Dear Job Applicant:
So you are looking for a job…
I would like to offer you a job. However you are making this very difficult. It’s as if you don’t want the job.
The past few months, several candidates have come and gone. The experience has been frustrating for the most part. While I am in the market for software professionals, the problem I have faced might as well be universal.
Here are some suggestions to greatly improve your chance of getting that next job.
The Résumé
I receive countless applications. One job posting resulted in ~500 résumés! I have to sift through these résumés to get to a short list of folks I would like to phone screen/interview. This means that we potential employers have the attention-span of a gnat. You have to grab our attention. Remember, I don’t know you. Your résumé is your soap box to tell me why you are the next sliced bread. Why would you be the ideal candidate for my job opening? What differentiates you? What relevant experience do you have? Something that would make a difference. This for example is not it:
Helped Global Telecom develop the Orion System for technician assignments
This tells me nothing. “Orion System” may be the lifeblood of Global Telecom. To me it is wasted space on the résumé. Leave out project names. Far more relevant information would be saying
Designed a Java Messaging Service-based task assignment application for Global Telecom
That tells me that you have used Java Messaging Service. It also conveys that you have been involved in application design.
Tailor your résumé to the job opening. You have no doubt applied for more than one job opening. Make your relevant skills & experience prominent. You are trying to stand out in a crowd and capture the hiring manager’s attention. You can program in C#, Java and Ruby and the job posting is seeking Ruby skills. Then list Ruby first! Little things make a big difference. Likewise highlight your relevant experience with the topics of import. Talk about all your Ruby-related experience first. Don’t make me have to hunt for it. There is no law mandating a reverse chronological listing of all your jobs to date.
Eliminate noise. Just as important as focusing on the relevant is the removal of the unwanted. If I am interested in your Ruby and Java chops, your degree in Chemical Engineering has little bearing. There is a fine line between a good fit and being considered as overqualified.
In the software industry experience trumps degrees in most cases. And then how you reflect your experience will help you stand out.
Lead development of a point of sale application for use at company cafeteria
doesn’t quite grab my attention like this does:
Tech lead of a touch-screen point of sale system handling hundreds of concurrent transactions. Saved customer $1Million.
This not only conveys a lot more information it leaves an opening for a conversation at the interview. (That’s right, you can bait me into a line of questioning at the interview :-)
In other words, highlight problems you have solved, designs you have developed, changes you have brought about. Oh! And when you do state experience please don’t embellish. That is a surefire way to get yourself rejected. If you were the sole developer on a project don’t sugar coat that as
Lead the design and implementation of web portal using the LAMP stack.
Be careful how detailed you get with your experience. If you list experience with CentOS, Debian and RHEL I take that to mean that you grok the differences in the Linux variants. I expect you will be able to tell me what is yum? How is it different from apt? Maybe even talk about RPM repositories.
General tips
Heed the general advice you can find in any number of tomes written on the subject of writing well crafted résumés: Use a single legible font, check for spelling errors, avoid acronyms. Have someone else proof-read (you have blind spots), read it form my perspective (someone who doesn’t know you). Submit as PDF (not everyone can read a DOCX file). Some converters will mangle the document; and you don’t want to risk that. Insist on having input over the format of your résumé if you are being represented by a placement agency.
The interview
Now that you have the foot in the door…make sure it’s the best foot. Come to the interview prepared to talk about any and all things on your résumé. At the same time you should do have done some homework to familiarize yourself about the company at which you will be interviewing. Have they been in the news lately? Any new product announcements? How does it compare with the competition?
Remember that an interview these days need not be in person. It may be over the phone or in the form of a video conference. Be prepared by scheduling the interview when you can guarantee a quiet, uninterrupted call. If — like yours truly — you are not a native English speaker make an effort to ensure that you are understood. Speak slowly. Speak clearly. Your experience, your accomplishments and your skills are all for naught if you cannot communicate. Remember that I am looking to hire someone like you. Don’t shortchange yourself by not giving thought to the words coming out of your mouth.
During an interview, anything on your résumé is fair game. If you don’t want to be quizzed about something leave it out! If you are unable to recall the information to answer, just say so. You can add something to the effect “I used that technique during my stint at Parts Unlimited but I am unable to recall it”. That comes across a lot better than a hesitant hemming & hawing on a topic that you have claimed to have years’ of experience.
I don’t expect you to know every intricacy of every software library. That’s why we have Google. One of the best answers I got for a programming how-to question was “I am sure there is a library that does that kind of string manipulation”. That gave me a huge insight into the candidate’s way of thinking.
If you are applying for a position with some seniority, I expect that you to be a seasoned professional. I expect that you can think on your feet. It is perfectly OK to take a few seconds to collect your thoughts and answer your question (tip: If you are on the phone give me that heads up). However when you have composed your thoughts, speak clearly, confidently and concisely.
Remember those open-ended statements in your résumé? I might have a question or two about it. If you don’t understand my question ask for clarification maybe paraphrase the question. It is unlikely I am looking for a detailed essay on any topic so be to-the-point.
What I’m trying to say is…
A job application is an opportunity for self-promotion. You have put in a lot of work to get to where you are. Now showcase yourself. You need the job as much as I need some help. We have complementary needs. Let’s make this the beginning of a beautiful relationship ;-)
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