The CV
A computing student's CV: sections, order, experience lines that show a result, posting keywords and automated screening.
- 24 cards
- 5 topics
- Free
The outline, topic by topic
Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.
- Concepts
- Questions
- Sort and link
- Scenarios
- Understand
A few cards from the deck
CV: what is it?
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A one-page document summarising a candidate's education, experience, projects and skills so that a recruiter can decide quickly whether to meet them.
A recruiter reads a CV in a few dozen seconds: it is there to make them want an interview, not to tell everything.
Which experience line is best written for a CV?
- Cut home page load time by 40% with a Redis cache
- Taking part in optimising the performance of several pages of the company's website
- In charge of improving loading time, with good analytical skills
- Site optimisation, with a rigorous, motivated and performance-oriented mindset
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Cut home page load time by 40% with a Redis cache
The right line has an action verb, an object, a tool and a figure. The others describe a position or qualities, with nothing a recruiter can check.
The CEFR has six levels, from A1 to …; B1 and B2 denote the … user.
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The CEFR has six levels, from A1 to C2; B1 and B2 denote the independent user.
A1 and A2: basic user. B1 and B2: independent. C1 and C2: proficient.
CV headline: what is it?
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A line under the name that states the post sought and the length wanted, for example "Web developer, 24-month work-study".
The recruiter knows at once which posting you answer. A title such as "Curriculum vitae" tells nothing.
Your CV runs to two pages: one internship, three projects, two unrelated summer jobs, every software you know. What do you do?
- I shrink the font to 8 points so that everything fits on one page without cutting anything
- I keep two pages: a serious recruiter reads every line before deciding on an interview
- I delete the dates from every line to save space, keeping the titles
- I fit on one page, keeping what answers the posting
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I fit on one page, keeping what answers the posting
One page forces a choice of what answers the posting. A tiny font reads badly, and a CV without dates raises doubts.