EuroCVs
I've noticed that in the recent flood of job applications I've been reviewing, I'm starting to see quite a few that start off like so:
Yes, the European Commission has managed to invent a EuroStandard CV format. It probably took an army of 200 researchers from 16 countries to do it, and a management and review panel of 30 eurocrats and associated assistants to, er, co-ordinate and steer the project.
And then candidates are strongly recommended to use it.
And they send it to me. And I file it in the bin.
Why ? Well, because I'm looking for evidence of independent thought, creativity and some spark of intelligence in a CV. The CV is the first contact with the employer, and it gives the first impression - and potentially the last - of the candidate. So what impression do I get from this ? Well, if I was a data entry operative, I'd love it. Easy to insert into a megacorporation's HR database, because it is totally standardised and formulaic.
For me, it is easy too - if a candidate cannot tell that filling in a pro-forma CV is an extremely bad news - even one that actually proudly declares itself as such - well, that is a clear sign that the individual in question has no place in our company.
I'm actually a strong supporter of the EU, in general. But in this case, they're getting into areas which they just should not be meddling in.
Advice to candidates - unless life as a soulless bureaucrat in a huge impersonal corporation appeals to you, avoid this like the plague.
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I totally disagree with your point of view regarding the standardization of CVs.
Actually, CVs *are* already pretty standardized: professional experience, education, contact data are all essential information for an employer. If you don't provide these informations, you are very unlikely to get any job - however witty your writing style is.
If your unemployed, you don't want to reformat and reformulate your CV upon every application.
That being said, the cover letter should of course make a difference. And yes: If the data are here, there's no point in preferring a EuroCV over another - but neither is it a reason to disregard it.
Well I'm certainly not arguing that the information should not be there - it should. And I don't want to see humour or works of art either. But when you receive (as I currently do) over 10 a day, I can assure you that the ones that grab what little attention I have left are the ones that are making an effort to interest me.
You make a good point about the cover letter, but sadly, I've seen little to impress me there.
And anyway, I'm also not suggesting a different format for every application. What I want to see is evidence of an individual approach to problem solving - which is what writing a CV is.
I read the bloody things anyway, if the truth be told. I'm far too soft-hearted to throw them away.