HOW FAR WILL YOUR RESUME GET YOU?
Career : Eman
What to do if you are looking for a new job?
I am glad you asked!
Before looking, get the resume together because if you find the job you want to apply for first you are going to rush through a resume update and mess it up! I mean it, don’t do it. Step away from the want ads please you are not ready!
When I look at resumes these days I am really surprised at what I don’t find. (wow I managed to say “I” three times in the first sentence this is gonna be good) Really, I don’t make up this stuff it actually makes me angry that anyone dispensing resume advice still paints all job seekers with the same brush. Yup there is somebody out there telling people to keep the resume short and down to two pages or less.
Whoever you are please SHUT UP!
I think the old conventional wisdom does not hold true for all job seekers. You see the idea of a short resume was born of the Postal and Fax era when resumes were hardcopy tree killing exercises in frustration for HR professionals who did not speak IT and were better suited for benefits questions and background checks. I might have pissed off a few HR folks, (sorry I mean no disrespect but if you remember those days your old like me and should have retired by now anyway). Work with me here for a minute and get out the old highlighters. I would like to step you through a few points and yellow and pink highlighters will come in handy as we proceed.
Let me start at the beginning so I can share some of my experience in this area. (I just love talking about me)My background is technical so I can often fill in some of the blanks missing in a technical resume that might otherwise be passed over. My work has become much easier since I have the distinct pleasure of being the CCIE Agent™ recruiting senior level network engineers, mostly CCIEs. If a CCIE’s resume is missing some detail I will get them on the phone and make sure we fill in the blanks. In fact I tell all my candidates to expect a resume review as our first step. Since there are so few CCIEs on the planet I handle every one of them very personally. It is important to remember that a resume can open doors or close them.
Where are the holes in your resume? Well let’s start with your current position and an example of a resume from one of the CCIEs that used to report to me.
NoBabble Communications (not the real name of the company)
NoBabble is a 20 Billion dollar telecommunications company. The TAC is responsible for monitoring, troubleshooting and reporting on over 16,000 client nodes located throughout the US.
- TAC - TIER 2/TEAM LEADER
- • Design, configure, and analyze large networks using various vendors and protocols.
- • Evaluate test equipment and configurations in the CSE lab as well as design and build internetworking scenarios for training purposes.
- • Proven ability to accomplish advanced troubleshooting on new or old problems with a high level of customer satisfaction. Perform case triage by assigning the problem to the individual with the best skills to address the case.
- • Make decisions concerning cases escalated by team members.
- • Responsible for reporting individual performance of team members.
- • Make recommendations to TAC manager for training
- • Accountable for the overall performance of the team.
- • Provide technical assistance and resolve problems for customers and field technicians for various network scenarios and outages.
- • Coordinate vendor meets and dispatching field techs to resolve mission critical issues.
- • Accountable for building, maintaining and enhancing good customer relationships.
- • Add new customers on SunNet Manager to provide fault and performance management.
- • Monitor and resolve network outages on SunNet Manager and accept maintenance calls for over 1200 customers.
- • Evaluate customer reports and make recommendations based on data collected.
ENVIRONMENT: Various Cisco 2500 and 7500 Routers, Cisco Catalyst 5500 and 6500 switches, Cisco PIX firewalls, Cisco Lightstream ATM switches, Bay Networks BRN, ARN Routers, Bay Networks Accelar switches, 3Com Routers, Gandalf Bridges and Ascend Bridges.
So if you look at this single entry in the resume you see there is a statement about the company followed by the responsibilities and then an environment statement.
What to include in a resume? In a word, EVERYTHING!
(WARNING! I know we are looking at the potential of creating a huge document at this point. But bear with me a little longer because some of this detail is going to emerge as more important than others and you will need the highlighters to help reduce the document.)
Yup really, you need to put it all down and remember the details things like industry, environment, a blurb about the company, size of the department and how it functioned as part of a bigger organization nationally or internationally. (I know it’s not all in my example but work with me here we are nearly done) Make an employer realize that as a network engineer you had a certain responsibility in your role and that role as a part of a larger enterprise was an integral part to a much larger picture. Then make a mention of the environment as a whole and your understanding of the composition of that environment. This gives a broader picture of your part in the enterprise and allows you to speak to other aspects you are conversant in because you might not have the chance to expand beyond your day-to-day role otherwise. The chance to discuss with an interviewer more than your daily routine is an awesome opportunity. You get a chance to let them know about some of the potential you bring to the table. A short resume will not always do that.
Now let’s look at the Technical Skills statement;
TECHNICAL SKILLS:
Telecommunications Hardware; Cisco Routers, Cisco Catalyst switches, Cisco Lightstream ATM switches, Cisco NetRanger IDS, Cisco PIX/FWSM/ASA, Broadsoft Broadworks platform, Nextone and Acme Packet Session Border Controllers (SBCs), Juniper/Netscreen ISG Firewalls, Nokia IP350 running Check Point firewall software, Polycom, Linksys and Cisco IP phones, Polycom Multipoint Control Unit (MCU) MGC-100, Polycom Viewstation FX, Polycom 4000 and Tandberg 1000 Video endpoints, Bay Networks Routers, Bay Networks Accelar switches, 3Com Routers, Timeplex Multiplexers/Routers, Racal-Milgo Modems, Vitalink Bridges, Gandalf Bridges, Ascend Bridges, N.E.T. Multiplexers, and Infotron Multiplexers.
Operating Systems: Windows, Solaris, UNIX, Linux.
Cisco IOS: Versions 9.x through 12.x
Programming Languages: Assembler, Pascal, Basic, COBOL, RPG III, Unisys Mapper, and C
Other Applications: Ethereal Network Analyzer software, Computer Associates Sniffer, Wandel & Goltermann DA-30 analyzer.
If you are sharp and have no dozed off yet you will have noticed something important here. Usually the Technical Skills statement is made before the actual roles you have held. It should be in that order in my opinion, so don’t think I am bucking the trend again. I just want to make a point. If you look at the two parts of this resume you will see some of the listed items under technical skills were mentioned again in the job role. I note this because so many resumes leave the listed details in the Technical Skills and do not mention them in the roles the candidate held in the employment history section.
Why?
I don’t know. I don’t think you’re stupid, I might make fun of you for it but I know you’re not stupid. Are you? Think about it as a chance to blow your own horn. In traffic you don’t toot it once do you? To get your point across to the idiot in the other car you blow it a couple of times. Then they turn and flip you the bird or the two finger salute, but guess what! You got their attention right? So like the horn analogy I just used, make sure you repeat the details that are important to the roles you have held before; toot your own horn because no one else will do it for you. (well sometimes I do it when talking to potential employers about you but it really is your job too) Please take a highlighter, make it the yellow one, and highlight the Technical Skills section or maybe you called this area Toys in your resume but I strongly urge the more mature use of the title of Technical Skills for this section.
Since I started building this resume backwards I guess I should end at the first item after your name, the Summary. You might want to use a Carre Goals or Objective instead but only if you are junior. If you use Career Goals or Objective then make a statement about what you are driven by to succeed in obtaining a stated goal. Keep is positive and short. A few sentences should do less than six. If however you are an experienced engineer or CCIE then use a Summary. You can still make a “When I grow up statement” too you just sell it differently. Here’s a good example of a bad objective statement and corrections;
Objective: To gain a high level of excellence in the implementing designing and maintenance of networks using Cisco products and to apply myself as an asset to handle challenging jobs that requires a complex understanding of network devices and protocols by constantly upgrading my skills to help increase company network stability and profit.
Maybe it should read;
Objective: To obtain a role within an organization that will allow me to build upon my current skills and training as a network engineer. My career objective includes becoming an integral part of a team responsible for implementation, designing and maintenance of networks using Cisco products.
Shorter and simpler but to the point and positive!
- Summary:
- • John Doe is a computer network professional with extensive knowledge and experience in configuration of routing and switching protocols, VoIP, Information Security, and IP Video.
- • His skills include customer support, technical staff training, team supervision/mentoring, project management, lab proof of concept, problem solving, client/vendor relations, and technical research/report writing
- • He has over 18 years of related design, testing, implementation and support.
This is a senior CCIE with over 12 years since his certification!
It does not have a when I grow up statement but it really does not need it. I am not a fan of bullets but as I tell folks all the time I am not worried about format as much as substance.
Now let’s look at the rest, education and training. Where should they go? Well if you are an upstart or greenhorn put it at the beginning of your resume somewhere. If you are long in the tooth then put it at the bottom. What about hobbies and interests? I am not a fan but I did have a guy win an interview once because he was a member of Toast Masters. So feel free to add this as well but be ready to put it way down at the bottom. Don’t lead in with it!
Pictures of your self are nice for sending to mommy or nana but in the USA it is unusual on a resume. In other countries I see them all the time. A photo of yourself should be in the attire you would go to an interview in. Yup not just any mug shot from the county sheriff’s office or a passport photo but a real nice one or don’t do it at all! If you are ugly stand away from the camera is you are attractive step closer!
What did I miss? Oh yeah, that all important CCIE emblem, the badge of honor, the sign you hang proudly up high. The CCIE emblem has changed you know. Really it now looks like a cross between a Budweiser beer label and a Greek crown of olive leaves. But you earned it damn it put it under or next to your name at the top of the first page. Don’t get carried away now and put it on every page or use it like a grey scale background for your entire resume. Be humble and proud just put it at the beginning of your resume.
Now if you have been creating a document as we went along and you have had more than three jobs in a ten year career you probably have a document competing with War and Peace. Now look at what you have and let’s delicately slice away a few things.
Yellow highlighters at the ready please. Early on I said you should include; “industry, environment, a blurb about the company, size of the department and how it functioned as part of a bigger organization nationally or internationally.” Well I sort of lied. Sorry but I had to do it. You were looking all CCIE attitudy and I had to keep the crickets quiet! Your work at a company may lend itself better to a good department statement more than an enterprise statement or your company is so well known you simply have to say its name like McDonalds. You don’t have to say McDonalds Billions and Billions served where the red haired clown dispenses fries etc… Get the point? So take the yellow highlighter and slice out the irrelevant bits now. Also maybe your mentioning of the larger environment is embarrassing or it does not exist because you were supporting a small company. No problem cut out the fairy tale you made up because you thought I wanted to see one!
Now about the page layout or format, I don’t really care! Really I don’t stop asking damn it! Unless you have created so many windows and cells that a scientist would have to link them to get your point. Remember don’t make your resume distracting! If the page is white that’s nice if your text is also white that’s dumb! Don’t be dumb!
Generally look at your resume, or CV (as the rest of the world is fond of calling them), and create one that looks better as an electronic document. If the recruiter is reading it only as a hard copy then they are dumb. It should be handled and used as an electronic document until the interview day. Then it will get printed and passed out to all those folks who are talking to you. So make sure it looks good in print to!
Now with a good resume you should begin thinking about where you want to send it. Make a wise choice about who to send it too.
“What am I supposed to do with the pink highlighter uncle Eman?”
Shut up! Well on the day of your interview you might need it to paint your forehead and cheeks to fake being sick. This way you can avoid using a vacation or personal day. Make sure it’s a highlighter and not a permanent marker so your interviewer won’t have to ask you embarrassing questions about your choice of make up! Really I did it once, but that’s a story for another day!
Now get back to work damn it!