Sample Resumes

Home: Sample Resumes

Up to 94% end up in the shredder!
Here's how to make sure yours doesn't!

resume Using the links below, you'll find:

Some sample resumes, good and bad
Tips for a first resume or CV
Advice about resume or CV templates
Resume Company recommendations
Advice about CV lies
Some resume and CV funnies!

REMEMBER -- CVs and resumes, if done well, do exactly the same as Job Application Forms -- they get you the interview.

If done badly, it's GAME OVER!

Food for thought!

One internet source we found said that employers spend, on average, only 10-15 seconds on each resume and that 82-94% of applicants get rejected at CV stage.

So we timed ourselves. We found that we spent, on average, 81 seconds on each resume before making a decision -- Yes or No.

We found we read any cover letters in full.

Generally we interview no more than 6 people for any vacancy. Based on the average number of CVs and resumes we receive for each job, that's an 80-90% rejection rate.

You will have realized from this that it's not necessarily the best candidate who is called for interview, but the one whose CV or resume engages the interest of the interviewers.

So if you are applying for a senior role or a job where the competition is expected to be fierce, do think about having your resume or CV professionally written.

Who Can Write A Resume Or CV For Me?

There are many companies who will write a resume for you. Ask a friend or colleague to recommend one to you or do your own research to find the right one for you. In our professional opinion, there really is no substitute for a professionally written CV or resume.

You don't have to spend a lot of money and the advantages of a professionally crafted CV or resume far outweigh the costs of having one done. (And if it gets you the job, the cost doesn't matter!)

Our sample resumes will help you see the difference.

We receive between 25-65 CVs/resumes for each of our vacancies and only about 45% are professionally written. Those that are stand out because of the following:

They are comfortable to the eye at first glance
They flow nicely and are easy to read and understand
They are relevant to the advertised job
They are the right length
They are free from grammar and spelling mistakes

There's more examples of good cv here and our sample resumes will help you too.

The only exception we would make to recommending a professional resume is for entry level (e.g. trainee/apprentice) jobs or lower skilled jobs where the requirement for this level of professionalism is less. But, if you can gain an advantage by doing something that no-one else does, why not, whatever job you are going for.

Can I Write The Perfect CV/Resume?

We understand that you may prefer not to pay for a professional CV, so to help you avoid some common CV and resume mistakes, here's a CV Writing Guide and two sample resumes, as well as advice about using CV templates:

CV Templates including when and when NOT to use them and a FREE template for CV for you to download.

CV Writing Guide Part 1 including CV and resume standards and layouts.

CV Writing Guide Part 2 including CV sections you must have and how to write 'achievements' in your CV.

Resume Objective Help -- specific advice on this important part of your resume including 5 resume objective examples.

Sample Resumes:

Free CV Example 1 -- A Good One

Free CV Example 2 -- A Bad One

Don't make these common apostrophe mistakes

Should I lie in my CV or resume?

CV Funnies -- some light relief!!!

Getting The Answers YOU Need