# What 'Key skills' would go well on a CV?



## coulis-o (Jan 23, 2010)

I've recently contacted a consultant to write me a professional CV and is currently a work in process now I have approved the costing. £125 I have been quoted which was more than I expected, but then again I trust the consultant to do good job on my CV as she is somewhat a minor celebrity and has her own business and television programme here in this country.

Was just wondering though what key skills would befit a professional chefs CV? since I didn't have a key skills bullet points on my old CV but yet the consultants aim is to introduce a new key skills bullet points to my CV as well as a new personal statement.

She only asked me to write out duties and roles of my previous jobs of the past ten years. I already had a personal statement on my CV, but not a short list of say 5 bullet points of key skills which is to feature on the CV directly below the personal statement.

I will update next week or so when I get the final copy of the document. She also told me no age related evidence should be on a CV because an employer can be ageist, including no DOB and no dates of schools or colleges attended. Weird I thought that when listing personal details on a CV date of birth is often one of the most common things thought of to be included.


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## thetincook (Jun 14, 2002)

I agree with her about the age thing and personal details in general. They are generally irrelevant and sometimes predjudicial.

What skills you're going to emphasize on your cv depends on what job, ad, or what you uncover about the job during your research. Ideally you'll want to customize your cv for each job. i.e. mirror the language in the employment ad (some companies use a resume scanning program that tosses resumes w/o the right buzzwords). Or if you hear that the GM at the place you want to work at is always griping about his FC, then you'd want to strongly present your FC trimming skills.

I think of our professional skills as either:

Human Management: Boils down to interpersonal skills, training, and leadership. Probably the least valued, but extremely important.

Financial Management: Understanding and using your P&L, FC and LC, forecasts and the like.

Logistics: The ability to pump out the product.

Salesmanship: Includes resolving customer problems.

or

Culinary

Hopefully that will give you a jumping off point.

Some people use real life examples of how they used crucial skills on their cv.

Personally, I think 125 pounds sounds real steep. Don't you have career centers in the UK?


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## bazza (Apr 2, 2007)

There are six basic key skills

Communication
Application of number
Information technology
Working with others
Improving own learning and performance
Problem solving
Examples of what an employer may be looking for are

Communication

Getting your message accross in the kitchen, eg running the pass, training and mentoring others around you.

Application of number

Costing menus, budgeting, negotiating with suppliers, achieving your GP's.

Information technology

Spreadsheets, rotas, menus, back office paperwork.

Working with others

Team leader, manager, being part of a team, suppliers, front of house, customer service.

Improving own learning and performance

Achieving targets, gaining qualifications, promotion, experience.

Problem solving

Understanding your employers goals and how you can contribute to solving them, thinking logically to overcome difficulties, coming up with better ways of doing things

If you can demostrate strong key skills in all areas you will stand a better chance. You should be able to provide evidence and/or examples. One of the hardest things to do is write your CV/resume but if you want that job you have to sell yourself and these days you need to be properly prepared. Good luck.


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## coulis-o (Jan 23, 2010)

Ty tincook and Bazza for your input, much appreciated.


thetincook said:


> Personally, I think 125 pounds sounds real steep. Don't you have career centers in the UK?


Yes, there are career centres in the UK, I didn't think of going down that route though.

Have gone directly to an individual who specialises in anything to do with finding and securing employment.

I agree the cost is steep and nearly 3x what I expected, but its a one off and I'm happy and able to stretch that far if for only once.

Having always written my Cv myself I am looking forward to learning what a professionally written Cv should look like and include. Just wanted an idea of what maybe to expect when I go to review the work my consultant has done on my Cv this friday.

The point you made about computer scanning programmes and having a Cv that contains the right buzz words is good and something that she talked to me about on the initial consultation.

Am just looking to push my career forward and do whatever steps is necessary to do that. Starting from the foundation upwards I believe a good Cv is a viable and essential requisite for progression.


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