I spoke recently with a senior project manager who is looking for a new job. I offered to review her resume, and she told me she didn’t think she needed it. She had the “secret sauce” to a great resume: every single line on the resume answered the “so what” question. If she has some […]
A colleague is putting his resume together for the first time in several years. “I’ve been at the same desk, working for the same boss, on the same projects for the last three years. But my company has changed names at least four times in that time. What do I say?” Here’s the way I
A colleague suggested I chat with a more junior person about his job search. I’m trying, but I’m having trouble understanding what this guy does. His resume is too long and doesn’t have what I need in it. I don’t think he’s alone, so here’s what hiring managers look for on a resume. Your address.
I wa just reading recent grad frustrated by job search, and want to highlight something many candidates, even experienced candidates, forget: Remember, a hiring manager is going to spend maybe a minute (or less) on the initial scan of your resume. What do you want her to see in that minute — a list of
In his comment, Gregbo asks what I mean by “bad” judgment. Here’s an incomplete list: Frequent job changes, at least one job a year for several years Months of no discernible work or lag times between jobs. Titles that appear to move up and down the ladder. There are more, but those are the
A capable senior manager has been looking for a new job for a couple of months. He’s a capable guy, and although two months isn’t that long, I was surprised that he’s had no nibbles.Then I saw his resume. His resume was 5 pages long, and had too much detail to read quickly. It also
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
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
Seth Godin talks about his search for interns in Needles, haystacks & magnetism. He makes several points I like: Employers don’t hire candidates because the candidate deserves a job. Employers hire people because they like the way they feel about you when they interview you. Employers are looking for something special, something non-commodity about candidates.