Resume Format 1

[kHz]

Currently my resume is two full pages and contains:
Summary
Technologies
Education
Work History

It is said to never go over two pages for a resume, so I was thinking of redoing the resume that would still stay at two full pages, because of another job and experience. But I was thinking of adding another page that would contain only technologies, something like the following:
Technology Number of years used Last used
AIX 11 1 year ago
Solaris 4 Current
WebSphere 4 3 years ago
EMC 2 1 year ago
...
...
...

What are anyone's thoughts on this format? It would be its own page but sent with the two-page resume.

Thanks.

 

[Stella740pl]

How do I add the new job since it will push it to 3 pages. I really do like the format.

I used to cut down a line or two from the paragraphs about my previous jobs - starting from the bottom, the oldest ones. You can shorten both, the information on what the company does, and the description of your responsibilities. Put it in fewer words, with less detail.

The truth is, not many people actually read at all what you were doing two jobs ago, or 5 years ago, so it might be a good idea to keep it short.

Also think, do you really need that summary paragraph - does it bear any valuable info, or just repeats you cover letter.

 

[BocaBurger]

Here is a good trick. Play with the margins and fonts. There are some narrower fonts. I once sent a resume via e-mail and was told it was too long. Changes to the header / trailer and margins, picked a similar nut narrower font and e-mailed back the identical resume in two pages.

I didn't get the job I was looking for, but they offered me another one to teach them how I did that. I don't work for the clueless.




BocaBurger
<===========================||////////////////|0
The pen is mightier than the sword, but the sword hurts more!

 

[chiph]

The classic "2-page" resume recommendation has pretty much fallen by the wayside, especially for someone senior or had spent a lot of time as a consultant. 3 pages would be fine.

Just don't do like the one candidate I got a resume from one time -- 12 pages! It was a tad excessive. Easy to read, yes, but excessive.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first

 

[kHz]

I did indeed change the margins and do slight format changes last night, and also removed some lines from my first IT job from 10 years ago. It is still two full pages.

Another thing I want to do is create a resume for work completely outside of IT. But sometimes it is just easier and more comfortable to get another job in the area I have worked for 11 years. I have felt before I want to change careers and do something else. As long as I can pay my bills and have some money left for entertainment, I don't need to make huge sums. Anymore I just want something I enjoy. Without the pressures and stress my current job entails. Any ideas on resumes for career changers? Functional? Chrono-functional?

 

[LadySlinger]

kHz,

Just in my opinion, hiring personal and recruiters have always asked me to rewrite functional resumes into chronological. You may be able to get away with a combo one though as it would give a nice overall feel about your work history and what you could bring to the board.
For example, if you're looking to go from a Network Admin to being a teacher (such as high school), then do a chrono-functional. If you're still staying in the same general area such as IT, just rewrite the resume to be chrono, but focus it more for that position (such as if you're a Network Admin now and want to get into Web development).

 

[mmorancbt]

I use a 1 page formula.

[tt]
================================================
GEO/CONTACT

SKILLS (3 column bulletted list)
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Company / ROLE
Dates
* how I used a listed skill to solve a problem.
* how I used a listed skill to solve a problem.
* how I used a listed skill to solve a problem.

Company / ROLE
Dates
* how I used a listed skill to solve a problem.
* how I used a listed skill to solve a problem.
* how I used a listed skill to solve a problem.

EDUCATATION:
* pertinent, degree only.

================================================
[/tt]
Unnecessary things:
* Objective - we know, you want a job
* Clubs & Extra-curricular activities - unless we hire you and you are an ace for our corporate softball team, we don't care.
* non essential jobs and roles

How do I get away with 1 page?

Cover letter formula - three paragraphs.
First paragraph (thank you)
Thank you for reviewing my information. Time is our most valuable commodity and I truly appreciate yours. In the interest of brevity, I have provides a succinct, one-page summary of experience. However, should you require additional information, I am happy to provide a more detailed version of my resume.

Second paragraph (brag on yourself)
I am excited to have the opportunity to speak with your organization. I believe I can quickly contribute valuable skills and work-ethic company. As indicated on my resume, I have had a variety of opportunities to develop and apply my abilities. Of these, I am most proud of my work on the xyz system. The complexity and dramatic improvement in business workflow was professionally and personally fulfilling. It is just that type of innovation that I would like to bring to your department.

Third paragraph (re-iterate above, let them know you will follow up)
I hope the information provided answers enough questions about my past experience to warrant a face to face meeting and interview. However, if you need any additional information, please contact me directly via the email or phone number provided. I promise to response in a timely manner. I am extremely interested in your company and plan to follow up in several days to ensure receipt of this information and find out more about timeframes for interviews and decisions.

Thank you again for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Joe Jobseeker

When I wrote my book, the one-page resume was the single biggest issue the technical reviewer had with my book. However, I've helped numerous technology professionals get interviews and market themselves more effectively. I hold to the "brevity is virtue" in this area. Why? Most people reviewing resumes are looking for keywords. Your skills list and bulletted experience provide this.

Your cover letter cleary explains the why of the single page and that you can provide additional information.

That's it.

Have fun!

Matthew Moran (career blog and podcast below)
Career Advice with Attitude for the IT Pro

http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/career

http://techcareerconsult.blogspot.com

 

[SQLSister]

My format (which has been very successful in generating interviews)

Contact info

No objective - it can knock you out of a job and it wastes precious space

A table of my technologies (since I taught, if it is a teaching position, I add a table of courses taught as well) - this serves to get in those buzz words

A list of significant accomplishments - Not job duties but actual accomplishments, the more you can quantify the better. In many of my jobs I saved either significant money or reduced the time for certain tasks. I quantify these. I also use this to highlight some of my work assets such as completing a job in one week that would take most people much longer. It also highlights to the hiring manager that I think in business terms and in terms of providing service to my customers. They love to see things like managed 33 projects simultaneously all on time and on budget. For me this is the most critical part of my resume as it is the part that the Hiring managers are impressed by. All the other parts are really for HR. I devote almost a full page to this and every time I update my resume I have to weed out more and more of these in favor of more recent and larger (or more appropriate to the kind of work I am seeking) accomplishments.

a chronological list of jobs (last one first) with a very short paragraph for the duties of each job.

Education -no more than 1-2 lines. The farther back your education is the less relevant this section is. I graduated in 1977 so I keep it very short.

You don't need to go farther back than 10 years.

Since I started putting my accomplishments on my resume, I average 2 interview for every 5 resumes I send out.

Questions about posting. See faq183-874
Click here to help with Hurricane Relief

 

[Dollie]

I've viewed thousands of resumes over the last 10 years. The format preferred by people submitting those resumes seems to vary widely. kHz has a great format (but I would recommend removing the description of the company). Here's a few observations I've made over time:

Don't list your hobbies. We don't need to know you were an eagle scout and got a merit badge in magnifying glass bug burning, or that you were an honorary Ferengi at the last Star Trek convention.

Don't list every single job duty. Most people know how to use word and excel, that's all we need to know. We don't need to know the types of documents you've done, and don't need to know that you can operate a printer or copier or even a red stapler.

Don't use personal quotes from an old employer. Yes, everyone else might think you're a great guy, but let a future employer find that out for themselves instead of padding your resume with quotes such as "My old supervisor told the acocunting manager that 'Bubba pounded out that trailer park program 6 whole months earlier than projected.' and it helped me get a promotion."

Don't let the opinions of other job seekers tell you how to limit your resume. **The length of the resume does not matter** to technical recruiters or IT companies. They want details, they do not want to see 20 years of experience crammed into one page with a 4-point font. Going back only 10 years is a good idea if you have held numerous contract positions with several companies.

When listing your specific skills, use a rating scale (beginner, intermediate, and strong), along with the number of years experience to emphasize your strengths. Categorize your skills if you have many (ie. Software, Hardware, Communications, Servers, Networking, etc). A table with 3 columns will do the trick. This will also focus the person doing the hiring on your specific skills that apply to the job.

Don't pat yourself on the back too much, conserve words. If you wrote code that saved Metropolis from not only the Joker but the Riddler AND you got the girl in the end, putting something like "wrote code to thwart evil" is better than a full description. (TMI)

And always, always, ALWAYS double and triple check not only your spelling, but your grammar as well. If you were an accountant wanting to work "in the rears" or a coder who developed several rooteens, the resume won't get you the job, but will generate quite a few giggles in the HR department.

 

[chiph]

Yup. Spelling and grammar is very important. I still get a chuckle over the guy who worked with Windows Cursers.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first

 

[SQLSister]

And whatever you do don't say you developed web sights.

Questions about posting. See faq183-874
Click here to help with Hurricane Relief

 

[kHz]

Everyone probably names their resume, resume.doc, so use first name, first letter and full last name.

Example:
spongebob squarpants = ssquarepants.doc