Although I have already posted my "Blog Profile" which is adapted and lengthened version of my CV, after looking at some of the CV's other participants of the course have posted and come to the conclusion that mine is in absolute need of a makeover.
During my time in training we were given a so called "How To" on writing our CV's and I must admit that the one I use today is using the template. I now feel however that this is no longer acceptable for my professional life.
Below I have inserted the pre and post amendment CV's so that you can see that difference...and hopefully prefer the latter.
Bernadette Patterson
(Address)
_______________ (home), ____________ (mobile)
E-mail _____________________________
Date of Birth _________
Nationality British Height ______
Weight ______
Personal Profile
Graduate of Elmhurst School for Dance in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet. I have strong classical ballet technique with experience and further training in jazz (Mattox) and contemporary (Graham, Cunningham). Have received classical training from Samira Saidi (First Soloist, Birmingham Royal Ballet), Errol Pickford (Principal, Royal Ballet) and Victoria Marr (First Soloist, Birmingham Royal Ballet).
Education and Qualifications
2004 – 2012 Elmhurst School for Dance National Diploma in Professional Dance
RAD Advanced 2 Merit
RAM Grade 5 Singing Merit
A Level English A
A Level Dance B
11 GCSE’s A*- B
Performances
2012 Four Little Girls, Les Rendevous (Frederick Ashton)
Rich Man’s Frug, Sweet Charity (Bob Fossie/ Michelle Blair)
2011 Snowflakes, The Nutcracker, Vienna Festival Ballet
Waltz of the Flowers, The Nutcracker, Vienna Festival Ballet Centerpointe Theatre, Dubai, UAE
Diamond Variation, The Sleeping Beauty (Marius Petipa)
Aspirations (Samira Saidi) Sweetheart, Pineapple Poll (John Cranko)
2010 Concerto in G Minor (Anthony Sewell)
2009 Metal Motion (Dennie Wilson)
2008 Reach for the Sky (Samira Saidi) Birmingham Town Hall
2007 The Dream Birmingham Symphony (John Rigby/ Thorey Mountain) Birmingham Symphony Hall
2006 Midsummer Nights Dream Elmhurst Theatre (Irek Mukhamedov)
Skills and Interests
Benesh Notation Reader (Commended)
References _______________________
What I like about this version is the clarity of it, and from those I have seen this is a key aspect of the CVso as not to confuse or irritate any potential employer reading. My main Issue's being, aside from it now being out of date that this show absolutely none of my personality as well as hardly any content showing the vast amount of experience I gained through a range of opportunities during my time in school.
I now present to you CV Number 2
Bernadette Patterson
(Address)
_______________ (home), ____________ (mobile)
E-mail _____________________________
Date of Birth _________
Nationality British Height ______
Weight ______
Personal Profile
As a recent graduate of eight years of training at Elmhurst School for Dance in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet I have been able to evolve into a confident young professional dancer. I have strong classical ballet technique with a variety of performance experience from school shows to professional performances. Further training in jazz (Mattox) and contemporary (Graham, Cunningham) have enabled me to become a versatile dancer, an aspect that is now extremely important due to the development of choreography. Having received classical training from Samira Saidi (First Soloist, Birmingham Royal Ballet), Errol Pickford (Principal, Royal Ballet) and Victoria Marr (First Soloist, Birmingham Royal Ballet) during the later stages of my training I have matured to be a hard working and determined dancer, passionate about performing and improving further throughout my professional career.
Education and Qualifications
2004 – 2012 Elmhurst School for Dance National Diploma in Professional Dance
RAD Advanced 2 Merit
RAM Grade 5 Singing Merit
A Level English A
A Level Dance B
11 GCSE’s A*- B
Currently enrolled with Middlesex University studying BA Honors in Professional Practice
Company
2013 Vienna Festival Ballet
Performances
2013 Flash Mob (Breast Cancer Campaign) Primark, Oxford Street, London
2012 Four Little Girls, Les Rendevous (Frederick Ashton)
Rich Man’s Frug, Sweet Charity (Bob Fossie/ Michelle Blair)
2011 Snowflakes, The Nutcracker, Vienna Festival Ballet
Waltz of the Flowers, The Nutcracker, Vienna Festival Ballet Centerpointe Theatre, Dubai, UAE
Diamond Variation, The Sleeping Beauty (Marius Petipa)
Aspirations (Samira Saidi) Sweetheart, Pineapple Poll (John Cranko)
2010 Concerto in G Minor (Anthony Sewell)
2009 Metal Motion (Dennie Wilson)
2008 Reach for the Sky (Samira Saidi) Birmingham Town Hall
2007 The Dream Birmingham Symphony (John Rigby/ Thorey Mountain) Birmingham Symphony Hall
2006 Midsummer Nights Dream Elmhurst Theatre (Irek Mukhamedov)
Additional Experience
I have also attended the Prague Ballet Summer Masterclasses, working with Daria Klimentova (English National Ballet), Isabelle Ciaravola (Paris Opera Ballet), Christopher Hampson (English National Ballet) and many other influential professional dancers.
Skills and Interests
Benesh Notation Reader (Commended)
In early 2013 I was given the opportunity to work with secondary school children who hadn't previously taken classical ballet in a workshop through Elmhurst. After demonstrating various aspects of a traditional ballet class I encouraged them to try some basic steps in order to improve their upcoming vocational dance project.
References _______________________
In this version of my CV i have tried to show the employer a little more about my personality without becoming informal or giving them useless information.
Usually with every CV I also send a cover letter to go with it so that it is then personal to the work I am applying for.
Is this CV an improvement?
Is it ok to be more informal in the Personal Profile section?
One thing that does worry me is that I was always advised at school to keep my CV to one page and was wondering is this important enough for me to have to cut down my renewed version slightly to keep it to one page. Was anyone else given this advice?
Any comments would be great as I am always wanting to build the CV that is more likely to get me the job!
Apologies for the slight error in layout, this happened somewhere between my writing and publishing.
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