Resume question

["S.North" <north -at- HGL -dot- SIGNAAL -dot- NL>]

Normally I try to tailor my CV for each position, rather than have a standard
'cover-all' version (the ability to change text quickly and easily is,
after all, one of the strengths of DTP). If an employer has stated a specific
requirement then I will try to address it directly, and then mention the most
well-known applications that I know run on his platform (there isn't much
point, for instance, in citing DSR experience if s/he doesn't have VAX/VMS).
Otherwise, I just mention generics (vi, edt) or just the most significant
packages (Ventura, PageMaker, FrameMaker). I do, however, mention specific
tools in connection with the particular jobs I have done. I think it really is
important to try and work out what the employer is looking for (a few
telephone calls can work wonders).

Having sat on 'both sides of the table', I can safely say that it is no fun
for either party involved. Recently, I was hired in to recruit staff for a
publications department for a new software company. I placed one advert in two
newpapers and had more than 40 CV's to plough through, on top of trying to
keep on top of the work myself. What was important to me then was a
willingness to learn and enthusiasm more than anything else (we didn't hope to
find anyone with relevant domain experience - distributed database systems and
management/executive information systems).

Generally, I was both appalled and ashamed at the low standard of content
and, in particular, the low standard of presentation. [About 10 years ago,
my EDP manager said that he wouldn't even *look* at a CV from a potential
programmer that wasn't done on a word processor; I'm now inclined to feel the
same about potential authors who don't use at least a basic DTP package.]

In the end, despite some *very* highly qualified and widely experienced
applicants, we agreed on two young americans straight out of college. They had
never used the packages we were using (FrameMaker on MACs) but they did have a
reasonable selection to offer and, from my own experience, once you've learnt
the basics of two, learning a third, fourth and n'th becomes a basic skill.

================================ Unclassified ==================================
Simon JJ North BA EngTech FISTC                 Consultant, Communication of
north -at- hgl -dot- signaal -dot- nl                            Technical Information
Tel: (+31)-(0)74-483533 (work)                  Quality Group
     (+31)-(0)5490-28623 (home)                 Software Research & Development
--------------------------------                Hollandse Signaalapparaten BV
The opinions expressed do not                   PO Box 42, 7550 GD  Hengelo
represent those of my employer.                 The Netherlands.
================================ Unclassified ==================================