Resume Help

[AngelicKnight]

Hey guys,

Ya know, we might could use a new section for this. I bet a lot of folks could use help here...

Anyway, I could really use some input from the veterans here on my resume-in-progress. I had a nasty three-to-four pager, realized the horrid err of my ways, and just condensed it down to two pages.

I've read a lot on how to build a good resume, BUT, this is the IT world we're talking about, and thus a totally different breed of people. So I want to know if this makes a good IT resume.

Also gives you a glimpse of where my skills are presently.

It's hosted on my own site, OpenOffice document saved in Word .doc format, so safe to download if you don't mind clicking the little linkie here.

Click here for resume.doc.

Critical, no-holds-barred reviews wanted here folks -- I want a resume made of win, not happy feel good feelings.

And of course, I edited out everything personally identifying.

/edit -- Just noticed I left a blank bullet point in there. Please ignore.

[nihil]

Hi there AK,

Looks reasonable to me. I think that "contributes" in the first paragraph should be "contribute"

Most CVs that I have seen usually have a "reason for leaving"

[AngelicKnight]

So the reason for leaving for each company is included in the resume? Interesting, I've never seen that done before actually.

[nihil]

OK, it might just be a British Isles style sort of thing?

You put stuff like "career progression", "company relocated", "made redundant", "company downsizing" and so on

[JPnyc]

No, we definitely don't do that in the states. If the interviewer's curious enough he'll ask.

[foxyloxley]

well to me it's back to front .........

we [well, I] put my personal details on page one
here I add additional details as required
I.E.

Additional Information:
Date of Birth:
Marital Status:
Full, Clean Driving Licence
First Aid and Fire Fighting trained ß as I said, additional, extra items

IT employment details onto page 2

I was an electrician for 30 years, so I HAD page 3 for Pre IT employment
employment reads backwards
so from top you put last job, and work it back

shorten all details

managers just want DETAILS
if they like what they read, they will ask you to interview, and can ask more detailed questions there.

dump all the framing stuff
obviously keep original to compare
then ask local friends to give BOTH a critique

manager wants to see WHO you are
page ONE

WHERE you've been
page TWO

what you WANT is irrelevant
leave THAT until you get an interview

always have some questions to ask too
because that is always thrown in at the end of the interview

even if it's just to enquire if Co will support you in your further IT education
paying towards book / courses etc

professional experience IMHO should be re-titled Employment history

Each job / work placement needs to be set out exactly as the others
I place a frame around the details, with bullet point list of responsibilities set out below

I.E.

Unilever IT Europe – Data Analyst [Contract]
September 2006 – July 2007


· Maintain people data in the Remedy system.
· Maintain site and region information.
· Maintain resolution group details.
· Maintain user permissions within the system
· Grant and control access to Remedy and associated systems
· Provide advice and guidance to users of Remedy and associated systems.
· To resolve incidents related to access or Remedy and associated systems.
· Troubleshoot access problems
· Liaise with users as part of incident resolution
· Follow ITIL incident management process using Remedy


Do NOT add pay rates
Keep contact details to a minimum
I only put a cell number on my CV
And the address is just the county

For USA, maybe city / state J

And remember it is a LIVING thing
As your work experience expands, so too does the resume’


My 0.02c

[ArPaNET]

I believe that AK is right, mainly because I am having a hard time writing my resume for an internship while in college. It would have to be sectioned off to the part of the world you live in like previously stated, we do things differently over "the pond" =)

I think its a great idea to start a section specifically for "getting the job" type subjects... (resume, interview, requirements, what the people that actually have that job think/do on a daily basis, etc...)

[AngelicKnight]

Pretty please?

Thanks guys, please keep the input coming...this is great stuff...Lots and lots of input, gimme gimme more!

[xiphias360]

The first time I had to put a resume together I had a guy help me out with it who was in a hiring position and skimmed through stacks of resumes daily, so I got kind of a good start as far as the pointers go. But anywho, first thing I saw was the objective:

An IT position that utilizes my experience in technical support, provides challenges to hone new skills, and contributes significantly to a team environment.

A big thing that helped me was when that guy told me he has way too many resumes to look at every day to read every line of every one, so he's going to skim over whatever he can and try to get the meat out of it as quickly as possible so he can move on to the next one. And the objective you got is more of a general fluff line, most employers will get to 'provides challenges' and move on because they've seen 500+ objectives just like it and already know what it's going to say.

Of course, you should already know you need to have several different versions of your resume with each tailored to the specific company you're sending it to. The objective needs to stab the reader in the face, and reflect what you really want to accomplish at that specific company without sounding like you took the line right out of their want ad, cuz they'll just see it as BS and that's neg points on you right from the start.

Also, no matter what your friends tell you, objectives are completely optional on resumes. I don't have one on mine and don't intend on ever using one.

[JPnyc]

I recommend always including a line like, "I am capable of working on my own, but enjoy being part of a team". Companies want to know that you're able to do both.