Re: Having fun with your resume - good idea/bad idea

[yehoshua paul <ysp10182 -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Dana wrote:
"As someone who hires tech writers, software testers, and software support
personnel, I have no time for games or "cutesy" resumes. Send me a
well-organized resume that effectively highlights your skills and
experience, and accomplish it without typos. THAT would get my attention."
Before I apply for a job, any job, I always do research into the company
that I am applying to. This includes, for example, using LinkedIn to see if
there is anyone I know who works in the company, reading the company blog,
checking out their website, etc.

My default choice is to send in a traditional resume that is tailored to
the company and to the position I am applying for. However, sometimes I
encounter companies (like the one I reference in my article) where more is
encouraged and even expected. If I were to apply to a position at that
company I would probably supplement my resume with a video, or send in a
Star Wars crawl resume. If I were to apply to a position at Dana's company,
I would never even consider this option, and I'd make sure to edit my
resume thoroughly before sending it in.

Comments until now, on all the forums that I have posted have been pretty
mixed. There is a slight majority leaning towards the traditional resume,
but more than one employer has openly written that supplementing a resume
with something creative makes the candidate stand out positively.

My personal recommendation, before taking any risks, do your research first.
Yehoshua Paul,
Your friendly neighbourhood technical writer


On Tue, Sep 4, 2012 at 6:12 PM, Dana Worley <dana -at- campbellsci -dot- com> wrote:

> As someone who hires tech writers, software testers, and software support
> personnel, I have no time for games or "cutesy" resumes. Send me a
> well-organized resume that effectively highlights your skills and
> experience, and accomplish it without typos. THAT would get my attention.
>
> 2 cents,
>
> Dana W.
>
> ****************************
> Dana Worley
> Product Manager, Software Products
> Campbell Scientific, Inc.
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> I have heard from more than one person (including the CEO of a technical
> writing agency, which I link to in the article) that they expect potential
> candidates to stand out. Supplementing a resume with something like video,
> or even Star Wars crawl is one way to do so, and an almost guaranteed way
> to land an interview and then a job.
>
>
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