Too old to become a journalist: How to get the perfect CV – advice from the industry

The new year brings with it the startling reality that I have got less than a month left on my NCTJ course.

I don’t know which scares me more: having to pass my exams in three weeks; or having to find a job. Probably both in equal measure.

While trying to decipher the difference between a ‘revenue support grant’ and ‘relative needs formulae’, I am also overhauling my CV.

Writing a CV is really difficult, especially when you think about the 50 million other people chasing the same jobs as you.

• How do you make it stand out?
• How many pages should it be?
• Should you play it really straight?
• Should you give it a humorous slant etc?
• Is it okay to have gaps in your employment?
• What if you haven’t worked for anyone yet?
• Should you have a kitten pattern border running around it?

Max Eggert’s book, The Perfect CV, is a good starting point and is only 168 pages. He advises on each stage and most importantly what not to put in, namely any kind of kitten pattern border.

But just what are the editors looking for?

In the name of research I have decided to send my CV to a cross-section of different industry people for their views and post their advice on this blog.

The good, the bad and even the ripped-to-shreds ugly will all be documented alongside my CV – the current version of which can be seen at this link.

It was nice knowing you.

Similar posts:

• Too old to become a journalist: CV analysis #1
• Don’t Regret The Error: a journalist’s checklist
• Trials of a redundant journalist: Don’t forget the contacts
• Jon Bernstein: Tweets, elites and the same old news agenda
• Huffington Post introduces ‘Big News Pages’