formerslacker.com — "These are all basic rules, but they all seem to get broken constantly. All of these should be obvious to anyone who?s conscious (maybe even the lightly sleeping), but they must not be. On to the rules!"
Feb 8, 2007 View in Crawl 4
sarusaFeb 9, 2007
I would like to say that this has probably been the most civilized discussion I've ever seen in the digg comments, even though I'm probably putting a knife in its heart by actually saying that.
averagegeekFeb 10, 2007
pumacub is at least half right about #8. I've seen both extremes: companies that demand references be people who have been in authority over you (managers, professors, etc.), and companies that specify that you not list any former managers. Depends on whether they are looking at how well you can be led or whether your references think you play well with others. Plan ahead and have several references that are former co-workers and several that have had authority over you.The one thing I'd add to the list: Don't claim an ability you don't actually possess, and be careful not to overestimate your skills (i.e. plugging in a dsl/cable "router" for your friend/neighbor/relative does not make you a networking expert). If you're applying at a larger company, chances are that you may have to interview with a senior member of the team you'll be working with. I've been that senior team member on a lot of interviews where I've said no to a candidate because they drastically overestimated themselves (one memorable one was an applicant who claimed to have "intermediate" knowledge of Oracle because their professor spent a week discussing it in class but they had never personally written a single query).
blazemiskulinFeb 10, 2007
This is a fairly nice list of resume tips--if you want to work as a drone in a major corporation.The "tip" that really annoys me is #5 "Follow Standard Resume Guidelines.... Your resume cannot, and should not attempt, to convey your personality."First of all, there are no "standard resume guidelines". Every "expert" out there will tell you something different. Resumes are, quite frankly, 100% subjective in their "requirements". What one employer considers a great feature, another will consider annoying drivel. You gear your resume towards the industry and--if possible--the specific employer. If the position you're applying for requires creativity or artistic talent, show it off in your resume. If it requires strict adherence to formal guidelines, show that in your resume.Secondly, the idea that a resume shouldn't show your personality. Why not? I'm not a job position, I'm a person. If you can't handle the fact that I list my non-employment skills under the heading "Other Stuff", then, quite frankly, I don't want to work for you. I'm not a drone. I'm not a cog in your machine. I'm going to bring something unique and creative to your company. I'm going to show that in my resume. You don't like that? Don't hire me. As someone who's been on the hiring side of the equation before, I know that I specifically look for signs of personality in the resumes. I'm not hiring a skill-set, I'm hiring a person. And I want to know if that person is a good fit for my company. Someone who hands me a boring resume is *not* someone who's a good fit for my company.Other than things like "check spelling" and "write coherently", I advise people to write a resume that reflects who they are. If the company doesn't want you as a person, you don't want to work there.
jack9Feb 10, 2007
Experience from 8 jobs in California making 50-100k a year.MS Word is what every recruiting agency expects and 99% of all employers expect. Even after getting handed the plaintext resume they initially asked for through email or webform, 100% of all employers ask for it in word format. Welcome to California.Objectives are good when your skillset is varied. In fact, it's a must. If you've ever held a job, the practical experiences you want to have in your next job should be listed. Putting idiotic Objectives is just plain darwinism. You should probably remove your arrest record as well. Objectives are a bad idea but many people just don't understand what to say. I use friends for references all the time. In fact, many of my coworkers past and present are my good friends. It's called reality. Be sure to prep your references before submitting resumes with their names.This blog webisode was not helpful at all. Try to remember, this is just a random guy on the web.
oceanbourneFeb 10, 2007
These tips are so obvious and simple that I have to wonder who reading digg really needs them . . . didn't we all get this stuff at least by 10th grade English?
srdrumsFeb 10, 2007
Please, please, please DO NOT CALL ME unless I ask you to. I get too many phone calls as it is from people asking me to change my phone service, or to subscribe to come crappy business journal.
Closed AccountFeb 10, 2007
@Crosshare Whenever I do that, I end up forgetting about the email until I come in the next morning.