1.25.2004
Saving the Best for Last
So, you want free resume help? Well, this ought to do it. :)
EXPERTISE
Describe the general kinds of positions you are looking for where your background and unique qualifications would be of value. This would make use of list more of your special and unique skills. Ideal situations are composed of describe the kind of working environment, size of company and any particular conditions you are looking for on the job.
This is the way the Expertise section looks like in the template. It can be a little cryptic, but think of it in another way. Remember those funny stories you used to play with when you were a kid; you filled in the blanks with silly words and then read the completed stories back? Well, this is just like that, only you're going to use a combination of your skills and useless but evocative corporate buzzwords. And you're going to do it all for fun and profit.
When you describe the kinds of positions, list (within reason) all the positions that you can do. You're somewhat specific, but not entirely so. If, for instance, you do desktop support but you want to do server support, you say something like "Tier II and III support positions". It's never all that clear whether Tier II is desktop or server support anyway. Things like that depend on the kind of company you work at. In some places they have a one-call resolution help desk, so you're technically Tier 0 but solve problems right up to server, LAN, and the application level. Some places are so huge that Tier II is application support, not desktop. That kind of vagueness can serve you well.
At the background and unique qualifications section, list some of your more general yet technical professional attributes, such as "server maintenance environment", "end to end software development lifecycle", or "PMI certification". If you're an MCSE or Linux certified, this is a good place to sneak in a mention of that. Anything that makes you look more professional, more qualified, or more certified. This is the part of the introduction that starts to establish your credibility.
On the special and unique skills part, you list your most popular and strongest technical skills. If you have Unix, list it here, right up front. It's always a good bet. Also good to list right off the bat are database skills, especially Oracle. If you've got it, flaunt it. But not too much. You want them to want to read on.
When you describe the kind of working environment you want, size of company etc. - you're not really describing what *you* want. You're going to make this so general that it applies nearly everywhere. You want no reason to be screened out. Neither are you going to be honest. "Ideal situations are composed of dead end middle management positions in dying industries, compounded by neurotic tyrannical bosses and vicious, paranoid colleagues". Yeah, that's gonna reel 'em in. Better: "Ideal situations are composed of high energy development environments, multiple product lines and code teams, with opportunities to interact with customers in order to develop the right software solutions for their needs". Now, that kind of ill-defined touchy-feely junk will get you the interview every single time. Managers live for that s***.
This is the second most important part of the resume. The first is the Professional Skills section; your resume will never be noticed if it doesn't come up in the keyword searches. However, if the Expertise part isn't strong enough and non-specific enough, your resume won't get a second glance. Write this part out, leave it for a couple of days, then come back to it and look at it critically. Try to play the part of a recruiter. If I were a recruiter looking at this statement, would this person be marketable? Look attractive to client companies? Make anyone want to buy what they're selling? Have your friends review it too.
Then critically assess the entire resume as a whole. Does everything in there support your professional goals? If you're trying to move into Java programming, for instance, is everything worded so that nobody could draw any conclusion other than that you are a good and reliable Java programmer? That your whole career has been moving towards the inevitable conclusion that you should be in a Java programming position? That you exist to do nothing else? Does your Expertise statement clearly explain that you want a Java programming position, and that every skill you have supports all the tasks you would need to accomplish in the course of being a Java programmer? Make sure that's what your resume does for you - and looking for jobs might just get a whole lot easier.
Sphincter of the Month Award
What f***ing weasels. I will never shop with them again. I guess they figure that people don't remember the past. Well, we here at jobfairy.com DO remember what happens to workers who work for greedy corporations who abuse their workers. For more information, fire up your favorite search engine on the words, "Triangle Shirtwaist Company" or "Triangle Shirtwaist Fire". It's been nearly a century, and it still seems like things never change...
If you've got a nomination for Sphincter of the Month, let us know at help@jobfairy.org. Thanks!
The U.S. Senate will vote again today, Thursday Jan. 22, on another important overtime pay measure. The spending bill that was successfully blocked on Tuesday is up again for consideration -- and it still fails to stop the Bush overtime pay take-away that will hurt millions of ordinary working Americans. Please call both of your U.S. senators today. Urge them to vote to block any measure that doesn't protect overtime pay. If you're in Colorado, call:
- Sen. Wayne Allard @ (202) 224-5941
- Sen. Ben Campbell @ (202) 224-5852
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