Resume Tips For Jobs 573
JerseyTom writes "SAGEWire reports that with the economy speeding
up, more and more people
are freshening up their
resumés. They've printed an article by Tom
Limoncelli, co-author of TPoSaNA, that offers specific advice for geeks writing resumes." 'Course, I'm not sure how much I believe the economy speeding up - but still good information.,
Don't... (Score:5, Interesting)
2: Go too far ahead in 'Career Objectives'. Think 2 or 3 years, not 10!
3: Forget to spell check the thing.
Re:Don't... (Score:4, Funny)
2. Yeah, I've made that mistake. Aparently "In 10 years I hope to be dating your daughter, forcing her to have childern and selling them to white slavery rings" is just too ambitious for a future boss on a resume. I've switched that to 'I hope to finally finish the original Zork in 2 years'.
3. I'll try to remember.
Re:Don't... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Don't... (Score:5, Insightful)
I would agree, unless your hobbies/interests include computer related issues.
This can be especially useful in interviews. In my experience, they like to hear about the wireless LAN you have at home running off a Linux box you built from scratch, etc.
This tells them you're not just some 'tard that went to college and got a degree in computers because everyone lied to you and said there would be guys lined up with bags of money after you graduate. You actually have genuine interest...or so they'll think...
Re:Don't... (Score:3, Insightful)
On the other hand...
I have been told by headhunters that you should not put computer-related items in your hobbies, because it makes you look like a stereotypical geek, and turns prospective employers off unless they are also geeks (which is rare).
Bottom line is, I don't think there's a right answer on this one. Go with what feels best to you.
need advice on sorting advice (Score:2, Insightful)
Is there any statistical analysis of what works and what doesn't? (Probably not because too few people are being hired to produce good data
Heresay is nearly useless if it is all over the map. How about advice from people who have recently gotten hired, at least. Posting successful resumes (minus address, etc.) would be nice.
Re:need advice on sorting advice (Score:3, Interesting)
Hired less than a year ago. Got interviews from about 20% of the cold contacts I made; got offers from 5 out of the 6 interviews.
Looks like I followed >50% of the recommendations. The best one in the thread so far is to analyze all the competencies you list, and break them up into categories (I use three, from "very strong/good " to "experienced" to "familiar"). That was picked up at every interview but one.
It helps an interviewer tailor his/her questions. For example, if I say "familiar with C++", an interviewer can feel comfortable asking about public/private/protected, extern "C", etc. If I say "very strong C++", I'd better damned well be able to answer questions about things like vtbl layout, partial specialization, the current state of the standard, etc.
Re:need advice on sorting advice (Score:3, Informative)
Very Helpfull Article (Score:5, Funny)
I never realised all I had to write was
404 Error; Page not found.
Right then, lets send this baby off
Resume Tip #1 (Score:4, Informative)
Freshening resume (Score:2)
Speeding up? (Score:5, Funny)
What economy are they referring to? Certainly not the American economy...
Re:Speeding up? (Score:5, Funny)
What economy are they referring to? Certainly not the American economy...
I believe that speed he referred to is akin that that 'slight' acceleration you feel just after jumping out of an airplane. We're really heating up now!
Re:Speeding up? (Score:2)
So when you hit terminal velocity shortly before you hit the ground, that'd basically be the point where the recession/depression occurs?
Re:Speeding up? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Speeding up? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Speeding up? (Score:4, Insightful)
Probably referring to 'the economy speeding up', ie. a faster and faster rate at which everything is getting cut back...
Cheers,
Ian
Re:Speeding up? (Score:2, Funny)
Slashdotted in 60 seconds (Score:3, Funny)
No they don't...... :)
Re:Speeding up? (Score:2)
The only economy I know of that is speeding up is China, it's practically on fire. Granted, they have a long way to go to "up", they're getting there fast. Last I heard, over 6% in Q1 2002, and 10% Q2. Got time off and can dip into some education funding or fincial aid? Learn chinese, or at least memorize this song. [montypython.net]
O'Canada! (Score:3, Informative)
Re:O'Canada! (Score:4, Funny)
Although:
(1) It bears mentioning that 4.3% Canadian is only 3.5% US.
(2) This is almost solely due to the unexpectedly strong sales of Rush's new CD.
Re:Speeding up? (Score:2)
With that paycheck we'd be happy to help the economy out and buy things. For instance, my car won't make it to the end of the year. I need a new one.
Re:Speeding up? (Score:5, Informative)
It -may- be the longest bear market, but it certain is -not- the worst, job wise.
We're still under 7% unemployment (or is it still under 6?). That -by itself- tells me that while it's hanging on, it certainly isn't nearly as sever as it could have been.
Additionally, the market is -now- at about the levels it should have been if the tech bubble hadn't existed.
As an investor, I'd be buying. Things are cheap, and at least for the short term, getting cheaper.
As for the IT sector getting hit hardest: so what?
How many other "techies" have you worked with that didn't have a clue, and only had the job because some manager needed a body to put in that seat? The
If you're having problems finding a new job, after getting laid off, one of these is true:
1. the area you live in sucks. MOVE.
2. you aren't nearly as skilled as you think you are.
3. you aren't nearly as skilled as the -other- applicants are.
More than likely it's a combination of 1 and 3. or 1 and 2 (although 2 and 3 is a good combo, too).
And don't let that lack of a degree get you down, 5 years experience makes up for it...even in academia *smirk*
Re:Speeding up? (Score:2, Insightful)
We're still under 7% unemployment (or is it still under 6?). That -by itself- tells me that while it's hanging on, it certainly isn't nearly as sever as it could have been.
For those of you who don't know what the unemployment indicator means(like this poster) it represents the current number of unemployment claims being made. Republicans like my father love this number, because they think it means that 7 out of 100 people in the US don't have jobs...and if the other 93 people can work, so can I. Here's a quote from the
"Benefits can be paid for a maximum of 26 weeks in most States. "
26 weeks is approximately 6 months. What that means is, if you get laid off you have 6 months to find another job. If you don't manage to find another job in 6 months, you are no longer eligible for unemployment. Now, the "IT depression" has been around for...about 2 years now give or take. So anyone who didn't manage to find work in 6 months(and I know many) is not included in this indicator. Potentially 75% of the people fired since 2000 could still be out of work...and this would not be reflected in the often quoted unemployment figures.
Additionally, the market is -now- at about the levels it should have been if the tech bubble hadn't existed.
As an investor, I'd be buying
Ya, but you're not an investor anymore are you? Why? Because you're living from pay-check to pay-check just like everyone else.
How many other "techies" have you worked with that didn't have a clue, and only had the job because some manager needed a body to put in that seat?
Yes during the dot-com era there was a lot of miss-distribution of personelle. Many people were in positions they weren't qualified for...does that mean that anyone in that category doesn't deserve to have a job? You're worse than my parents.
And don't let that lack of a degree get you down
I have a BS in Computer Science from a top 20 engineering school.
Fake unemployment figures (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Speeding up? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Speeding up? (Score:3, Informative)
Good grief; it's been three minutes and it's down. (Score:3, Funny)
I wanted to read the article too!
Re:Good grief; it's been three minutes and it's do (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Good grief; it's been three minutes and it's do (Score:5, Funny)
Spend the next two hours checking your resume over for things like I've going
Slashdotters in search of employment. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Slashdotters in search of employment. (Score:3, Interesting)
After the last 2 years, in seeing and going through lay offs, I am very concerned about long term stability within the marketplace. I am doing what I can to ensure I keep this job, and as I watch the economy, I wish to death that it would recover to open up more jobs for people I know who need jobs. I am not only talking about the IT sector, but other areas, as well. I took a bartending cert class months ago, because I was getting desperate for any job. The service industry has been hit hard, too.
Here in AZ, the chip industry is in a nose dive. It saddens and concerns me to see the economy in such a bad state. I could care less if our National GDP stayed the same, as long as more jobs opened up for everyone out there. And no, I don't think this 'war' is going to help the economy, either.
Re:Slashdotters in search of employment. (Score:3, Funny)
And that includes posting to slashdot during work hours?
Relax, I'm just kidding. Just had to point out the irony of it, since wether you are or not, a lot of people on here are.
Re:Slashdotters in search of employment. (Score:2, Informative)
Know someone who works there, and be competant. Knowing someone who works there is the really big thing, though -- I ended up supervising my CEO's neighbor's son (who did practically no work, and whom I couldn't really fire) two summers in a row. If you have friends with tech jobs, ask them about internship opportunities at their employers; often, the first announcement of available slots will go out to employees (whose reccomendations can go a long way) before it hits anyone outside the company.
Be specific (Score:5, Informative)
On the other hand, the resumes that were clear about what the person really wanted were very interesting. Sure, in some cases, we didn't have any position that matched those needs, but for the positions we did have, the hiring managers received a handful of resumes that matched the positions they were looking for.
Re:Be specific (Score:2)
Confirms my suspicions.
Re:Be specific (Score:4, Insightful)
So when you list ten different programming languages that you know, find some way of emphasizing the one or two that you really like the most (or expect to get hired to use; I doubt there are many SML jobs). Whether you list "Prefered languages" on a separate line, use bold for your favorites, or something else, that's up to you. I generally assumed the first two languages listed were the favorites.
When you list work experience, mention the aspects of the job that most reflect what you want to do. I've seen some resumes that use bold on key aspects here and there; while some people won't like that, it was helpful for me.
Re:Be specific (Score:3, Insightful)
Misleading headline (Score:5, Funny)
Contract 2 Perm (Score:5, Interesting)
More Resume Writing Tips from USENIX (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.usenix.org/publications/login/2000-7
Re:More Resume Writing Tips from USENIX (Score:2)
This was not the case in 2000, when it appears to be written, either. Or even close.
Ok, so we *do* want a managers clueless view on what we should put in our resumes, but that was a bit on the strong side. What if I use his tips and get someone that knows what he is talking about reading it?
My Resume Tips for Jobs (Score:5, Funny)
You probably shouldn't mention the cube at all.
...among other skills, (Score:3, Funny)
webserver and transparently redirect
traffic to offsite mirrors with expandable bandwidth.
some tips - (Score:4, Interesting)
You have 2-4 inches to catch someone's eye - if you've got a college degree put it there, and next, put your most relevant work experience.
customize your resume for the job you're applying for.
I disagree (Score:2, Insightful)
Put an Objective on there--but make it relevant to your career search. Do you want a long-term job that will last you to retirement? Do your plans only focus on the short-term now? Do you want a part-time job to support you while you go to school?
I'd recommend a general objective, instead of customization per company. Use the cover letter for that--to display your interest in and knowledge of the company. Your resume should be static, so it feels honest and trustworthy, and they don't think that they're lying.
(So call Apple or MS or Be or whomever "the greatest" in the cover letter, not the resume...)
Oh, and keeping it consice sounds good to. One page is a good limit for a physical resume; if there's extraneous stuff (education breakdown, career breakdown, hobbies) that are relevant but not essential, pt them on the back or leave them out.
Re:I disagree (Score:2)
The objective section is totally useless, and takes up the most valuable resume real-estate with bullshit that tells nothing to your potential employer. NOTHING.
as for customization, if your a geek, and applying for a network heavy job, wouldnt you want to emphasize those skills, as opposed to your SQL skills?
as for the old "resume only takes up one page rule", that is only true for your FIRST resume - our college one, where you dont have anything worthwhile to put on it.
if you've been working for any amount of time, you sure as hell better have more than one page work of "experiences" and job-related skills.
Make it short and sweet (Score:3, Interesting)
Yes, you have 1" to catch my eye. You don't catch my eye with education (the piles are already sorted by BS, MS, etc) You don't catch my eye with experience; I want to know what you want to do, not what you did (you are, after all, hiring for the future, not the past). If you sound interesting, I'll read what you've done.
You ESPECIALLY don't catch my eye with a multi-page resume if you've worked any less than 10 years. This means you're a babbling idiot who can't summarize properly. This means you'll write lousy memos, ramble on at meetings, and aimless documentation (all of which I've seen, amazingly enough all with multi-page incoherent resumes). The memo part is key. People won't listen to you if you can't write a good memo.
Yes I have 10 years experience. Yes my resume is 1 page with a clear objective. Yes when my dot bomb went under I was somehow only out of work for roughly a week (admittedly after taking a month of voluntary vacation), fending off offers from both coasts, where everybody else is suffering.
Coincidence?
- Matt
Re:Make it short and sweet (Score:3, Insightful)
While mjhans has quite a little ego on him, I just need to get it on record that he knows what he's talking about, and EnderWiggnz does not. I can't believe that EnderWiggnz's bad advice is modded up. I'm currently hiring, and I'm going through about 50 resumes each day. The resumes with generic objectives (like "get a job that uses my talents") and the resumes with education at the top (WTF?!?) get trashed pretty quick. I want to see an objective that clearly puts you in my market, or else no objective and a recent job right up front that clearly puts you in my market.
Re:I disagree (Score:2)
I'm not quite sure how relevant this is in today's market -- if you are sending in a resume electronically or submitting via a career fair, cover letters are generally not accepted. Period. In these situations, if you have expectations of the type of job you want, it's important to use part of the resume to tell the recruiter/company exactly what you're looking for.
Re:some tips - (Score:3, Funny)
You have 2-4 inches to catch someone's eye...
Please note: the preceding tip would not be applicable if you are applying for a position (ahem) as "Male Porn Actor."
PDHoss
If you have no experience (Score:5, Funny)
or
"managed a wide area information distribution network involving the exchange of compressed aural and adult entertainment products. Work involved maintenance of clandistine anti-detection systems and frequent network reconfigurations for various Internet service providers".
Re:If you have no experience (Score:2, Insightful)
Perhaps you could add "Rated people poorly who made comments that were over my head by moderating them down despite the fact they were insightful, funny, or full of usefull information. Continue to do this because I am an idiot"
I like that idea.
Perfect Timing (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Perfect Timing (Score:4, Funny)
Don't lie... (Score:2)
Don't forget, you must lie and the employer must believe, right before the end of the interview you tell that you've lied in your resume and all over the interview.
The job will be yours. For sure.
Resume Building (Score:3, Insightful)
Mirror of article (Score:3, Informative)
Things I've Noticed... (Score:5, Insightful)
First of all, it is no longer sufficient to simply mention that you are a programmer. It isn't even sufficient to mention that you know C++. I've seen requirements that specifically want 2+ years of experience using Visual Studio. This is the most idiotic thing I've ever seen, but that doesn't stop companies from putting that in the job description. And we all know how HR departments are. If you don't have exactly what they're looking for, you don't get called back.
Another thing is the certification hang-up. I've known people with certifications that don't know sh*t, but that won't stop them from getting a job before me, because I don't have any certifications. Hiring managers (particularly those who are non-technical) are fooled into believing that certifications somehow equate to a higher quality employee. It doesn't matter that this isn't true; it can easily keep you from getting a job.
Thirdly, the "Jack of All Trades" background is getting harder to place. Employers want someone with large (sometimes unreasonably so) amounts of experience in particular (sometimes obscure) areas. It used to be that having a generic background was a good thing. It meant you could easily adapt to new technologies, and had a wide range of experience to draw on for coming up with novel solutions to problems. Nowadays, employers don't want you to solve anything. They want to purchase a solution-in-a-box and hire a technician (not really a programmer) to implement it. Finally, employers are looking for more on your resume than "I wrote some software". They want to see how you drastically reduced the running time, or saved a bunch of money, or lead a team on to beat a tight deadline, save money, and make the manager look like a champion. Remember: they aren't hiring you to just get a job done. They are hiring you so that they can pad their own resumes with accomplishments that you pulled off. So, make sure that the things on your resume support what your potential manager would want on his resume.
After all this, I would like to mention that I am starting to feel burned out, and am looking towards getting back into academia. I'd rather do research than spend the rest of my life feeling like a corporate flunky.
You belong in academia. (Score:2, Flamebait)
Re:You belong in academia. (Score:2)
I personally (from my perspective specifically) do not find it the least bit odd that companies are placing more value on specific skill sets as they need them rather than a "jack of all trades".
The thing I find odd is that people with highly particular skill sets can be disposable. Also, they don't necessarily have a "programmer mindset". Too many specialists are useless outside of their pet framework. It would seem like having a rich, varied background would be an asset no matter what. The fact that it isn't seems like an indication of shortsightedness, which is something I strongly dislike.
Of course the person that you will report to wants to hire someone who is going to make them look good.
I do tend to be cynical, but I didn't actually mean for my point about this to come across that way. I know it should be obvious that a boss will want to hire people that makes him/her look good, but many people don't always realize this. The thing that I find disturbing is not when the employer gets credit for hiring you and being a good manager, but for the work that YOU did. I firmly believe in giving credit where credit is due.
I have found that most of the people who whine about certs being "useless and trivial...no real indicator of skill" are usually afraid to go take the test becuase they are unsure they could pass it.
This is definitely not the issue I have. ;) I can probably pass any test I can study for. I'm very good at taking tests. The issue to me, again, is one of shortsightedness. I think that this lack of foresight is one of the roots of the problems in our current economic situation. This is why I am so against certifications. If they were meaningful (so that they could be used in a non-shortsighted manner), I wouldn't have a problem with them at all.
I have many other points I'd mention, but they become increasingly irrelevent to the discussion, and more particular to my personality quirks and schizophrenic idealism, so I'll just leave it at this. Thanks for your reply. :)
re: Jack of all trades (Score:3, Informative)
I have heard the opposite from a training institute instructer and IT placement specialist (although they may be biased somehow).
They said that mostly small companies are hiring, not larger ones at this point in time. These small companies *do* want a jack-of-all-IT person because they don't have a big enough staff for specialists that we are used to (DBA, programmer, network specialist, help desk, etc.).
Thus, I am getting conflicting information.
I would also like to see a forum/story on making a *backup* career for oneself being that IT tends to be very recession-sensative.
Re: Jack of all trades (Score:3, Insightful)
I solved my resume woes (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm not asking for much. I just want a chance to live at least as well as I did with no income at college (meaning: don't starve, basic cable, internet, and shelter), not default on my loans, and most importantly to me gain experience toward building a better career. I'm looking for an opportunity, not compensation.
Screw the job market. I'm going back to the college life, late nights, late mornings, parties, beautiful women everywhere, lots of beer, and no drug tests. In a few years, I'll have at least a Master's, but that's only if I completely fail to achieve a PhD. Screw the job market. Screw the job market. Stay in school. A teaching assistantship + college lifestyle if far superior and better for your future than developing an ulcer at 23 trying to get an entry level job.
Re:I solved my resume woes (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I solved my resume woes (Score:2)
Hobbies... (Score:2, Funny)
"Slashdot Poster" is probably a v.bad thing to put on your CV... unless you've got alot of karma.
Indicating your Slashdot Karma level on your CV (Character Recordsheet) is probably a good thing... but this also implies Slashdot poster... which is a good thing... but it implies that you're a slashdot reader... so you're buggered.
I'll probably get modded down as flamebait for this. Have at ye fowl moderator.
LIE, and LIE liberally! (Score:4, Funny)
Do you have more years experience in a language/program than it existed? Yes, you do have 9 years of Java experience and 550,000 lines of code written, 15 years of HTML, 4 years of Windows 2000 Professional, etc.
Did you never graduate, or even go to college? No problem -- just put on your resume that you graduated with a BS in CS from RIT, Georgia Tech, or whereever.
Lie liberally -- the companies hardly check anything unless you're going to be CTO or something, and if they do find out you're lying, it's not like you're going to get arrested; simply move on until you find a company that buys it.
Re:LIE, and LIE liberally! (Score:2)
Lie like a bastard and suck down corporate funds. They'll screw you any chance they get, so you should screw them also.
Re:LIE, and LIE liberally! (Score:2)
This is utter bullshit.
Fact of the matter is, if you don't have a degree, you -better- be able to show a damned good reason why.
I've applied for jobs that require an MS in CE, and -gotten- them. I don't have a degree. What I -do- have are provable skills in the required areas.
And screwing a company just because they'll screw you isn't the right attitude...oh, wait, you're a slacker who'd rather bitch and whine than actually develop the skills that companies actually want...
Change the tense (etc) of every line... (Score:2, Insightful)
e.g. Was a member of a team that selected a new problem management tool
becomes
Selected a new problem management tool
Do this on every line and use bullet points.
BYU
Spell Checker & Presentation (Score:4, Insightful)
People aren't handing jobs out anymore and there's alot of competition for them now, even for really qualified and experienced people, so that means you have to compete for the job, which also means you have to actually put effort in to getting it.
We just filled a sys admin job where we interviewed almost 30 candidates. We actually had guys showing up in shorts, torn jeans and t-shirts. I mean come on folks, even though many west coast jobs aren't "tie required" most employers like to see candidates who look presentable.
Just check your work. If you don't care about the job you're applying for, don't waste everyone's time.
-s
Re:Spell Checker & Presentation (Score:5, Funny)
I can't tell you how many resume's [sic] we see that have *gross* spelling errors or serious grammar issues.
Plus, we get a ton of resume's [sic] without cover letters.
People aren't handing jobs out anymore and there's alot [sic] of competition for them now, even for really qualified and experienced people, so that means you have to compete for the job, which also means you have to actually put effort in to [sic] getting it.
Is this supposed to be humorous, or are you just a manager?
Resume & job interview tips in german (Score:2, Interesting)
Tipps & Tricks zur erfolgreichen Stellenbewerbung [kuehnhanss.com]
Most Resume Advice is Totally Subjective? (Score:5, Insightful)
The advice is often useless.
Well, not totally useless. But very, very subjective. Some people will tell you to put in an objective. Others will tell you it's irrelevant. Some people will tell you hobbies are irrelevant; others will tell you it shows a holistic person who'll have more to give to a job. Some people will tell you being holistic is important; others will tell you that focus on skills relevant to the job is all that matters. Some people will tell you to use action buzzwords; others will tell you those will get you dismissed as a charlatan. You get the idea.
My guess is they're all correct. Resume design is an art, not a science. Every person looking at your resume is looking for different things from a slightly different perspective. I've come to the conclusion that there's no set of tips you can follow to get you a resume that will get you in the door. You just have to design and refine as professionally as possible, think a little bit about your audience, and hope the message you intended to send gets across.
And sometimes I think that your own judgement may be as important as someone else's. If you walk into an interview with a resume you are confident in, that's a good precursor to success.
This [canncentral.org] is the result of my thinking. Feel free to send/post critiques of the thing. Or job offers, for that matter.
Resume advice! (Score:3, Informative)
Sadly, when employers hire these days, they can truly pick among the best. Out of fourty people who applied for a temporary position I'm hiring for, seven are so talented and well fit that I'm almost down to tossing a die.
Anyhow, you should also make a good application. Write briefly about what skills in your resume you think will enable you to do a good job.
That's all I can tell you. The rest is probably position specific. Tailor yourself to the position as far as possible.
Learn from others (Score:3, Funny)
My three advices (Score:4, Funny)
Speaking of advices, here are mines:
1) Advice to IT people: if you can build me a website that can handle a
2) Advice to SAGEWire IT people: your website site needs some tune up.
3) Advice to Hemos and
Keep in mind the purpose of a resume (Score:4, Insightful)
You have 100 applicants for one position. You have limited time to sort through them all. So when you see a resume that has an error in it, or is three pages long, or doesn't speak specifically to the job you're hiring for, you can it immediately, with out even bothering to read it.
If a job applicant can't even take the time to tailor the resume to the job I'm offering them, then why should I bother reading it? If the applicant doesn't take the time to spellcheck something as critical as a job application, then they probably will miss other important details on the job. Sure, not everyone is a good speller. But everyone has the ability to correct their spelling.
If a resume has a generic objective statement, it's going in the circular file. Employers want to know that you've actually taken the time to show them in your resume how your goals and your skills match what the company is looking for. You don't have to lie or exaggerate, you just have to articulate your goals and skills in a way that they can understand, given their own organizational leanings.
One of the best things you can do is to have someone else read your resume. Have a friend who isn't afraid to be critical read it, checking for errors and overall flow. Writing is as much a skill as programming, and if you are a good writer, it's always helpful to have someone check your work.
Electronic methods are great for employers, because they allow for huge keyword-based searches. But the object here is to get your resume noticed, so that it gets read, so that you get called in for an interview. While the resume is a filtering tool for the hiring company, for you it's sole aim is to land you that critical first interview. From there, it's all about your opportunity to sell yourself, and the resume is practically meaningless.
So where possible, send a hard copy of your resume, along with a cover letter tailored exactly to the company you're attempting to get a job with. Research the company, show them that you're actually interested in what they're doing. This shows the hiring party that you don't just see this as another potential job out of 500 that you're applying for.
If you can't send hardcopy, try to use an electronic cover letter (depending on which online resume service you're using, you may or may not be able to do this). The cover letter is helpful because it is seen *before* the resume. In essence, it is your opportunity to intercede and present yourself as a valuable hire, before they even see your qualifications.
Finally, getting a job through want-ads, either online or off, is the worst way to get hired. It's all about connections - if you know someone at the company, even distantly, attempt to use that connection to obtain an informational interview first. Make a personal connection with someone in the department you'd like to be hired for, and your odds of bypassing the "needle in a haystack" hiring process are much higher.
Network more, be unemployed less (Score:3, Informative)
It's worthwhile to keep business cards. It's worthwhile to go out of your way to socialize with people in your industry. Go to trade meetings when you can. Hell, get involved in some open source projects where you can meet some people.
Learning to sell yourself is the biggest thing. A resume is part of that, but it's only a part. Unfortunately, the
blatant advert - cv tips : (Score:2)
CV Wrting tips and more [thebigchoice.com]
As someone who has interviewed 50+ people... (Score:5, Informative)
Avoid spelling mistakes and typos. Come on folks, this is a resume. If you misspell something, then your chances just got cut in half. Once we were interviewing for a documentation person, and she misspelled 3 words on her resume. She had no chance after that.
A good tip about experience with different things is to rate your experience. I know on mine, I broke up technical experience into three categories: experienced, some knowledge, familiar. That way when you say "familiar with dbase" you can expand on that in the interview to tell them exactly what "familiar" means.
Know what you say you know. We were hiring someone into our QA group, and we were testing on Unix servers. We had to have someone with Unix experience. One guy had the word "unix" in several places on his resume, but when we got him in the interview, he couldn't even answer my basic questions. (what is your favorite shell in Unix?) He asked me what I meant. He didn't know what shell scripting was, but he thought he could learn it. Then came the blunt questions "how well do you know Unix?" He said "pretty well". Guess what, for proclaiming to know Unix and not knowing a damn thing about it, he got to see the door.
Don't put the standard, tired, canned crap on your resume (Objective, hobbies, etc). Believe me, they all start to look the same. What you say in your objective really doesn't help at all, it can only really hurt you. If your objective isn't worded for the position you are interviewing for, then HR may not even pass your resume on. And if I want to know your hobbies, I'll ask you about them in the interview. And printing your picture on it is dumb. Being "clever" for the sake of being clever probably won't help.
Show that you know how to use your experience, put down some quick details about projects that you have worked on (# of people on the project, the type of project, etc) Don't go into too much detail, but don't just say "coded in C". Be specific, but not boring. If you read what you wrote, would some questions about it come to mind? (and not - what the hell does that mean?) Pretend to have been interested in past projects, even if you weren't. Nobody wants to hire someone who is just there to get a paycheck and doesn't care about what they are doing.
Be honest. Really, that is about it. Don't blow smoke up anyone's butt, don't interview as someone you are not. Be yourself, that is who they should be hiring. If you aren't right for the job, then it is because you aren't right for the job, not that you didn't put on the right game face.
Does automation make things worse? (Score:3, Interesting)
The last time that I was looking for work (5 -6 years ago), most high tech jobs were still advertised in the newspaper and faxing resumes was standard practice. So the first stage was for a human to look at them. These days, for better or worse, most jobs are advertised via the web and resumes are e-mailed. I see the potential for an even greater problem than that quoted above in that the first filter is probably automated and may have been written by an idiot. I suspected (and various things that I have read confirm) that a basic automated keyword search is often done as a first pass; I imagine that the results are weighted and that only the upper 25% or so get passed on. Sure, some enlightened people will maintain and add to a keyword list, but many probably won't. The dilemma that one faces is that one knows nothing about how the search criterion are qualified. I try to sprinkle my resume with variations (e.g. Win 2K, Windows 2000) but often wonder if I come off looking somewhat erratic as a result. I also worry that when I say Intel 80xxx, it won't be recognized, but it seems silly to enumerate the whole damned family. Just in case scanning/OCR is employed (yech), I use an 11-point Arial font (KISS for OCR).
Does anyone have any insight to the filtering process?
Also, what format should one use to submit a resume when it has not been specified? Currently I submit in lowest common denominator (i.e. Word) format and also submit a PDF. I suspect that some people are afraid of Word docs because of the virus potential, but may have an Acrobat reader. Some people suggest RTF, some suggest plain text, some suggest HTML. I read the other day that because some people are afraid to open attachments, period, your resume should in-line text in the body of the e-mail, which looks like crap.
Again, does anyone have any insight?
Tips from a Chief Architect/Tech Officer (Score:4, Interesting)
- Make it look nice. If it looks like crap, I think your code looks like crap. Marketing is critical here.
- Don't include every technology you've ever touched. If you do, I love calling people on their tech knowledge. You've used Intermedia, interesting. Tell me, what's the function of a stemmer and how does it work in Intermedia? Don't be too agressive. You cannot know everything.
- If you put multiple tools or editors down, make sure you know them. I used to ask people what they liked about a Visual Cafe over JBuilder, and, more importantly, why. If they used BEA and Websphere, great, tell me why I would use one or the other. If you can't do that, then you don't know the tools.
- IMHO Certifications quite frankly are crap. They show you can take tests, not that you understand the tools or languages. Mention them later, not at the top.
- A style note: use verbs!!!! Developed, Created, Architected, Designed, Coded, Documented etc. Do not use sentences. I was responsibile for is a banned phrase.
If you have any other questions or comments, just let me know. Hope it helps.Job Woes (Score:5, Insightful)
Then the price of oil dropped to less than $20 a barrel.
The immediate fallout was that oil and mineral companies put a hiring freeze on new undergraduates. Several of them were holding on to their graduates and PhDs in the hope that oil prices would recover leaving them with a core exploration group to field when it was needed.
It wasn't long before energy companies started laying off the people with masters degrees and, soon, the PhDs. In short, there was blood in the streets. The old joke was renewed: "Why did the guy with a bachelors in geology fail to get a job at McDonalds? Because he didn't have his PhD."
I couldn't stand the idea of going back to school. I was tired of school (starvation) and wanted to start working again. I gathered up all of my networking contacts and pressed them hard for any job available. None of them were offering jobs in geology. So I started looking in other related industries.
I figured that if I could get inside of Exxon or Shell, then I could post for internal positions when they started arriving. My foray into the petrochemical industry started with a job in a small formaldehyde plant. I was the only operator with a degree. Heck, I was the only one in the plant with more than a high school education. That experience, however, gave me an in-road into another field - industrial hygiene. I went from plant to factory performing routine studies of industrial exposure to workplace hazards.
After a few short years, I had learned enough about the field that I considered certifying as an industrial hygienist.
But I found an ad in a local newspaper that was offering a job as a well-site geologist who had industrial safety training. Because I had taught industrial safety as a hygienist, I got the job. It was a lateral move with fewer benefits and was a contract position. But it was in geology, a field I had long given up hope of getting a job.
I was eventually hired on permanently and have been here for the last 10 years. I now have more work than I can perform myself. I will have to farm the excess out to people who have more education and work experience than myself.
The point? Don't stop working just because you've graduated and can't get entry-level work in your field. The IT field will eventually shake out the deadwood and under-qualified. If you continue to keep your skills up, the day will come when your skills are not only needed, they are hard to find. This translates into greater job security than if you were to have taken the first job you could find in your field only to be laid off 8 months later.
Don't give up.
rpg (Score:5, Funny)
right now my resume looks like this:
name: frymaster
class: paladin (web)
level: 6
alignment:
str: 12
int: 16
wis: 15
dex: 17
char: 9
hp: 45
bonuses:
+9 vs. enterprise applications
+4 vs. venture capitalists
spells:
exercise stock options
exorcise stock options
dispell windows
summon libraries
banish end user
read documentation
evangelize
skills:
hide in office (+20)
comment code (+10 elvish)
languages:
java, php, elvish
How true geeks get jobs (Score:4, Funny)
He is putting a timed spring on the back of his resume. (Actually, it is kind of a flipper, penguin-like even.) When they toss his resume in the trash, it pops back out onto the top of the desk at night. It has multiple reloads so that it can pop back out multiple times.
If it works, I am going to buy a set.
Think like the hiring manager (Score:5, Informative)
First off, nobody should look for a job without reading Nick Corcodilos' [asktheheadhunter.com] excellent Ask The Headhunter.
Second, think like a hiring manager. Remember that the hiring manager has 50 resumes in a folder that HR has dumped in his lap, or worse, 50 emails that have been forwarded from HR.
Tell me, as a manager, exactly what you can do for me. This might mean some extra work on your part customizing a copy of your resume, and of course writing a job-specific cover letter. DO IT. Don't skimp here.
I want to know exactly what the applicant can do to help me out. Make a thumbnail sketch of what you are. The top of my resume [petdance.com] looks like this:
Five lines sum up my background and experience, and highlight my key skills. Compare this with the standard meaningless "Objective" heading. Besides, "To obtain a position as a developer that will utilize my skills & experience" is just cargo-cult resume writing.Other little notes from my resume sins file:
Ask The Headhunter makes the key point that managers WANT to hire you. They want to find someone that they can hire so that we can all get back to doing real work. Make it easy for me to see that you are the person for the job.
Never underestimate a good cover letter (Score:3, Informative)
The point of the cover letter: to get the interviewer to read the resume, and to positively bias them towards what they read there.
The point of the resume: to get the interviewer to want to interview you.
Don't oversell any one point. It's a waste of energy. The point of your resume is not to get the interviewer to want to hire you. The point of your resume is to get the interviewer to want to interview you.
For tech jobs, make sure you have a "buzzword" section. Little to no prose is acceptible in this section. We interviewers have short attention spans. It's common for us to use a yellow hiliter and simply hilite your technical skills. It's quite possible that we can make the decision to interview you on your cover letter alone. To wit:
"
Dear Sir or Madam,
I noticed that XYZ widget company is looking for a skilled senior XXX engineer. I've long had an interest in your company, and I'm enthused with the work that you've done, particularly in the area of ZZZ research. I have up-to-date skills in XXX-A, XXX-B, and XXX-C. Let's schedule an interview to see how it would be possible for me to contribute to your team.
--[Signed, hotshot]"
Anyway, hope this helps.
C//
I misunderstood. (Score:3, Funny)
Resume Tips For Jobs
Here I was, thinking Steve had quit and needed help on his resume!
I had so many good suggestions, too!
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:entry level (Score:3, Informative)
The sooner you get away from the education scene, the sooner you'll see that a 4 year degree is not enough to start a career in computer science these days. Sure, a few people have gotten lucky, worked extra hard, and made some sacrifices and gotten by on a BS. 2 years ago it was enough to be a graduating senior to get hired. 2 years from now a BS might be fantastic. Today, though, a BS won't even get you a email saying that the employer is not interested in you at all.
Re:entry level (Score:2)
You MIGHT think that, but I have over 7 years of experience, and it took me weeks to find a job. That's in "Silicon Hills", TX, though. It may be easier elsewhere in the country/world, but not here.
I'm inclined to side with the UC Davis study that indicated that many industry employers are lying about the lack of qualified US applicants so they can hire foreign applicants for less money and basically have indentured servants.
Not that I'm cynical or anything...
Re:Resume or CV ? [Slightly OT] (Score:2)
CV == Curriculum Vitae; generally it includes more emphasis on academics and less on positions held.
But the two terms are used more or less interchangeably now, so (modulo the usual rules about customizing your resume to the job) you can generally just use the same sheet regardless of which they ask for.
Re:Resume or CV ? [Slightly OT] (Score:2)
Re:The Economy Is PIcking Up? (Score:2)
By the end of this year I'll have been looking for a full time job for two years.
Re:The Economy Is PIcking Up? (Score:2, Interesting)
Beyond the fact the US only counts people who have actively looked for work in the past couple of weeks(two I think, but don't quote me on the length of time), not folks that have given up looking from frustration or were unable to actively look during that time frame for various reasons (illness, lack of childcare, etc.)
Nor does it count people who need full-time work to support themselves and/or families but could only find part-time (the underemployed).
Re:The Economy Is PIcking Up? (Score:2, Insightful)
Nope, computed as it has been. There's always been a bit of a disconnect since it only reports people actually looking for a job - if you've stop looking (for whatever reason), you're not considered unemployed. It's also 'seasonally' adjusted' so the rate doesn't ump in the winter when construction/farm workers tend to be 'unemployed' (until the weather warms up).
The main question you should be asking is 'why am i still unemployed?' If there are no jobs in your area, apply in places there are openings and move there when you get a job. No jobs in your 'career' - retrain for a new one (hopefully on-the-job). Waiting around for the job you want in the location you want tends to be unproductive right now...
Re:Resumes (Score:2)
-AMEN-. My resume is three pages (shut up), but a significant portion of the second page is my currect position, and all the projects I've 1. managed, 2. did solo, 3. did in my down time and then released to the company.
I have some 30 lines -just- for my current job.
And never, EVER lie. You will be caught.
Amen to this one, too. You never know how many of your references will be called, and you also never know how thorough a background check your prospective employer may do, either. -Especially- if you're looking at a University job, or something with the feds.
One more thing: In addition to not lying, -don't- sell yourself as having skills that you don't really have. You want to get bitten? Get a job based on having Java skills, and then have to write a 10k line application in 3-6 months. Good Luck.