Job Tips For Geeks: I will read your résumé unless it’s 10 pages, but (just as you didn’t want to write your résumé) I really don’t want to read your résumé. To put it another way, I don’t want to read it because I must in order to make a yes/no decision. Ideally, I can decide to speak to you based on a few sentences in the body of an email/application, and then primarily read the résumé to prepare for our initial dialogue and use it as a framework during the call. Give me a few sentences to make me want to have that talk.
7 comments:
As someone who is currently applying for summer internships and jobs, this article was very useful. While I have read many articles on the Green Page about how to effectively write resumes and cover letters, this article was a bit different in a good way. The author of this article doesn't even try to tell you how to write a good resume, because they do not really want to read it at all. It is refreshing to read some tips that seem really genuine. Also, many people, when applying to jobs, do not think about the details that go with applying somewhere, such as what you write in the body of the email when you send your materials in. While it is the standard that companies read resumes and cover letters to make decisions on applicants, this article proves that some employers do not go this far, and the emails you send can in fact impact a company's decision on hiring you.
This article seemed to be pretty useful for someone who is in need or in the process of applying for jobs. I agreed with the writer that a resume should not be a laundry list, and more so of a introduction/ conversation starter to an opportunity. Yes, we have to prove we are qualified for the job, but sometimes a 5 page resume with a 2 page essay on why you should get the job is not always the way to go.
This article was interesting since I am currently applying to and looking for internships this summer. I completely agree that a resume should not be the only thing that determines whether or not I get the job or not. I am lucky enough to have had some work experience, but I have never worked at the caliber of companies that I am currently applying to. I am nervous that when companies get my resume they wont see any big names and then will completely disregard me without a second glance. I think that a cover letter and an interest in the company can be so much more valuable than a piece of paper that is almost a laundry list. I know that my experiences in the school of drama and at Carnegie Mellon play just as much of a part in how I will conduct myself professionally. Hopefully this article proves true for all the internships I am applying to!
This article is the most helpful article related to creating a resume and cover letter and applying to jobs that i have read on this blog. The article explained what employers want and feel they want rather than tell me the standard common sense things. I feel like this article was written very much in the " Tell it to me straight" attitude. I really appreciate that he doesn't give you a format to follow but rather an idea of how you should go about things.
While I'd be careful about assuming that the details (cover letter formatting, etc) don't matter, I appreciate the author's view on what makes him or her more likely to take the interview process further. I must say that, as someone who did a first pass at resume's at my job this summer, a lot of his tips are pretty consistent with what I experienced. I was more likely to take a second look at people who included a cover letter/email of some kind, especially one that felt sincere and passionate about our organization specifically. I was also more attracted to candidates who, rather than speaking just about what they would gain from a position, talked about how their experiences (and even lack thereof sometimes) would benefit the position and our organization.
I like what the author had to say about cover letters and what to include with them. I have always had a difficult time with and never really enjoyed writing cover letters for job positions, though I do understand the necessity. The authors tips and formula for a cover letter is a good supplement for the career centers examples to help write a cover letter for many jobs. All of this being said, you still need to look into a company and get a feel for the atmosphere and who will be looking at your application and write it accordingly.
I wrote the article. My blog notified me it was posted here. Glad people have found it useful. All recruiters aren't the same, but these tips should help most people get the conversation started.
I've got lots of articles of job search and career advice as well as a book, so feel free to see jobtipsforgeeks.com for more content.
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