Dropping Things Off Your CV

[Caesar]

I dropped the last of my high school achievements off my resume when I was about 24. Now I'm 28 and starting to wonder whether potential employers really care about what I did at uni any more.

At what point does stuff you did in the past cease to be useful information?

 

[CLUBMEDhurst]

I dropped the last of my high school achievements off my resume when I was about 24. Now I'm 28 and starting to wonder whether potential employers really care about what I did at uni any more.

At what point does stuff you did in the past cease to be useful information?

Generally when it's superseded by more useful information.

In the past I used to drop much from my employment record for fear that potential employers would believe that I was changing jobs with such frequency that I was a flight risk. However since finding my career of choice, which allows much movement within the profession, I can now claim to have broad experience in different roles within that profession.

 

[Plugger35]

Generally when it's superseded by more useful information.

In the past I used to drop much from my employment record for fear that potential employers would believe that I was changing jobs with such frequency that I was a flight risk. However since finding my career of choice, which allows much movement within the profession, I can now claim to have broad experience in different roles within that profession.

I've done a lot of contract work overseas in between travelling so if I included every contract job it makes you look like you change jobs too much and my CV would be about 10 pages long. I just cut out the shorter term contract jobs and included the longer term contract jobs with a bit of an extension or two.

 

[Messenger]

From the employer side of things when I see a hole in a CV timeline I always ask.

 

[Caesar]

Generally when it's superseded by more useful information.

But my Model United Nations participation will never be superseded.

 

[Ikan Bodoh]

I dropped the last of my high school achievements off my resume when I was about 24. Now I'm 28 and starting to wonder whether potential employers really care about what I did at uni any more.

At what point does stuff you did in the past cease to be useful information?

Always list your uni education in your CV. Just list the degree and Uni though, nothing else.

As you get older, put more detail into your more recent jobs and less detail into older jobs. List your work experience in reverse chronological order (most recent to oldest). Jobs prior to your first job post graduation are irrelevant

 

[nicky]

I list qualifications relevant to my job.

I like succinct so would prefer CVs to be kept to 2 pages. You should be able to make a thorough statement about what you can do in 2 pages. I don't like having to read 6 pages of someones CV, and not many people do. Short and powerful is best.

I have friends who insist on putting their elite school on their resume. I think that is a risk because i would be put off if someone in their mid thirties lists the school they attended. It's a total wank and irrelevant to your ability to perform in a role. It makes me think that they don't have much more to offer other than that they went to a fancy school. Having said that, it might work if the employer is also a w@nker.

 

[dales.girl38]

But my Model United Nations participation will never be superseded.

Ah Model United Nations, good times. Almost as fun as inter-school debating.

I really was asking to be bullied mercilessly.

 

[BALKAN]

Just hand them a blank sheet of paper with a $50 note paperclipped inside

 

[Northworth]

I dropped the last of my high school achievements off my resume when I was about 24. Now I'm 28 and starting to wonder whether potential employers really care about what I did at uni any more.

At what point does stuff you did in the past cease to be useful information?

seven years I reckon is plenty

 

[Roobs321]

Depends on where you are in your career really. Last

Always list your uni education in your CV. Just list the degree and Uni though, nothing else.

As you get older, put more detail into your more recent jobs and less detail into older jobs. List your work experience in reverse chronological order (most recent to oldest). Jobs prior to your first job post graduation are irrelevant

Basically this.

 

[Caesar]

I have friends who insist on putting their elite school on their resume. I think that is a risk because i would be put off if someone in their mid thirties lists the school they attended. It's a total wank and irrelevant to your ability to perform in a role.

The alumni networks for such schools are very strong, and in many industries it goes a long way - even late in life. In fact it is arguably the biggest advantage of actually attending a school like that. You'd be crazy if your parents spent all that money and you didn't put it on your resume.

 

[radiojake]

Haha

My brother was having trouble writing a resume earlier this year, so he asked his housemate if he had one and what he wrote on his...

His housemate is an absolute pisser, always makes you laugh, and his resume was no bloody different... It was about 6 pages, and had things like "My interests are playing the drums and dancing" and had his high school grades on there....


My brother got a good example of how not to write a CV and we all got a good laugh.... Makes you wonder though...

 

[Caesar]

Ah Model United Nations, good times. Almost as fun as inter-school debating.

I really was asking to be bullied mercilessly.

You're at uni still, right? If you can get to the Asia-Pacific Model UN, do it. It happened to be in Sydney when I was studying, and our Law Students Association provided the ICJ judges. Had an absolutely brilliant time, made a bunch of friends I still keep in touch with.

 

[BALKAN]

The alumni networks for such schools are very strong, and in many industries it goes a long way - even late in life. In fact it is arguably the biggest advantage of actually attending a school like that. You'd be crazy if your parents spent all that money and you didn't put it on your resume.

Don't you risk putting off potential employers if they themselves attended a mere government school?

 

[Caesar]

I don't know any employers petty enough to reject an otherwise-qualified candidate because they went to a snobby high school.

Probably depends on the industry though.

 

[nicky]

The alumni networks for such schools are very strong, and in many industries it goes a long way - even late in life. In fact it is arguably the biggest advantage of actually attending a school like that. You'd be crazy if your parents spent all that money and you didn't put it on your resume.

It wouldn't work if i was the employer. I have no respect for that kind of thing. I judge people on their own merrits and acheivements, not by the school their parents sent them to. It's elitest bullshit and unfair on those whose parents couldn't afford to send their kids to an expensive school.

I think that it's unfair for someone to get a job over someone else just on the basis of the school they went to.

Jesus, how many advantages do they need?

 

[Caesar]

I'm not saying unqualified people get hired because they went to the right school. I'm just saying that it can provide a strong point of camaraderie with the interviewer. A lot of people who go to those schools have a strong attachment to them and fond memories of their school days. You might be a 22 year old kid straight out of uni, being interviewed by a crusty old senior partner, but you can chat for half an hour about draughty dormitories and being utterly hopeless at rugby and unable to make the school's first XV.

That sort of thing can make a big difference in an interview process with several highly qualified candidates, and lot of it comes down to personal rapport.

 

[Vic Vinegar]

I'm not saying unqualified people get hired because they went to the right school. I'm just saying that it can provide a strong point of camaraderie with the interviewer. A lot of people who go to those schools have a strong attachment to them and fond memories of their school days. You might be a 22 year old kid straight out of uni, being interviewed by a crusty old senior partner, but you can chat for half an hour about draughty dormitories and being utterly hopeless at rugby and unable to make the school's first XV.

That sort of thing can make a big difference in an interview process with several highly qualified candidates, and lot of it comes down to personal rapport.

It's good to know then that if I ever end up in the joint, I can rely on my old school network for "camraderie".

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Don't you risk putting off potential employers if they themselves attended a mere government school?

In those sorts of firms there is nobody with authority (most likely nobody at all) who went to government schools.

 

[DivideandMultiply]

I dropped the last of my high school achievements off my resume when I was about 24. Now I'm 28 and starting to wonder whether potential employers really care about what I did at uni any more.

At what point does stuff you did in the past cease to be useful information?

Uni is still relevant, but only just. There needs to be some detail of education history, if only to prevent the odd unexpected question.

Anyway, depending on your employment history, your resume should be individually tailored to each job you apply for.

 

[J_Moore]

You'd still list your degree, though, right? Just not your role as Treasurer of the Dungeons and Dragons club?

 

[J_Moore]

In those sorts of firms there is nobody with authority (most likely nobody at all) who went to government schools.

Bro Sydney firms are loaded with students from selective government high schools.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

Which school did you go to Caesar?

 

[Caesar]

Not one of the really fancy ones.