Deleting things from your CV you've forgotten

[theWUbear]

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As the years go by, is it a good idea to delete things from your CV that you said you were proficient in but you've since forgotten about? For instance, in 2006 I worked in a lab that that did various dissections, so I stated that I was knowledgeable in ocular dissection amongst other things. I was also doing a math major, so I stated proficiency in SAS, Matlab, and other software packages.

I couldn't matlab my way out of a box at this point, to use the expression loosely. If I was asked about dissection of axon/stellate from squid, I would not be able to remember anything about that despite having dissected axons form squid successfully for a lab project in 2006.

Better to delete statements of proficiency? Or perhaps the rule of thumb is to write down what you are able to still talk about if you refresh yourself with the material online or however, and delete what you have lost forever?

Thanks for your advice and opinions

 

[apumic]

They are no longer current skills, so no, they shouldn't be on a current CV. If they are skills you could pick right back up on at the proficiency level listed, then it's fine to leave them. Same thing as for certs (i.e., if it's expired, remove it).

 

[OhioDoc]

As the years go by, is it a good idea to delete things from your CV that you said you were proficient in but you've since forgotten about? For instance, in 2006 I worked in a lab that that did various dissections, so I stated that I was knowledgeable in ocular dissection amongst other things. I was also doing a math major, so I stated proficiency in SAS, Matlab, and other software packages.

I couldn't matlab my way out of a box at this point, to use the expression loosely. If I was asked about dissection of axon/stellate from squid, I would not be able to remember anything about that despite having dissected axons form squid successfully for a lab project in 2006.

Better to delete statements of proficiency? Or perhaps the rule of thumb is to write down what you are able to still talk about if you refresh yourself with the material online or however, and delete what you have lost forever?

Thanks for your advice and opinions

My advice here is the same that I give concerning an AMCAS application - don't put anything on your CV that you're not willing to discuss/defend at length. So in this case, it sounds like you'd probably be better off removing these proficiencies.

 

[familyaerospace]

On the CV I usually hand out, I don't have any of my skills listed with the exception of language skills. In the language I lost most of my skills on, I have it labeled as "formerly reading proficient." It used to just say reading proficient. I also listed the date when I was tested. They will be able to tell by the year that it was a number of years ago. When people ask, I tell them that my skills are very rusty although I can still translate a little if I need to.

So in your case, I would either remove the skills or label them as former skills and the last date you used them. Or if you have them labeled by level of proficiency : beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert, you should reassess your skills.

 

[fish89]

Every CV in my opinion should tell a 'story.' It's your chance to paint a one-sided view of who you 'really are' -

are you red, purple, orange or blue? are you an expert patient caretaker, a sagacious lab rat, pioneering businesswoman, or a joe shmoe babysitter? you could really be all these things in real life, but order and organize your experiences on your rsume accordingly - i usually only put a fractoin of all that i've 'done in life' on my resume, and use key words and short summary sentences to capture the essence of what's important and give the impression i want for the job i need.

the only job i've ever gotten rejected from was working at in n out, and i've interviewed at banks, hospitals, labs, even beauty pageants. it taught me a really big lesson... for different positions you'll want to convey yourself very differently. being too much of a 'volunteer' will not go down well with labs, being too much of a science rat may not be as advantageous with more traditional business-type settings. i was probably too leadership/busy-looking for the hamburger job... not that any job is better than another, just making a contrast between different settings. etc

so my point is, it relaly doesnt matter i fyou take it off or not. do what you think works. then again, if your employer thinks you can use matlab and you can't, that's not really a good way to start off a job. be strategic, keep the big picture in mind.