Resume Writing Tips

[Flint]

I started where I am approx. 5-6 years ago in the fileroom, and managed to carve a niche out for myself where I'm a system administrator now; the kind of guy that they panic if I take a few days off, because nobody else knows all my tricks, and they keep calling me for help.

But they don't pay me. Not enough to support a wife and two kids decently. And the specific job I'm doing can pay six figures easily. If (?) I really know what I'm doing. But I don't have a degree, nor have I been to any vendor training on this system. I've just figured it out along the way. Yes, there is tech support for my system, but I hardly ever use them (anymore), because I’ve learned and remembered everything I ever had to have them do for me.

So, my qualification is that I’ve been sys admin for 3 years, and that I taught myself how to do it (does that count for anything?) I’m in school now, working on a degree, but I don’t have it yet. But...I need more money. But...I’m slightly nervous that I don’t actually know what I might need to know.

Anyway, does anyone have some resume writing tips for me? I need to start putting myself out there, but I've never had to do a serious resume before. If I get an offer for twice what I’m making now (entirely plausible) at least I could say to mgmt “What are you going to do to keep me here?”

Oh, the other thing is, before the last 5-6 years my job history gets pretty unconventional. Independent contracting in construction industry, and various drumming gigs. I plan to do a chronological resume starting with present employer, fileroom, through one transitional position, and up to system administrator. That covers 5-6 years and 3 positions, but only one employer. It’s the only experience I have relevant to this industry. Can I just leave it at that?

[Shawnee123]

I'm not sure about a strict chronological resume. I see what you're saying; I've been doing this for almost 7 years (and have also been promoted twice)...but before that I was in another world entirely.

Maybe consider a non-traditional resume which first highlights your accomplishments at what you are doing currently, then doing a subject type resume for the rest. After all, every experience is valuable and some employers look for the fact that the person has varied interests and can lend something "different." On more than one occasion, a reference to something I've done that is unrelated to the job I am going for has started a dialogue with an interviewer who found it interesting...and it showcased who I am.

Best of luck!

[glatt]

Well, don't put a funny name at the top of the resume if you want Radar to hire you.

If I was hiring someone who had done stuff in a previous career, I'd like to see a brief mention of that other stuff, just to account for that time. I'd want to know you weren't just living in your mom's basement playing video games. Not a lot of detail, just a line for the job title, employer and dates, and a second line for a very short description.

Can't help you with the other stuff, since I'm not in that industry.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by glatt

Well, don't put a funny name at the top of the resume...

Is Flint a funny name?

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by Flint

Is Flint a funny name?

That depends: is your last name Stone?

[dar512]

I do mine like this:

************

Name, address etc.

Overview - A dedicated blah blah blah. Gently but truthfully sell yourself here

Experience
----Company - Date
--------Project - Project Description - Skills Used

Education
----Don't forget to put in the courses you have completed.

Honors
----Could be employee of the month, recognition for work well done etc.

**************

I had to use the dashes to show indentation.

The main thing for technical positions is to show that you can handle the stuff they have for you to do and learn the stuff that you don't already know.

If you are discreet about looking around, then there is no reason you should worry about this. If you don't get picked up, you still have your current position.

[Flint]

A functional resume probably makes the most sense for this position, as it is a specific skill set.

But my thinking on going chronological was that it tells the story of how I got myself where I am.

The main thing for technical positions is to show that you can handle the stuff they have for you to do and learn the stuff that you don't already know.

My story is that I learned all of it from scratch, in just a few years. To be perfectly honest, I'm hoping to be hired on the basis of my ability to adapt and learn new things easily. For having the mental facility to be a problem-solver who welcomes new challenges. I may not have Experience, Education, and Honors, but I have proven that I am quick-witted and resourceful.

In a chronological resume, my job history becomes the main section; and my experience in each position tells a story of career growth, of how I got where I am. The few positions I've had become large sections, full of accomplishment. If I had to list my job history in a separate section, it doesn't look like much, and it doesn't go back very far.

I thought I might do a functional-type resume in three chronological sections. More of a narrative resume.

Is this a feasible idea?

[Radar]

Originally Posted by glatt

Well, don't put a funny name at the top of the resume if you want Radar to hire you.

If I was hiring someone who had done stuff in a previous career, I'd like to see a brief mention of that other stuff, just to account for that time. I'd want to know you weren't just living in your mom's basement playing video games. Not a lot of detail, just a line for the job title, employer and dates, and a second line for a very short description.

Can't help you with the other stuff, since I'm not in that industry.

I am in that industry, and it's funny that you mention this. I put an ad in for the job the other day and in the first 2 days alone I've gotten about 60 resumes. I've been kind of shocked. I'm not paying much. Only $24-$27/hr, but I've been flooded with resumes from very qualified people with tons of industry certifications. Some have PhDs or Master's degrees with a lot of experience too. I've been trying to figure out why they would take so little for this job. I don't think the market is that rough right now. I think they just want to work in a relaxed environment, or especially work for a tv producer. I think they want to be "discovered".

My advertisement requested that they send me their resume in Microsoft Word format. Some were sent to me in PDF format. I can open either of them, but if they can't follow simple instructions, I am thinking I should disqualify them even though the contents of the resume are impressive.

A lot of them have very funny names, but not funny in the way I was discussing earlier. I don't have any Frank N. Steins, Lemonjello, Ocean, etc. names, but I've got a lot of very foreign ones. I don't discriminate on those kind of names, just the freak names by cruel parents.

In my personal point of view, hands-on experience is worth more than classroom education, certifications, or a college degree. I can tell within 2 minutes of an interview if someone is a poser or the real deal. If you've got hands-on experience you'll stand out in a crowd. A lot of people pad their resume or learn buzzwords hoping to get their foot in the door. I can spot these guys a mile away. Of the few that slipped through, I told them when they arrived for the first day of work, I'd give them 3 days to show me their stuff and if they can't hit the ground running or show me they know what to do, they'd be gone. Some didn't get past lunch on the first day.

[Perry Winkle]

If someone wants a document in MS Word format, I also send it in PDF, just in case they have a different version of Word.

Another bonus is that PDF opens way faster than a Word document, if you're not using Adobe Reader.

Grad school is over in three months... about time to polish my resume and start sending it out again... bah...

[Kingswood]

Spelling is important in your résumé. Even in the modern world there are still people out there who will bin a résumé that doesn't have the acute accents on both e's. Spelling is still used as a measurement of general level of education by many even though such a measurement is not usually accurate. You could have ten years of education and experience, but some employers won't even let you in the door for a first interview if you spell "separate" with three e's.

If your spelling is not top-notch, do not rely on a spelling checker, either for the résumé itself or the covering letter. Many spelling checkers are not able to tell if a word is used correctly, thus they will let through incorrectly-spelt words that happen to match the spelling of another word. For example, spelling checkers cannot distinguish which of "weather", "whether" and "wether" is the right word to use in a particular sentence. Spelling checkers are also limited by the contents of their dictionary and may not recognise some technical terms even if they are spelt correctly.

I suggest that you have someone else who is a good speller proof-read your résumé and covering letter for spelling, grammar and punctuation.

In IT, a sound grasp of spelling is important if you are writing applications that are sold to the general public, or are writing library functions that are going to be used by others. It is less important for system administration, although it helps to have a dictionary on hand if you need to write a Message of the Day or emailed memo.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Radar

I I've got a lot of very foreign ones. I don't discriminate on those kind of names, just the freak names by cruel parents.

Do you have a checkbox about parentage?

Application form for working for Radar for peanuts

Name: last___________ first_____________ middle initial___
Is that your real name? Y/N (circle one)
Are you shitting me? Y/N (circle one)
Are your parents
___twisted and cruel
___uninformed
___African American
___foreign so it's not actually a cruel name where they come from
(check all that apply and mark your application form SPAM. Unless that is your name.)

[xoxoxoBruce]

What not to do.

[BigV]

Oh Flint, my friend. I would love to contribute to this thread. I intend to answer you more fully, later, when I can devote proper time and attention to it. For the time being, I will say that getting a job is a job. A different one from your current gig. That may seem obvious to you, but it wasn't to me and I benefited greatly from that knowledge, once I had it.

Also, specifically with respect to the resume "format". I like a functional resume for the scenario you've laid out.

Wow, I have a lot more; this is one of my favorite topics. But I have to jet now. More later.

And GOOD LUCK!

[BigV]

Some quick hits from my record on the issue:

My own Quest.

job seeking free association by me....

a good example of how not to do it...

[Cloud]

--Put a summary of your qualifications and experience at the top, and leave off the stupid phrase about "looking for a job which fits my experience and allows me to express myself" whatever. (I'm drawing a little blank on what you usually call that)

--Have someone else proof it.