sending in one of my own along with my CV.
I ultimately didn't get hired, but it got their attention regardless, and shows I did my research.
- A cake with your CV iced on it might have done the trick.monoboy
- That's just bribery. :DContinuity
- mydo0
a pill bottle full of pills would have been better.
- MrMackem0
A conceptual thinker or a big fan of Spirtualized's fantastic packaging?
- WeLoveNoise0
is it really conceptual ?
not the most original idea - pretty sure theres been a few people done that- I actually agree. How are prescription pills a freakin' concept? Gives a bad impression, to me at least.monospaced
- could see if it was for an inhouse position at a healthcare firm but design studio. uhuhWeLoveNoise
- I think this says more about the recipient's idea of what good ideas are. Sounds like the job-seeker and the employer were a good fit.Josev
- a good fit.Josev
- mydo0
A friend of mine sent ALL of his childhood diaries (aged 8 - 16) to LOWE in London, saying that "if you want to know about my past here you go"
He got the job, sadly the diaries had been passed around the agency, much to hilarity of descriptions of: his first kiss, wank, fingering, joint, blow job and 100's of drawing of his cock.
- WeLoveNoise0
best one i heard was a guy who sent his CV printed on a lightbulb
- neue75_bold0
the best one I've seen contained no gimmicks, was well layed out, had good experience and a strong viewpoint towards having a considered approach and was backed up by great work...
- +1 Good work presented sensibly trumps gimmicks and sweeties any day.PIZZA
- Having a voice trumps it all.. ffs have a bloody opinion and reason for why you do what you do..neue75_bold
- +1Jimbo82
- necromation0
I just send a video of me fucking... I get the job EVERYTIME.
- we're not all after gay porn work though.airey
- we're not?mydo
- he fucks dead peoplemonospaced
- Sorry, no gay porn... I likes the lady,
and dead's not good for me!necromation
- bored2death0
The gimmicky stuff works for students. Beyond entry level it's portfolio and connections.
- WeLoveNoise0
direct mailouts you call "gimmiky" are sometimes a waste of time.
But there are a select few that are very intelligent and is a great way to generate business.on the flipside, my g/f's company just fell for a real shit one where the designer had managed to get hold of her name and made the mailout to be some kinda of random for their lost mug (which she hadnt lost) then made her go on a website to spot out which one was hers (which is bollocks because none of them were). Then all it said was "well done you just proved this worked"
needless to say he has been given a project.......WTF, it wasnt even designed well and the flash site was crap!!!
i now believe my g/f to have shittest taste in design and learn never to take her comments on board
- monoboy0
I received a CV from and ex army dude, recently discharged, no design experience (for senior design post).
It was a bunch of random and badly A4 photocopied notes, all sellotaped together. Couldn't unfold it with ripping it all up. We all thought it was a clever stunt until the guy phoned asking for an interview. Completely unhinged.
Our CD was genuinely terrified. Scared to leave the building in case he was outside.
- BaskerviIle0
I agree that gimmicky cvs may just about work for students, but then again, they are usually not able to create them to a high level so they kind of fall flat, but you give em marks for effort.
More senior designers should not be creating wacky cvs, your cv should be about its content, dressing it up tells me you have a poor cv content. It may be a way to show good typography/attention to detail etc.
A CV is not your portfolio. Let your folio show your creativity and your cv show your experience.
- 23kon0
I'll disagree with you there Baskerville.
If you are a creative person then you should be doing something to stand out from the crowd.I've been involved with two small companies and have seen standard CV's come in and just get tossed to the side as we didnt have time to read them.
However, ive seen good creative ones to go on to become the talk of the office and get the person in for an interview even though we didnt need anyone at the time - just to meet them and put a face and personality to the creativity we've seen.One particular one that stands out was a diary style cv that was handmade and the font used was very much like handwriting . everyone thought the girl had neatly written everytthing in this little diary just for us. It was also personalised to us as acompany and not a mass-printed boring cv.
When im talking to students about CVs I always bring this one up as it was soooo stand-out to anything i've ever seen.If you are a suit-type person and not a creative I still think its even a good idea to do something quirky with your CV adter all, you are sending the CV to a creative company not a fuckin' bank or solicitors!
- 23kon0
adter all?
*after all
- Continuity0
It all comes back to what airey said, I think: know your audience. Obviously, there are great points for and against this tactic, and it all comes down to research.
- pillhead0
Pill bottle for a C.V, my first thought is that this person has just left collage and hasn't a clue.
- +1PIZZA
- if you went to collage and college you'll never have a clue.Amicus
- lol amicusHombre_Lobo
- bulletfactory0
it really depends on who receives your CV. If it's a CD or someone in the department, it might work. If it's the HR department, you're better off taking the pills and imagining you have the job, because it's doubtful your CV is going to make it into the hands of anyone in the creative dept.
- bored2death0
Good point. If you're targeting a small shop then a gimmicky résumé might get you in the door. If you're going after a larger firm, blindly sending it in will most likely go no where. Again, like a few people have said before: know the audience.
