What do you do with a terrible CV?

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

Alison Clare Hickman — Wed, 10 May 2017 20:30:06 GMT

Oh Arlo, you do make me giggle and, btw, How Are You?! Well, I hope... Xx

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

melanie lavender — Wed, 10 May 2017 15:57:24 GMT

I have never delt with CVs but have seen them being thrown into the bin before they have been completely read because of bad gammer, spelling etc.

I personally would write a response back explaining the basics of CVs and how if they would like to rewrite it and re submit in a few months time.

I do worry with what the schools are teaching as most schools have computer based lessons and do not have a pen or piece of paper in sight. This in turn makes the children rely on the auto correct which most of the time is set to the American setting!

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 10 May 2017 14:46:12 GMT

[quote user="Kirsty Bolderston"] I am like the grammar police - it's a pet peeve![/quote]

Me too.

The other thing that really, really, really gets up my nose is when I get an email from someone I don't know, which begins "Hope you're well".

I suppose it's the insincerity of it coming from someone I don't know.

It's usually people working in PR who do this (I get 3 press releases a day attached to an email which begins 'Hope you are well').

I have a stock reply as follows:

Dear xxx,

Thank you so much for asking. Earlier in the year, I had a dreadful attack of gout, a build up of uric acid crystals in the joints (usually toes) which causes excruciating pain. I’m told it’s equivalent on the pain scale to childbirth, though I can’t for obvious reasons make any direct comparison.

On top of that, I’ve had this continuing grumbling pain in my right knee - a consequence of a motorbike crash in my early twenties which has come back to haunt me.

Then there’s the problem I’ve had with the, er, waterworks. With all the publicity about prostate cancer, any difficulty peeing in the morning leads to the worry of self-diagnosed cancer. Thankfully, though, Dr Google pointed out that difficulty peeing is a known side effect of taking anti-histamines, which I’d been chewing like smarties since my hay fever got worse a couple of years ago.

Oh, I nearly forgot the trapped nerve in my upper spine. There I was, digging up the vegetable patch the other week when I felt an incredibly sharp pain between my shoulders. Thought I’d been stung by a bee. Thankfully, the pain subsided so it’s now just an occasional twinge. Still, I could live without it.

Apart from that, and the dreadful backache I suffer every morning from the titanium rods they had to put in my back after I was diagnosed with a mild form of spina bifida in my teens, things are pretty good.

How about you?

All the best

Arlo

Perhaps worth having a stock letter in practice for use in situations where grammar or spelling is especially poor. Perhaps with an advice sheet for writing a good CV (of which there are many on the internet that you could use).

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

Kirsty Bolderston — Wed, 10 May 2017 12:35:03 GMT

I couldn't help but chuckle while reading this. I am like the grammar police - it's a pet peeve!

If time permits, I would offer pointers. If no one offers some direction or advice to the applicants they will likely have very little chance in the future. Whether or not they accept and act upon the advice is entirely up to them though of course, but at least you're giving them a chance to.

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

Courtney Scales — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 20:37:36 GMT

Throw it in the bin. Job hunting for the perfect staff member is time consuming enough without feeling like you should reply re grammar and spelling suggestions :)

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

Nicola Smith — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 20:24:45 GMT

Yes we do exactly the same. Weeds out the ones who can't be bothered!!

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

Sal the 1st — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 20:17:08 GMT

I'm a meany I'm afraid - if somebody phones or calls into the practice for work experience I always ask them to put it in writing as if they were applying for a job. I figure it gives them a bit of practice before they have to do it for real

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

Charmaloo88 — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 16:04:45 GMT

I can almost forgive the school kid ones, I would imagine that's the parents saying 'well you want to work in a vets off you go and ask them yourself'. I've also had some from applicants where it's clear English isn't their first language to asked them to get an english speaking friend to look over it, although would that count as lying on your CV if you can't actually write in English??

However a recent application was from a second year SVN...that's what's concerning.

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

Nicola Smith — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 15:46:51 GMT

Some of the worst I have replied advising them to get it proof read in future, also replied to the underpaid postage ones pointing it out!! Worst one we had was shocking grammar and spelling but was addressed to us but then part way through first paragraph started talking about how they would love to work at 'other practice down the road'!! I know we all mail lots of practices when looking for a job but just taking the time to proof read really is essential!!

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

WelshyNurse — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 15:33:07 GMT

If they've put no effort into it then it's just in the bin. If it's just a few mistakes then I will have a look and reply just giving some polite pointers.

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

Celine — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 21:37:41 GMT

Oh. My. God, I was just having a rant to my colleague about this yesterday, it truly is appalling. I'm lucky in that we are so popular with veterinary students that we actually have a policy of only accepting 4th or 5th year vet students so we don't get the school age ones. I think work experience is really important that it is done "properly" so i have a few form letters I send out detailing what we expect of the vet students etc, I do have one explaining why we don't offer to school age people so maybe I'll add a paragraph about grammar and spelling!!!

It actually makes me feel so sad when I see things sent in like this - what actual hope do these kids have in the future?!

RE: What do you do with a terrible CV?

Selena Carnell — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 20:49:04 GMT

Some are appalling these days! I have to say they usually go to the back of the pile or binned Occasionally suggested that they use spell check or someone else to check their cvs. the worst I've seen are for reception and vca applications.