Haven't had time to dig around my e-mail today and find some bad examples, I will get chance after the Bank Holiday.
I'm glad that this thread is being found to be helpful, after all, it's helping both you and us if we can make the process quicker for everyone.
I received an e-mail today and it asked a good question, so I'll repost the answer here. Sending your CV by e-mail makes no difference to your position in the pile. We obviously have to be fair with everyone so you'll go into the pile on an "as received" basis. The only difference is that I can attach notes to the CV and then file it in place, rather than have to keep it in a foolscap file.
Recruitment is very much my second role. Principally I occupy a strategic role, so my time is pretty scarce (NB not valuable!!). As a result when I walk in in the morning I get two piles of post, one which is general and one which is just CVs. I spend, at most, 20 minutes going through the CV pile - as I said before, with 20+ CVs a day, that's 1 minute per CV. Even the slowest mathematically amongst you will realise that it aint long! I need to know within 30 seconds the important information:
Covering Letter:
i) What you want/are looking for.
ii) If you're low on hours, where you trained (as Scroggs said). If you're not low on hours, you can say quickly what you're currently doing and why you want to leave (important).
CV:
i) Who you are.
ii) Where you are.
iii) Licence-wise, where you are, including IR.
iv) Type ratings, on pertinent types. (This is starting to repeat Scroggs a bit now - his post on how to display types was spot on).
v) Education and Work History.
And that's it.
I staple covering letter onto CV (if you've not done it) and write on the space you've kindly left me on the letter what level you're at and subdivide them into two piles:
i) File, and (I'm sorry!)
ii) No's.
On average one CV will get through to file on a daily basis. You can now see why I simply don't have the time to reply.
But still, knowing people makes all the difference..... I see CVs from people who I've met and I will spend more time on them and, may, keep them on file where I usually wouldn't have. However, I am also a tremendous judge of character and can spot a friendly approach from a job hunt at 4 miles on the ILS... It's so easy to say hello to people and get talking, I'm so surprised that no-one believes me! CRM after all, you have to know how to communicate!
Carry on posting your questions, I'm starting to feel important!
(Sorry, spelling).