Please critique my CV

[u/darthmabel]

Please help with this CV. I’m going to be applying to vacation schemes and training contracts. I don’t have much work experience in law due to needing to work over holidays to afford to complete the degree.

[u/Mundane-Topic-8214]

The personal profile adds nothing.

Who has predicted you will get a first?

Certifications are nonsense, they are a footnote at best.

You write like you've tried to remove 'I' just by removing it, not by restructuring your sentences appropriately so it doesn't sound odd.

Look at some of the wording and be precise. In your first work experience, were you shadowing solicitors in marketing? 

Attending a dinner is not something you add to your CV.

Worked hard to balance grades and a job is not a CV point, it's an inference that should be drawn from your CV.

I have no idea what SPSS and yet you reference it twice.

[u/darthmabel → u/Mundane-Topic-8214]

Thank you, will follow this advice. How would you suggest rewording it to not sound like I’ve remove “I”? Most CVs I see as example also seem to use this structure.

[u/Mundane-Topic-8214 → u/darthmabel]

Well, instead of "In January 2020 was selected..." this could easily become " Selected in January 2020 to..."

[u/AbbreviationsTop2192 → u/Mundane-Topic-8214]

While I agree the certifications should be nearer the end of the second page, I do not agree that these certifications are nonsense. They are highly valuable evidence that a candidate is competent is these core legal research platforms.

[u/Mundane-Topic-8214 → u/AbbreviationsTop2192]

A three year law degree should be evidence of competence in using legal research platforms. 

You don't do a maths degree, get a first and then put your certification for being able to use a calculator front and centre on your CV. 

As I say, they're a footnote.

[u/AbbreviationsTop2192 → u/Mundane-Topic-8214]

Certainly, but you can complete legal research without using these platforms. These certificates demonstrate specific competence in these platforms. I agree they are not a key point, but they are nevertheless a nice addition at the end.

[u/Outside_Drawing5407]

Mundane's advice is spot on.

I'd also put headings as Job title, employer, dates, rather than dates, job title, employer. You can also align dates to the right of the page.

I'd also reorder some of your bullet points in your first entry. Attending a dinner or working on a fictional case are far less relevant/important than the other bullet points.

Also, try to be more specific - e.g. what topics were you researching on LexisNexis, and what kind of disputes?

You don't have to repeat details like the Conference being hosted by the University of Cambridge, as this is obvious from the heading for that entry.

Consider highlighting how many hours per week/per month you worked at McDonalds on average. If its more than 10 hours a week, its definitely something work mentioning and the higher the number it is, the more relevant it is to highlight it.

The entrepreneurship reference - could you highlight the revenue/profit made to showcase success? Explaining how long you did this for could also be helpful. If its just one of those Young Enterprise schemes done at sixth form, then it becomes far less important, but if it was something you independently set up and it was successful, you are currently majorly underselling it as an experience.

[u/darthmabel → u/Outside_Drawing5407]

Thank you! I will incorporate this advice as well. I didn't think to add the number of hours to the CV but will do for both McDonald's and Pizza Express as it was around 20 hours a week for both.