Comments on: r�sum�s – 3

By: Phelps

Phelps — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 19:14:11 +0000

It fits with my style. I’m much less forgiving in my own work than in what I expect from other people.

Of course, I also consider “average” to be an insult.

By: Nomen Nescio

Nomen Nescio — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:06:57 +0000

Phelps, there used to be advice given to folks who designed communications protocols: be liberal in what you accept, strict in what you produce.

it strikes me that this would be a good general rule for business writing/reading, too, but i know it’s likely too much to expect of businesspeople.

By: Rustmeister

Rustmeister — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:07:35 +0000

I work with lots of resumes. The bottom lines is – a resume tells a prospective employer you are qualified for the position. The interview allows you to present yourself to the employer. Your personality is what gets you the job.

Unless you’re not working around or with others, then I guess you can be a smelly old boor.

By: Phelps

Phelps — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:04:39 +0000

Not really. I’m not asking your for a job.

By: tgirsch

tgirsch — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:50:55 +0000

Phelps:
I expect you to put some though [sic] behind every. Word. On. The. Page.

I’m betting you want at least one of those words back.

By: Robb Allen

Robb Allen — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:39:17 +0000

Phelps, I could spend a lot of time trying to play toccata and fugue in d minor on the pan flute and it wouldn’t turn out well.

I’m not a writer. I don’t spend the large portion of my day perusing Strunk & White looking for comma placement tips. I write code for a living. My resume should give you enough information to know that my skills are what you’re looking for. If you want more detail, you’ll need to interview me.

Of course, I get pandered to by people wanting a COBOL and Mainframe programmer all the time. I’ve never touched anything like that yet they want me to apply for a job with them.

Personally, I think you should be satisfied with the least common denominator when it comes to accepting resumes, unless of course the person you are hiring is for a resume writing job. Otherwise, you’re expecting a lot about something that not too many people do often in their life.

By: Phelps

Phelps — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:27:22 +0000

I guess I have never “hunted” for a job in that fashion. I’ve been unemployed for a grand total of about 72 hours in the last 12 years and four jobs, so I don’t get the idea of making cold calls. I’ve always known someone in the company I was applying with. (And have been proactively recruited on one of them.)

And when I am looking at a resume, I am nit-picky. You had as much time as you chose to take in preparing it. I expect you to put some though behind every. Word. On. The. Page. If it isn’t important enough to spend some time on, then the job isn’t important enough for you to have.

By: Robb Allen

Robb Allen — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:25:11 +0000

I agree with a lot that he says. I’m a programmer. I can write code that could write the resume for me (oh, and on my laptop it’s too f*cking hard to do the alt+num thingy. Although, using those characters makes for a kick ass password). I can’t spell unless I have spell check (so thinking I’m a good spellur is actually a myth), and my handwriting is for all intents and purposes, illegible.

However, I can write code. And design well. And work good in teams. It’s hard to get that across in a resume.

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:15:57 +0000

He’s got some good points.

By: _Jon

_Jon — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:02:36 +0000

Apparently, no one thought my “resume” joke was funny.
Good thing I didn’t quit my day job….