I was speaking with a project manager the other day, who’s looking for a job but does not have a PMP certification. He was worried, so I asked him how he presented himself to potential hiring managers and HR people. He said, “I don’t have a PMP, but I’ve been really successful managing projects for […]
I just added two new blogs to my blogroll: Weinberg on Writing, and Secrets of Consulting. You may be wondering why.Writing cover letters is a non-trivial matter, and too many candidates do a poor job. Learning to write better, especially for something as important as cover letters, is one of those Good Ideas. A couple
I received an outraged phone call this morning. Some woman was calling on behalf of a candidate who had sent me a resume. Let me explain, in case it’s not clear. I am not a recruiter. I have no open positions. I do not supply resume review services. I am trying to make a difference
I received a pointer to Write and Get Hired today. And like most busy people, I didn’t read the blurb. Maybe the article will work for you, but I don’t find verbalizing my goals to be helpful. I do find writing them down helpful. But you can write and get hired. Write an article for
Louise Fletcher in What’s Your Email Address? says “Choose an address that is as bland and professional as possible.” Well, I don’t know that I would categorize a professional email address as bland, but then, I’m a geek. But I absolutely agree with Louise about the suitability of the email address she referred to “sexyeyes…”
Mike has a fine (and funny) piece on what to do (and a little about what not to do) as a candidate, Applying for a Java job – HOWTO. His major points: Your cover letter or email should be in readable English Your experience should be relevant Read the bloody job ad (his words, not
The folks at the monster blog have another winning post One More Time of tips for job seekers. One of the most important tips is to show your value in a resume, a tip from Five Ways to Make Your Monster Resume Stand Out. Thad Peterson says “Use Numbers to Your Advantage” and highlights some
I spoke with a colleague this morning, who’s considering taking on a test management position. He wanted to take advantage of his time to ask questions of his interviewers, because the previous two managers were not successful in the position. Here are the questions he’s decided to ask: What is your management style? (When he
I exchanged email with a graduate student recently, who’s just starting to think about what she wants to do when she graduates. Since she’s about a year away from graduation, this is a great time to start thinking. She originally thought she might want to work with teams who maintain software systems. I commented that
Thanks to Brian, I discovered this gem on resumes and first impressions. I especially like the first point: “Concise – keep it short and to the point. Tell us about your accomplishments as well as your responsibilities. Don’t spend a lot of time talking about strategy, the product, or the company.” Someone with four years