Write My Resume

Top Ten Reasons Why You Shouldn?t Write Your Own Resume

Free Resume Critique: Final DaysIf you’ve been thinking about submitting your resume for a free critique on this thread, please note that I am closing the offer on April 1. Resumes submitted after April 1 will not be critiqued. I will re-open this offer when my schedule gets less hectic.Thanks for the incredible response — I enjoyed critiquing all […]

Happy St. Patrick?s Day from ResumePower.comHow are leprechauns able to achieve such great success? With a great resume, of course. Here’s our take on a resume for Lawrence “Lucky” Leprechaun. While the resume sample was written in fun, there are some good resume writing lessons: Include a career goal, emphasize accomplishments, include volunteer activities, and downplay deficiencies (no mention of […]

Resume Writing Tip: Don?t Drop Jobs from Your ResumeRecently, a number of job seekers have asked me if it’s okay to drop undesirable jobs from their resumes. The reasons varied, but most had to do with holding short-term positions, leaving jobs on bad terms, getting fired, and changing careers.In the past, I would have considered that approach. After all, a resume is a […]

How to Write a Cover Letter for Your Career Change - Monster PodcastCheck out my latest Monster podcast on one of my favorite subjects: How to Write a Cover Letter for Your Career Change.No cover letter templates, please! You’ve got to write from the heart. Click here to listen to the podcast.Best wishes,Kim IsaacsP.S.: I’ve been offering free resume critiques for more than a month now, and […]

Tags: skills, write resume, search

Microsoft Resume Review Workshop on Live Meeting - hosted by Me!

By Priya Priyadarshini

Been a while since I posted anything, hopefully you are eagerly awaiting my second publication.

I have been thinking about it for a while and could not decide on a theme or topic for this blog. I thought that the readers deserve more insight into the international recruiting.

I have received multiple questions and email regarding how do we hire international talent; what are we looking for and how can we help the candidates better prepare for the interviews? The international recruiting process is pretty much similar to the recruitment that happens on campus.

I would recommend candidates to submit a well written resume that is up-to-date. Applicants should ensure that they have clearly mentioned all their education details, including if the program that they attended is a 4 yr or a 5 yr, their grade, GPA, rank.

Having a valid and active email id, phone number including country code and area code are very helpful. Make sure they mention the city and country they are currently residing in.

It is amazing how resumes from different parts of the world are so different. In the US, I have never seen a resume with marital status, number of family members and a colored picture of the candidate, but in some parts of the world, this very common practice and the other parts of the world it is mandatory. This is to let our international candidates know that we do not require personal information on their marital status, their picture or details of their driving license. However, it certainly does not dampen your chances of getting selected.

A well written resume is your stepping stone to reach into good hands, and from that point, the recruiter will try to contact you by email/phone to schedule a phone appointment. In most cases due to the nature of the international trips, you can expect to appear for a phone interview on a very short notice.

So it will be good for the candidates to follow a standard system and format for sending a resume that captures the details of their key job experience and major projects they have worked on.

Once you succeed in impressing the recruiter by your resume, the next step is to clear the phone interviews. The phone interviews can be very different based on the region. In some cases we will conduct live meetings and expect candidates to write code; whereas in other cases, we can just chat with them and ask them questions about their resume and their job and try to assess basic core competencies. One big tip that is helpful is try to always provide a land line number if you can as the connection is much better and the line is clearer on both ends. The interview can be more effective without having international calls drop every 5 minutes, and the recruiter having to call you again and again. I must add here that it is not easy for the recruiter or interviewer to conduct these phone interviews and make decisions when the phone connectivity is poor or it takes them 4 times before they finally get the dial tone and they are calling at odd hours to ensure that it is an OK time for the candidates to interview in their local time zones.

It is a good idea to brush up on basic c, c++, java, c# skills before doing a phone interview; usually the questions on the phone are very straight forward and simple. I have seen a vast majority of candidates who appear for these interviews are very nervous (nothing unusual here). I remember how I was profusely sweating and was struggling for words to complete my sentences, and at the end I kicked myself and said, “I can?t believe what I just did!?

In the interview you can expect questions related to MS products, technologies that you have worked on, details on your project work etc. If you have prepared well, do well and are lucky enough, you may get an email from the International team inviting you for in person interviews. These in person interviews take place outside the USA in various countries and so you will be invited to the one closest to your location.

Please note that Microsoft pays all the travel expense, arranges travel and lodging. Some of the hotels where candidates get to stay are pretty neat!

Then comes the day when you meet with the hiring team in person and you go through multiple interviews where they are trying to evaluate you on core competencies, your technical skills, coding, testing, design etc. This link would be helpful for you in getting an understanding of what we are looking for and how that aligns with our mission, vision and values.

The international team has been very responsive and quick in getting back to candidates with the results of the final interview. Then you will receive a follow-up call where the recruiter will explain to you the offer in detail and send you the Offer letter. They will also work with the legal team to get you a visa to work here and come to the USA.

The visa is another story in its own. Over the past couple of years it has become extremely difficult for companies to hire international talent because of the limited number of H1bs. So please understand that Microsoft and your recruiter will try everything in their capacity to apply for your visa, but there are no guarantees and sometimes you might have to wait for an extra year before you can come here. I will write about this in more detail in a follow-up post.

I am looking forward to all sorts of feedback, the good, the bad and the ugly

Let me know what else you would like to see here and know about.

Cheers,
Priya

I have had some random resume submissions lately from people applying for jobs which they are not qualified. I don?t fault anyone for this attempt- we all had to do it at one time or another in order to get that big break or anticipated career transition. A few of you have emailed me asking for resume advice, and while I normally don?t hand out individual resume critiques, I will offer a few words of wisdom to anyone who is trying to get that big break for a job that is out of their reach:

The first thing to understand is the goal: The goal of your resume is to require the reader to think as little as possible.

I can already anticipate the comments I am going to get to this statement, but I am willing to stand by it. A recruiter usually has thousands of resumes at their disposal - whether they are online, email, or on paper, and there is always “the next one” in the stack. Learning how to stand out in a crowd of thousands is hard work, and expecting someone to take the time to piece together your intent or implied passion is risky and likely unrealistic.

How do you do this? Make your resume look like you are already doing the job you desire.

This is tricky to do if you don?t have experience, but you need to put your most relevant skills at the top and utilize keywords in your resume. While we have debated the use of an objective in the past, in this instance I am a big fan of adding it so that the reader knows exactly what you are intending. Also feel free to remove anything that is not applicable; extra details that don?t fit your objective will likely make your resume feel inconsistent.

And don?t forget: There are lots of ways to get experience.

Whether it is a new certification or degree, a volunteer program, or that HTML website you built in your free time, you can get experience in a variety of ways and add it to your resume. You don?t have to have all the knowledge now, but you do want to show that you are working on it

Once you do the work of catching the recruiter?s eye, they will be more thoughtful about diving in to understand the story you have to tell.

Good luck to everyone who is trying to get their big break …

Jenna

The Slashdotters are chattering about job boards and career websites today. Lots of valid suggestions but also a lot of uninformed opinions. Since JobsBlogs readers seem to understand job hunting just a bit more than your average bear, I’ll pose the Slashdot question to all of you:

After reading some complaints about monster.com from both the perspectives of job seekers and employers it struck me as how, even in 2006, most job sites are incredibly poor at what they do. So I ask my fellow Slashdot readers, both job seekers and employers, what do you really want in a jobs web site? What features are totally lacking in the current crop? Also, what aspects of the current systems do you love/hate?

It’s a tough question because I think most job board set-ups are inherently flawed - but, at the same time, they are a bare necessity for most job seekers and employers. What easier and faster way to make a match between an employer and job seeker? But the biggest lacking is the overall quality control factor on both sides. (That?s why I think The Ladders is an interesting concept.)

Job boards and internal tracking systems are built on the principle of key word searches, which doesn?t necessarily correlate to the discovery of the right candidates. (That?s one reason I offer resume tips here ?? so you can learn how to play the resume database game.) I also get annoyed with what you can search on. In the early days, we couldn?t search on C#. .NET and C are still difficult. And don?t even get me started on how hard it is to search for someone who has worked at a specific company. Want to find someone who has worked at Microsoft? Try searching on the key word “Microsoft.” You?ll pull back everyone who has ever used Microsoft Word. (That?s why you, as a job seeker, should always spell out your company’s formal name.)

And what else? The selection for location preference annoys me. Either set it up so employers in areas outside of the job seeker?s preferred area can?t access his/her resume and make the job seeker stick to that preference, or remove the field together. As a recruiter, I?d often contact job seekers who didn?t select Seattle / Redmond as a preferred area, and 3 out of 4 times, the job seeker would still want to talk to me. But then that remaining 1 out of 4 would be angry I contacted him. Don?t I read the preferred locations section? You can?t win!

All that said, I do still recommend job boards as a viable option for “public” job seekers; if you don?t care that others know you are looking for a new job, then go for it. (Just make sure you don?t include your everyday email address; you may receive a lot of spam.) If you don?t want to make it public knowledge that you are seeking a new job, DO NOT post your resume on a job board. Don?t bother with confidential resumes or sites that allow you to block your current employer. It?s not worth it, and if an organization wants to catch employees who are job seeking on the side, they can get around those barriers very easily. If you want to keep the process private and targeted, you are better off sticking with applying directly to a company or networking with your contacts.

Your thoughts?

gretchen

Tags: resume, write, jobs

Speed Interviewing Events with Carole Martin, The Interview Coach

Resume Writing Tip: Don?t Drop Jobs from Your ResumeRecently, a number of job seekers have asked me if it’s okay to drop undesirable jobs from their resumes. The reasons varied, but most had to do with holding short-term positions, leaving jobs on bad terms, getting fired, and changing careers.In the past, I would have considered that approach. After all, a resume is a […]

Top Ten Reasons Why You Shouldn?t Write Your Own ResumeI’m sometimes asked if people should write their own resumes. After all, who knows more about the job seeker’s accomplishments than the job seeker himself? So I’ve compiled this list of the top ten reasons why you shouldn’t write your own resume:Top Ten Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Write Your Own Resume10. Last time you wrote […]

Top 10 Ways to Improve Your ResumeMany people took me up on my offer to critique their resumes for free — here’s the thread: Free Resume CritiqueWhen reviewing the resumes, I noticed that the documents shared common problems and issues — regardless of the career field. The free critique offer is now closed, but you can improve your resume by following […]

Happy St. Patrick?s Day from ResumePower.comHow are leprechauns able to achieve such great success? With a great resume, of course. Here’s our take on a resume for Lawrence “Lucky” Leprechaun. While the resume sample was written in fun, there are some good resume writing lessons: Include a career goal, emphasize accomplishments, include volunteer activities, and downplay deficiencies (no mention of […]

Tags: jobs, work, write

10 Tips to Ace the Job Interview

Resume Writing Tip: Draw Readers in with a Winning HeadlineNewspapers, blogs, sales letters, and other marketing documents use headlines to draw readers in and make them want to continue reading.Using the same concept as headlines for sales copy (Michel Fortin’s blog post on the subject is a must-read), adding one to your resume can give you an edge over other candidates.If you’re boring employers […]

Free Resume Critique: Final DaysIf you’ve been thinking about submitting your resume for a free critique on this thread, please note that I am closing the offer on April 1. Resumes submitted after April 1 will not be critiqued. I will re-open this offer when my schedule gets less hectic.Thanks for the incredible response — I enjoyed critiquing all […]

Tags: write resume, jobs, write

Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Resume

I caught up with my friend and colleague Carole Martin (”The interview Coach”), and I wanted to let you know about a great service that she’s offering: Live Speed Interviewing Events. If your interview skills are rusty, you can sign up for her tele-classes and learn from one of the most talented experts in the […]

Is your neighbor working on a home-improvement project just a neighbor working on a home-improvement project, or is there more to the picture? Could saying “hi” and lending your neighbor a hand lead to a great job opportunity? According to my career-coaching colleagues, including Wendy Terwelp, Laura Berman Fortgang, and Anne-Marie Ditta, taking advantage of […]

Recently, a number of job seekers have asked me if it’s okay to drop undesirable jobs from their resumes. The reasons varied, but most had to do with holding short-term positions, leaving jobs on bad terms, getting fired, and changing careers.In the past, I would have considered that approach. After all, a resume is a […]

How are leprechauns able to achieve such great success? With a great resume, of course. Here’s our take on a resume for Lawrence “Lucky” Leprechaun. While the resume sample was written in fun, there are some good resume writing lessons: Include a career goal, emphasize accomplishments, include volunteer activities, and downplay deficiencies (no mention of […]

Tags: jobs, skills, write

10 Tips to Ace the Job Interview

Are you limiting yourself to a resume?

I have a handful of people interviewing this week, and as a curious experiment, I decided to share with you their ?source,” or where we found them. You know what? Only few were found through traditional ?resume submissions,” and most were found through networking.

If you are limiting your job search to your resume, you are missing a lot of extra steps in marketing yourself to the right job. At any given time, only a small portion of the population is actively looking for work. Recruiters know this fact and don?t want to limit their search for the perfect candidate to a small pool. Recruiters are looking for you - even without a resume - and they are looking for you lots of places you might not expect. Social Networking is the newest fad in looking for a job, and if you are out there and are not exploiting all of these sites with information about your education, employer, interests and background, you are missing out.

Just a few to mention that recruiters search often:

• MySpace
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Yahoo 360
• 43 People
• Friendster
• Tribe
• Orkut

And if you are like Gretchen, maybe you even want to open up an account on Dogster or Catster … Meow.

Jenna

How and when should you customize your cover letter?

Ian from the Being Bold blog talks about the customization of cover letters and points to keep in mind if you are thinking about narrowing or expanding the focus of your job search.

And my thoughts … When emailing your resume to potential employers like Microsoft, keep in mind that the body of your email really serves the purpose of a cover letter. There is no need to attach a separate cover letter in a word document. Say what you need to say in that email.

Be aware of your audience … Your email to me (or another blogger) might be less formal (and even conversational) as compared to an email you might send a Hiring Manager or Recruiter who has included his or her name and contact details in a job description.

And remember … keep the message concise and to the point. Just for fun, delete everything after the first paragraph. If that’s all the recipient read, would it be enough to get your point across?

Things to keep in mind …

gretchen

P.S. Today is my birthday. Yay! Thanks to all my co-workers and freinds who sent well-wishes. I just have to share the best greeting I received (so far) today… courtesy of our good buddy, Jimmy Stroud. What a gorgeous voice you have, Jim!!

Resume Writing Tip: Don?t Drop Jobs from Your ResumeRecently, a number of job seekers have asked me if it’s okay to drop undesirable jobs from their resumes. The reasons varied, but most had to do with holding short-term positions, leaving jobs on bad terms, getting fired, and changing careers.In the past, I would have considered that approach. After all, a resume is a […]

Resume Writing Tip: Draw Readers in with a Winning HeadlineNewspapers, blogs, sales letters, and other marketing documents use headlines to draw readers in and make them want to continue reading.Using the same concept as headlines for sales copy (Michel Fortin’s blog post on the subject is a must-read), adding one to your resume can give you an edge over other candidates.If you’re boring employers […]

Tags: jobs, write, work

Resume Writing Tip: Don?t Drop Jobs from Your Resume

title=”Top Ten Reasons Why You Shouldn?t Write Your Own Resume” >Top Ten Reasons Why You Shouldn?t Write Your Own ResumeI’m sometimes asked if people should write their own resumes. After all, who knows more about the job seeker’s accomplishments than the job seeker himself? So I’ve compiled this list of the top ten reasons why you shouldn’t write your own resume:Top Ten Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Write Your Own Resume10. Last time you wrote […]

Happy St. Patrick?s Day from ResumePower.comHow are leprechauns able to achieve such great success? With a great resume, of course. Here’s our take on a resume for Lawrence “Lucky” Leprechaun. While the resume sample was written in fun, there are some good resume writing lessons: Include a career goal, emphasize accomplishments, include volunteer activities, and downplay deficiencies (no mention of […]

Tags: work, write resume, write

Internet applicant definition

No Experience? I have had some random resume submissions lately from people applying for jobs which they are not qualified. I don?t fault anyone for this attempt- we all had to do it at one time or another in order to get that big break or anticipated career transition. A few of you have emailed me asking for resume advice, and while I normally don?t hand out individual resume critiques, I will offer a few words of wisdom to anyone who is trying to get that big break for a job that is out of their reach:

The first thing to understand is the goal: The goal of your resume is to require the reader to think as little as possible.

I can already anticipate the comments I am going to get to this statement, but I am willing to stand by it. A recruiter usually has thousands of resumes at their disposal - whether they are online, email, or on paper, and there is always “the next one” in the stack. Learning how to stand out in a crowd of thousands is hard work, and expecting someone to take the time to piece together your intent or implied passion is risky and likely unrealistic.

How do you do this? Make your resume look like you are already doing the job you desire.

This is tricky to do if you don?t have experience, but you need to put your most relevant skills at the top and utilize keywords in your resume. While we have debated the use of an objective in the past, in this instance I am a big fan of adding it so that the reader knows exactly what you are intending. Also feel free to remove anything that is not applicable; extra details that don?t fit your objective will likely make your resume feel inconsistent.

And don?t forget: There are lots of ways to get experience.

Whether it is a new certification or degree, a volunteer program, or that HTML website you built in your free time, you can get experience in a variety of ways and add it to your resume. You don?t have to have all the knowledge now, but you do want to show that you are working on it

Once you do the work of catching the recruiter?s eye, they will be more thoughtful about diving in to understand the story you have to tell.

Good luck to everyone who is trying to get their big break …

Jenna

Internet applicant definition

The big job seeker news o? the day is all about the new federal guidelines that have created a definition of “applicant.”

CNN talks about it in the article Job hunting online gets trickier. And Slashdotters discuss it at U.S. Laws May Make Online Job Hunting Harder.

First, don’t panic. This is more a regulation for employers than job seekers, and while more stringent government guidelines are in place, recruiting processes (especially from the outside view) won’t dramatically change. Likely, as a job seeker, you won’t even encounter any new bumps.

But if you are concerned about what this means for you, here are some great resources to check out:

Definition of An Internet Applicant - and Why You Should Care ? Over on Landed.fm, Peter Clayton interviews Gerry Crispin, recruiting industry guru. This is a 38 minute podcast on the subject, and I?d highly recommend listening to it ?? for both job seekers and recruiters.

Who’s an Internet Applicant? Recruiters Should Be Ready to Answer ? In this ERE article, Lisa Harpe from Peopleclick recommends preparation steps for employers. It?s good insight into what this means for employers.

And based on the descriptions I?ve read and heard in the industry, here are a few things I think this new regulation will mean for those of you interested in opportunities with Microsoft. (And, well, this is just general good advice.)

Apply through our careers site - Even if you are working your best networking angle, be sure to get your resume into our database through official channels. Cover your bases.

Believe job descriptions and outlined job qualifications - Per this regulation, if your experience doesn?t meet the minimum requirements of what the job descriptions outline, you are technically not an “applicant.” Make sure you are qualified for the job before you press “submit.”

Don?t accidentally eliminate yourself - Be careful with stating specific requirements (such as job location, expected salary, etc) if these items are actually preferences. Keep your job requirements as broad as you feel comfortable.

Tailor your resume for the job opening - It?s ok to submit a different version of your resume for different positions, and based on this new regulation, I?d encourage it. Align your experience as closely to the job description as possible. (Remember … don’t lie! But sell your skills appropriately as per the job description.)

Keep your resume updated - If your professional or educational experience changes, submit a new resume. Make sure all of your current qualifications are accurately reflected in your resume.

Admittedly, I am not an expert on this subject (and I do not know how Microsoft is specifically addressing this regulation internally), but if you are interested in following this new regulation as it’s implemented across the industry, I?d encourage you to keep tabs on Gerry?s blog.

gretchen

How and when should you customize your cover letter?

Ian from the Being Bold blog talks about the customization of cover letters and points to keep in mind if you are thinking about narrowing or expanding the focus of your job search.

And my thoughts … When emailing your resume to potential employers like Microsoft, keep in mind that the body of your email really serves the purpose of a cover letter. There is no need to attach a separate cover letter in a word document. Say what you need to say in that email.

Be aware of your audience … Your email to me (or another blogger) might be less formal (and even conversational) as compared to an email you might send a Hiring Manager or Recruiter who has included his or her name and contact details in a job description.

And remember … keep the message concise and to the point. Just for fun, delete everything after the first paragraph. If that’s all the recipient read, would it be enough to get your point across?

Things to keep in mind …

gretchen

P.S. Today is my birthday. Yay! Thanks to all my co-workers and freinds who sent well-wishes. I just have to share the best greeting I received (so far) today… courtesy of our good buddy, Jimmy Stroud. What a gorgeous voice you have, Jim!!

Speed Interviewing Events with Carole Martin, The Interview CoachI caught up with my friend and colleague Carole Martin (”The interview Coach”), and I wanted to let you know about a great service that she’s offering: Live Speed Interviewing Events. If your interview skills are rusty, you can sign up for her tele-classes and learn from one of the most talented experts in the […]

Resume Writing Tip: Draw Readers in with a Winning HeadlineNewspapers, blogs, sales letters, and other marketing documents use headlines to draw readers in and make them want to continue reading.Using the same concept as headlines for sales copy (Michel Fortin’s blog post on the subject is a must-read), adding one to your resume can give you an edge over other candidates.If you’re boring employers […]

Tags: search, resume, skills

Speed Interviewing Events with Carole Martin, The Interview Coach

10 Tips to Ace the Job InterviewHeather Johnson joins us today with a great primer on how to ace the interview. I especially like Heather’s emphasis on building confidence by planning, researching, and practicing before the meeting. Enjoy! — Kim Isaacs10 Tips to Ace the Job Interviewby Heather JohnsonMost people dread going on job interviews. The stress of meeting new people, […]

Top 10 Ways to Improve Your ResumeMany people took me up on my offer to critique their resumes for free — here’s the thread: Free Resume CritiqueWhen reviewing the resumes, I noticed that the documents shared common problems and issues — regardless of the career field. The free critique offer is now closed, but you can improve your resume by following […]

The Art of the Resume: How to make a lifetime impression in just 40 seconds??

By Janelle Godfrey

I?ve been asked recently by some candidates what recruiters ACTUALLY look for when screening a resume. I have worked on both sides of the fence: I spent several years working at the Career Center for MBAs at the University of Washington, assisting students in how to make their resumes POP, and now I find myself on the other side, looking for something that POPS out of a stack of hundreds of resumes.

Let me first say that every recruiter is different; I can only tell you what I look for. Hopefully some of these tips will help you better understand how your experience and skills can translate into getting that highly desired contact from a recruiter.

1. Keep a constant log of what you do: This may sound silly, but trust me; it?s hard to keep track of everything that you have done in school when it?s occurring in real time. I have always kept a word document of great things I have done … i.e. an ongoing list of projects, classes, ideas, deliverables, etc that I have been a part of. This way, when you are looking for ideas, you have a running tab of things that you have worked on. It?s hard to think of things when you are stressed looking for a job; this way you have it all in one place. For instance, when I worked at Expedia on our referral program, I wrote a paragraph about what I did, who it affected, and what the results were. Then when I was looking for a job that required that kind of experience, I was able to stick in a great bullet point in my resume that matched what they were looking for (it also helps on job interview questions. look to this list before any interview and you will easily be able to look back on all you accomplished).

2. Results: Everyone has bullet points on their resume (i.e. ?Created new programming tool for current team) ?? but what many people forget is the results of this. Try something like ?Created new programming tool for team THAT RESULTED IN”?? and say what happened from it. Think more about how you impacted your environments and less about just the basic facts of what you did. Your resume should be about accomplishments and not just a laundry list that reads like a job description.

3. Consider your audience: I like to tell students to have several different copies of resumes that correlate to the jobs that they are looking for. You shouldn?t just have one general resume if you have a million different types of experience. The best resumes are those that aren?t five pages. Maybe you have done a lot; maybe you are a PhD and have published 20 different articles ?? If the job you are applying for doesn?t care, then it?s okay to leave some things out. If you are applying for an IT job and a dev job, then you should have two different resumes that can highlight your experience for each. Whatever gets your point across is always a safe bet.

4. Proofing by a stranger: When I was working for the MBA program, I heard a statistic ?? when applying for a job, you should assume that each person who looks at your resume looks at it for an average of 40 seconds ?? Although I can tell you that I do look at resumes longer, sometimes it?s that first look that really decides someone?s fate. A great way to help you understand how the overall message of your resume reads is by finding a stranger … find someone in one of your classes or in your department that doesn?t know you. Ask them if they would look at your resume for 40 seconds; then have them flip the paper over and write down the top 3 things they learned about you. This is a great indicator of what others see when they look at your resume. If they say something like, ?Where you went to school, your major, and your first job title,? that?s great! If someone can?t get over some bizarre fact or typo in your resume, it?s a safe assumption that recruiters will notice the same thing.

5. Don?t write checks that you can?t cash: We have all been in a situation where we need to make ourselves feel more important than we actually were … a document such as a resume is not the place to do this?? make sure that what you put on your resume can be questioned. The worst feeling that a candidate can experience is having to back track on their resume. Let?s say you wrote on your resume that you were the Program Manager for a release during an internship and that you managed all of the other interns during the summer. If you are in an interview and someone asks you your role and you have to say, ?well, I never really managed but I was the lead,? then say it, and state how you made the project better. Don?t make up facts; the truth is more impressive because you can confidently speak about it. It?s better to build yourself up in an interview when questioned than have the rug pulled out from under you while caught up in a story.

Well, those are my 5 cents; I hope they shed some light in resume writing. If you have any other questions, I am open to helping you out. I love seeing people able to not only achieve their potential and greatness but also write about it on a resume, with great results.

-Janelle

Get out there to get noticed

Since Jim is on vacation this week, our buddy Glenn Gutmacher offered to fill in for him. Glenn works on our technical sourcing team, and I’ve often heard Jim describe Glenn as the “great one.” In fact, Jim has posted about Glenn before. Anyway, here’s Glenn, and Jim, I hope you have a fabulous vacation … where ever you are!

Take it away, Glenn …

I am a recruiting researcher at Microsoft. We work in a complementary way with the recruiters, conducting deep research to find those hard-to-find candidates that won?t necessarily apply for jobs at Microsoft on their own. Two JobsBlog posts this week inspired me to offer another perspective on the technical job-hunt process that may help you get noticed by people like us, as well as the recruiters.

In a post earlier this week, Jenna explained that Microsoft recruiters often find our hires through non-traditional sources, particularly social networking portals like LinkedIn, etc. The day before, Gretchen asked how blogs have impacted your career choices. But realize that we do search blogs as well. If you consider yourself fairly expert in some niche of technology, or aspire to, and have something worthwhile to say about the things you discover, then please blog regularly and mention the hot products, technologies, and names of sharp peers in the industry you know or follow. That helps you get on our radar.

Another place we like to look are the technical forums, lists, user groups and online manifestations of the professional industry associations related to key technologies we have recurring needs. We don?t limit ourselves to MSDN?s forums (though we like them, of course so don?t hesitate to participate in very narrow technology spaces. If it interests you, matters to you and has promise, we?ll discover it eventually and we?ll find you if you?re making intelligent posts there.

The same goes for the technology standards-making bodies, of which there are more today than ever. Since most of these are volunteer-run, they aren?t limited to just the luminaries in an industry. If you?ve got worthwhile comments, you should subscribe to their mailing lists, attend their meetings when they coincide with professional conferences in your field, and otherwise participate, even if you?re not the kind of person who?s going to publish a technical paper worthy of an industry journal. Again, if your intelligence comes through, we?ll probably find you.

That reminds me of one last suggestion: Just because you aren?t crafting journal-level technical papers doesn?t mean you aren?t capable of assembling a decent guest article for an online trade magazine. Maybe it?s a code block representing a productive twist on already-existing procedures, applicable to a particular type of environment. Or just your interesting take on some news item or potential trend in the industry. Most of those zines never have enough content. You?ve probably even read some of those pieces and thought, ?I could do better.? Well, you should. And now you?ve got another reason to do it: The more you get your name out there, the more likely you?ll be noticed. And not just by Microsoft recruiting.

Writing great code is one thing. Being known for your perspective on coding is another. No one?s first publishing effort is their best (I?m the first to admit that), but the more you do it, the better you get. And the more you pose and answer questions in online forums, and get involved in technical discussions by networking in circles that discuss new possibilities for your niche of the industry (whether they get adopted or not), the more incisive — dare I say, smarter — you?ll get. And that informs your subsequent writing that people like us researchers see.

See the self-reinforcing circle that?s developing? To give this a real try, you?ve got to break out of your comfort zone a bit, but I hope some of you will. And listing that kind of activity on your resume doesn’t hurt, either.

Glenn

Tags: skills, write, jobs