What do employers expect to see on a CV these days?

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Jameshow

Veteran
Got you: I turned 62 today, thinking similar to you.
On the by, a did a few years in Asda many moons ago, but I prefer catering to retail.
Twice already I thought I had my perfect "retirement job" in hospitality, both times it went to pots.
The first time in 2019, when a change of management meant new management actively annoyed those old school (I had been in that job for 12 years) but meantime I had found a great job in a local cafe, training young ones with learning challenges.
That went to pots with lockdown, I was made redundant at 58.
Both those jobs were quite physical but could have been scaled down.
Trying to find a job at 58 in the catering industry was difficult: nowadays you need to do an online attitude test, I mostly failed them, even though I was (am) fully trained on the big chains coffee shops.
Same for retail, for years, alongside my main job, I had a wee 4 hours a week job with the CO-OP as community engagement officer.
When I went to do their attitude test for shop floor staff vacancies I failed!
The only employers that still wanted a cv were small independents, I wasn't getting any interviews.
So I changed emails, lied on my CV so that it looked like I was in my 20's, bang, got interviews but of course no job, too old.
Anyhow, I did apply for a gazillion jobs, did a brief stint working from home for a call centre between lockdowns, hated every minute of it, office work is just not me, which I new anyway.
Months after applying, the NHS offered me an interview for a cleaning job, I had forgotten I applied.
I got the job, I was lucky at my age.
I remember they did not want a CV, it was their online form you had to fill.
Most forms I needed to fill only wanted to know about your last 3 years employment.
If a CV is needed, as said previously, keep it short.
For what you are planning, I suggest 2 pathways:
1) the third sector: manager of a charity shop, a food bank, some paid position in a non profit retail.
If the salary is not enough, supplement with back shifts in your present job or similar till you are ready to scale down.
2) Civil service jobs: anything to do with tax office, job centre, other government jobs.
They don't discriminate on age, I personally know 2 folks my age that have been recently employed in the civil service. Some of those positions, as incentive, put £5,000 extra a year in your pension pot.
The online forms are abysmally long winded, but it's worth giving it a bash.
Expect to wait months for feedback ^_^

I would not wast my time applying for other positions in retail, I know managers humph cages in Aldi/Asda/Tesco, work long hours, no point.
Register and keep an eye on the NHS job site and on Indeed, surf daily, get job alerts.
I had a colleague doing cleaning backshift for years, because of family commitments, when family grew up she did a short admin course at college while still working, now she switched to an admin job in the same hospital - that was her retirement plan.
If a contract is offered for, say, only 20 hours a week, still go for it, the latest fashion is to offer small contracts but when you're in you can get overtime 24/7.
The benefits to work for the public sector when you're older are many: paid sick leave, more holidays, weekend/public holidays extra pay.
Imo, forget about a CV, start filling those online forms!
Good luck, if you need more info PM me.

Ah, forgot: my next "retirement job" plan is now to stay where I am for at least another year, because I'm earning good, it's still quite physical though.
I'm aiming to switch to the local health centre, walking distance, when I can't face cycling to work in all weathers at 7am anymore ^_^

I'd look at Waitrose/ booths both of which value life experience and are age positive.
Let the kids do the humping and work smart pick the ilse with the lighter cage... Medicines / cosmetics or wine corner or get promoted to customer service if you don't mind stressy customers.
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
I'd look at Waitrose/ booths both of which value life experience and are age positive.
Let the kids do the humping and work smart pick the ilse with the lighter cage... Medicines / cosmetics or wine corner or get promoted to customer service if you don't mind stressy customers.
Lol, I don't think you can pick and choose your role in a supermarket, unless you're management.
There are different roles that require extra training, yes, but you can't say "I'm not doing the cat litter cage".
 

Jameshow

Veteran
Lol, I don't think you can pick and choose your role in a supermarket, unless you're management.
There are different roles that require extra training, yes, but you can't say "I'm not doing the cat litter cage".

Well I beg to differ having worked in Waitrose, those who were long termers greater than 5 years had got the plumb isles and guarded them with a pitch fork!

We were all on the same contract so we could in theory work anywhere including drivers but if you were there any length of time you got the better jobs.

The turn over was high even in Waitrose 25pc year.....
 

annedonnelly

Girl from the North Country
My last job was an online application thing and having CV was useful for information if nothing else.

I'd agree with having a complete CV for your personal use. You then cherry pick the bits that you need for any application. It's easy to forgot things that you did years ago but they might suddenly become relevant to an application.

I also started keeping a list of any training courses that I did, including personal non-work related ones. You never know when they might become relevant - especially things like health & safety, first aid, data protection.
 
OP
OP
MontyVeda

MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
Well I beg to differ having worked in Waitrose, those who were long termers greater than 5 years had got the plumb isles and guarded them with a pitch fork!

We were all on the same contract so we could in theory work anywhere including drivers but if you were there any length of time you got the better jobs.

The turn over was high even in Waitrose 25pc year.....

I guess everywhere is different. I've never worked for Waitrose but have worked for a few big chains. Your experience isn't the same as mine.
 

gbb

Squire
Location
Peterborough
Now retired but when I was applying for jobs (which was rarely, I only had 3 employers in 44 years) I did one of the following...
If the industry was the same, I'd highlight experience relative and specific to that position.
If it was a different industry, id focus more on my personal attributes and abilities

As above, try to keep to one page, which is no mean feat tbf.
Heading with personal details.
Qualifications
Previous employers and positions
Specific experience

It's so easy to overdo it but I think keep it simple.
I long since stopped putting school and exams passed, after x amount of years I don't think it has any relevance.
 

Accy cyclist

Legendary Member
Poor grammar or spelling is a big red flag.
Ok, I'll remember that in case the DWP tells me to look for work,:secret: if my current part time job doesn't pacify them. I have exactly two years from now before I officially become an OAP and no way do I want a full time job before then! How about putting this in my CV if I have to make one up. I like wurking wiv uver peeple az I think I hav gud teem werk scillz! 🤔 🧐
 
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Drago

Legendary Member
Ok, I'll remember that in case the DWP tells me to look for work,:secret: if my current part time job doesn't pacify them. I have exactly two years from now before I officially become an OAP and no way do I want a full time job before then! How about putting this in my CV if I have to make one up. I like wurking wiv uver peeple az I think I hav gud teem werk scillz! 🤔 🧐

Just put how you've been working hard on your mental health and haven't stabbed anyone since Haloween.
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
I would expect a succinct summary of skills and role

Experienced IT architect with 20 years experience of Oracle, integration technologies and telecomms for large project

or similar in bullets

Then, starting with most recent employer and role

XYX bank (2010 to 2024) Systems architect
Replacement of customer facing web application. Responsibililities inlcude blah blha

IBM (finance systems (2000 to 2010) Analyst Programmer
List key projects

Previous experience include
etc etc

BSc Computer Science Portsmouth Poly 1990

UK citizen / have working Visa as appropriate

-----

The first bullet points should emphasise some of the things the applied-for job needs and in a few sentences explain you skills and experience. This would be the same for craft skills

Welder with 20 years' experience with Mig, Tig and gas welding including certification for work in the nuclear industry

The employers / projects listed from the most recent, and only bullet points for stuff a long time back (though big up old stuff if it's what they are looking for)


In my industry (IT / telecomms) I was always recruiting, so providing the CV included a reasonable amount of experience with what I was after, and didn't seem to have been written by a toddler, we'd at least interview the person.

Go easy on "management bulshit". That would and did put me off. Also the experience needs to add up. If you're two years out of university, or just passed level 1 city and guilds the experience claim need to ba plausible.
 

Once a Wheeler

…always a wheeler
Spend not more than 1¾ A4 pages on everything relevant. Summarize all the rest in one short paragraph to finish off the 2 pages.
Covering letter covers the one real reason they must employ you. Good luck.
 

bruce1530

Guru
Location
Ayrshire
Some great advice above.

I'd add a few more points, based on reading a very large pile of CVs and applications recently.

  1. Keep it succinct and to the point. Don't write "War & Peace". It'll go into the "Too Long; Didn't Read" pile.
  2. Focus on what you've done recently; an employer is unlikely to be interested in the summer job you had 30 years ago.
  3. If you have a degree and a postgrad qualification, you don't need to tell me that you sat 9 GCSEs...
  4. Try and make reference to the skills needed for the job you're actually applying for. I can recall advertising for a role with fairly specialist IT skills, and getting an application which told me how good the person was at doing something completely different, and the application did not mention the specialist skill at all.
  5. If the application asks for a specific experience which you don't have, don't lie! But tell them about your transferrable skills. "While I have no specific training in Vauxhall engines, I have many years of experience in automotive engineering, and am manufacturer trained by Ford, Renault and BMW"
And try to think about how the employer will react to the CV. They may have tens, or even hundreds, of applications. They need to cut that down to a manageable number as quickly as possible. When doing a "first pass", the employer isn't necessarily looking for the best candidate. They're looking for applications that they can discard.

And the most important bit. Look at the job specification. Look for the essential attributes, and the desirable attributes. Remember that the employer doesn't know you. You need to demonstrate clearly that you meet the requirements. The employer can only go by what's on the application. They'll have a spreadsheet with all of the essentials and desirables. They'll be skimming your form, and every other, and scoring you against that. Make it easy for the employer. If the job spec says "Must have experience of Autocad", tell them that! But don't just say "I have experience of Autocad". Say something like "I have used Autocad routinely in my employment since version 20 to create and update drawings of services within industrial and commercial buildings".
 
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