Journal chill's Journal: Applying for a Job, #1 4
No, I'm not looking for a job. I'm going thru resumes and job applications for a position that I'm responsible for screening.
1 opening for a Computer Security Specialist with Digital Forensics experience, 96 applications.
In reviewing all of these I've learned a great deal and see a bunch of stuff people do wrong. There are plenty of "how to write a resume/apply for a job" sites out there, so I might as well add my $0.02.
This all represents MY PERSONAL OPINION after reviewing almost 100 applications, resumes and supporting documentation.
This is the first in a series, in no particular order. If I wrote it as one journal entry, it would be many pages long.
Here goes...
In a job that is mid- to senior-level professional, please, PLEASE don't bother to apply if you aren't qualified.
Mid- to senior-level professional doesn't just apply to you as a PERSON, but to you as a person IN THE PARTICULAR PROFESSION.
In looking for the position above, I have applications who have 20 years experience as Electrical Engineers, Project Managers and DBAs. No actual experience in Computer Security or Forensics, mind you. A few classes on MS Office or Web Design, maybe.
You. Are. Not. Qualified. Not even close. YOU may be mid- to senior- level professional, but you're an entry-level amateur in the field.
I can forgive the Network Administrators who think setting ACLs in a Cisco router or once setting up a PIX/ASA qualifies, but "securing web pages by proper HTML/CSS design" DOES NOT CUT IT!
Even if you've been unemployed and are getting desperate (and none of my above examples are), don't do it. Your name will stick in the reviewer's head, but NOT in a good way.
What did the ad say? (Score:2)
Out of curiosity, what did the want ad say (exactly) and where was it posted? 100 applicants with no hits that are at least paper-qualified is a lot.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give the impression that ALL of them were unqualified.
I had a dozen that look damn good on paper, and references have backed them up so are being called in for face-to-face interviews.
The majority just were "ok", which I'll address is later posts as to little details that can help people.
The ones I wrote about, so far, made me bang my head on my desk.
The job was posted on USAJOBS.gov, as it is a government position. Direct Hire Authority, though. That means no standardized sco
Re: (Score:2)
Okay, so at the moment I'm a government contractor. The last couple of times I was looking for a new job, I did attempt to look at direct Federal offerings, but after reading through two or three ads chock full of incomprehensible government-speak I gave it up for bad. I did work for the Navy about 20 years ago, but I got the job by blanketing about a hundred openings with my SF171 and then talking to the three people who called back. And that was seeking a junior position which just about anyone could meet
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The posting has closed and not currently available online. If it hadn't, I wouldn't have posted the blog entry. :-) That probably would have been real bad.
The ad *was* chock full of government speak, mostly because HR required that I start from an existing template and go from there.
However, I was specific to ask for digital forensics related to desktop PC, e-mail and cellular media. Also that wireless security and hands-on experience with an IDS/IPS and SIEM was a plus. Also Incident Response and Conti