CV help - Making extracurriculars look good?

Hi. I'm currently looking to apply to some temporary admin jobs but I'm having some issues writing it.

Basically, I have very little actual work experience and the last was in 2009 (my excuse is my family live in an incredibly rural location so outside of school hours I couldn't be garreunted to get anywhere :tongue:

)

On the other hand I've done a fair bit of extra stuff. I volunteered in a local theatre on and off throughout 6th form, was on the school council, did a little work in the school library, did things like tutoring the 11-16 school kids, and this year at university volunteered backstage in the theatre society.

None of it's technically work or work experience though, but I was wondering if there would be a way of emphasizing it instead of the actual work experience. Also one of my GCSE's has covered pretty much all the skills they asking for, would there be a way of singling it out and pointing this out?

Also references, I'm not sure who to use? I'm guessing school would be one, but no idea for a second.

Thanks for reading :smile:

Reply 1

LukeM90

if youve done voluntary work you could technically put it down as a job you had, I have one in my cv which was voluntary because I was basicaly doing all the tasks of a paid role but for free,

also as for grades I'd say put all your gcses as well as A-levels if thats the highest you have, Id start with the highest grade but thats just me.

As for references you could always use one from somewhere you volunteered? also a teacher/tutor would make an excellent reference as an authoritarian/academic reference?

Lastly anything else you think is relevant wack it in a section called interests or interests and hobbies at the end, my c.v. has a bit near the start called personal qualities and has stuff like team work and punctual etc whereass the interests I modify depending on the job :tongue:

for example my current job is IT support so i filled it full of tech stuff, programming stuff and so forth, whereas when I use to apply for non IT jobs id change it depending on the scenario e.g. for GAME store I changed it to somthing like

Computers & Technology
Gadgets and Mobile
Gaming
Games Development

etc etc (while ive only ever made one game which was very small and simple in scale, its still technically an interest xD) that last bit wont gurantee jobs but the way I look at it if a candidate has all the same grades n quals as you, and a similar c.v. but you sound more interesting/interested in the job, your probably more likely to get it,

but dont take my word for it, just somthing thats helped me in the past

Good luck!

p.s if its admin jobs be sure to mention your IT literate and have typing, office and email skills and a excellent telephone manner :smile:

Reply 2

Little Jules

You can put work and work experience in one category and list your volumtary work under that. Be sure to note all the relevant skills. You can also list extra curricular activities, again being sure to emphasise skills. For the skills from your GCSE, your cover letter is probably the best place to put that.

Reply 3

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Chihiro94

Basically, I have very little actual work experience

On the other hand I've done a fair bit of extra stuff.

The key, as with any CV is not to start from the list of things you've done in your life, but to start with the list of skills the employer is looking for. A CV isn't a general ramble through what you think are the high points of your life. A CV is a technical document that presents evidence that you have the skills to do the job the employer is advertising.

If you start from the skills, you begin from a list of things like ability to talk to strangers (customers), leadership, reliability, initiative, teamwork etc. The exact skills will vary from job to job. But by starting with a list of skills, then it is much easier to see how you can demonstrate those skills from a range of activities in your life.

It might mean that your fantastic Gold DofE doesn't get a mention, and your hours of tedious baby-sitting does, but this is a CV, a technical application for a job, not a certificate describing your life.

By starting with the skills, you keep focused on what the Employer is looking for, and you can more easily cover for not having 'work' experience.