This is a bit off topic but given the economic climate I thought I’d share my views on Resume writing.
I’m by no means an expert but I have reviewed 100′s of resumes over the past few years and probably well over 1,000 in my career. The interview and hiring process is difficult enough, but having to sift through countless mundane resumes that more or less carry the same rhetoric makes the task even more difficult. Just finding people with the qualifications you are looking for by reviewing resumes is probably one of the reasons companies use recruiters. It is time consuming and tedious, and not helped at all by people who send resumes in for jobs that they are not in the least qualified to do. I have no idea what they’re thinking.
So here’s what I’d ideally like to see in a resume:
Contact info – name, address, phone, email, & website if you have one.
What you do - 15 words max, but ideally something like – - Sr Java Architect / Developer.
My Dream Job is – - 20 words max, something like – - Manage a java / ruby team implementing and integrating web services.
What I Bring (or accomplishments) – - this is your relevant experience – 3-5 items, 10-15 words each max. Example:
Mgr Web Services – Company XYZ – Managed a group of 15 that implemented and integrated an e-commerce system
Team Lead – Web Services Development – blah, blah
Sr Web Architect – Blah, blah
Education - – List in reverse order
Other interests & skills – what you like to do in free time.
Keywords – 15 word phrases max
Doing more than that doesn’t help you or the people looking over your resume. Keep it short, sweet, and focused.
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