http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Careers/Resumes A listing of the most recently indexed works about Careers and Resumes in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Careers/Resumes http://tc.eserver.org/35698.html http://tc.eserver.org/35698.html You probably know by now that LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool for personal branding and executive job search. In case you don’t, get busy immediately building your branded profile, connecting with people, expressing your executive brand, and leveraging LinkedIn to full advantage. But don’t make these 20 mistakes. http://tc.eserver.org/35136.html http://tc.eserver.org/35136.html Can job references play an active role in shaping your career plans? Would you consider your references as part of your personal and professional network? Although most professionals may respond with a resounding 'Yes, of course!' to these questions, I realized that many of my students were skeptical about job references. To counter this, and to help improve their chances in the job market, I designed a multistep assignment that expanded students' understanding of job references and required them to identify persons who were potential job references and members of their career network. This article provides the details for the assignment. http://tc.eserver.org/34992.html http://tc.eserver.org/34992.html This article questions how professional communication genres already well established in print form have been changing as they are transplanted into digital media like the Web. Whereas some technology-oriented genre research has sought how a new medium provides genres with new technological features, this article argues that a more insightful approach would seek how a new medium, together with its users, provides genres with new rhetorical situations. To operationally define rhetorical situations, I adapt Lloyd Bitzer's three situational dimensions of exigence, audience, and constraints. Then, to illustrate how the new rhetorical situations of the Web can influence a genre, I explore the genre of the résumé. Drawing on a survey of 100 Web résumé authors and an analysis of their sites, I show that as each of the three dimensions of the résumé's traditional rhetorical situation has opened itself to greater diversity on the Web, the Web version of the résumé genre has correspondingly reoriented itself. Hence, genres change in response not just to the new medium's technology per se but to the new rhetorical situations that the medium hosts. http://tc.eserver.org/34815.html http://tc.eserver.org/34815.html To date, business communication scholars and textbook writers have encouraged résumé rhetoric that accommodates technology, for example, recommending keyword-enhancing techniques to attract the attention of searchbots: customized search engines that allow companies to automatically scan résumés for relevant keywords. However, few scholars have discussed the ethical implications of adjusting résumé keywords for the sole purpose of increasing searchbot hits. As the résumé genre has evolved over the past century, strategies of résumé “padding” have likewise evolved, at each stage violating one of four maxims of the Cooperative Principle. Direct factual misrepresentation violates the maxim of quality and is of course discouraged, but résumé writers have turned in succession to violations of manner (formatting tricks) and then more recently to violations of quantity and/or relevance with deceptive keywording techniques. The authors conclude by suggesting several techniques to business communication instructors that may encourage students to create more ethically sound résumés. http://tc.eserver.org/34830.html http://tc.eserver.org/34830.html This article reports the results of a survey of employers' preferences for résumé style, résumé delivery method, and cover letters. Employers still widely prefer the standard chronological résumé, with only 3% desiring a scannable résumé. The vast majority of employers prefer electronic delivery, either by email (46%) or at the company's Web site (38%), with only 7% preferring a paper copy. Cover letters are preferred by a majority (56%). Preferences regarding résumé style and cover letters were independent of national (USA) vs. multinational geographic range, company size, type of industry, or respondent's job function. Smaller companies prefer résumé delivery by email, and human resources workers prefer delivery using the company's Web site. http://tc.eserver.org/34387.html http://tc.eserver.org/34387.html The most effective and powerful resumes provide analytical, precise detail about your background and achievements. In fact, resume writing has a strong correlation to technical writing in that both styles demand extreme precision. In fact, most readers of your resume will assume that what you show on paper correlates strongly to what you can do for your next employer. http://tc.eserver.org/34296.html http://tc.eserver.org/34296.html Ryan Dougherty made a video résumé and decided whenever he applied for a job online that he would upload a cover letter with a link to the video instead of a standard resume. Bingo! Not only did employers start calling, but he ended up landing a job as budget manager and assistant to the dean of the University of San Francisco’s nursing school in March. He believes the video resume set him apart. http://tc.eserver.org/34303.html http://tc.eserver.org/34303.html Whether you are a web designer or a copy writer, if you’re going to freelance, you need to learn how to look your best on a job application. Having worked on both sides of job applications, I’ve seen enough to recognize what gets a person through to the interview and what gets their applications tossed. http://tc.eserver.org/34215.html http://tc.eserver.org/34215.html If you avoid these all-too-common mistakes that can be found in résumés for all kinds of IT positions, you'll boost your chance of landing the job. http://tc.eserver.org/34115.html http://tc.eserver.org/34115.html So you’ve labored with sweat and tears writing your résumé, and now you’re all set to turn it into a magnificently designed creation. Unfortunately, with the freedom of modern computers and fancy software, comes huge opportunities for abuse. When it comes to résumés, both non-designers and professional designers commit some almost unforgivable sins. Here are the 7 deadly sins of résumé design and how to repent. http://tc.eserver.org/34030.html http://tc.eserver.org/34030.html Most hiring managers, and I am no exception, take a couple of passes when reviewing résumés. The first pass eliminates people who are clearly not what I am looking for. I try to answer two questions: first, are this person’s qualifications even in the ballpark for the job, and second, can he or she write at least well enough to create a competent résumé? Answering the first of these questions is not hard, but it does require that you understand the job requirements thoroughly and read the résumé closely. http://tc.eserver.org/33597.html http://tc.eserver.org/33597.html A resume tells a prospective employer what you have done and how your experience makes you the best candidate for an open position. A marketing plan, on the other hand, guides you in selecting the best position for your skills and experience. A resume explains what you did – a marketing plan captures what you want. You want to precisely define the target market for your job search so that you do not waste time – yours or your interviewer’s. http://tc.eserver.org/32801.html http://tc.eserver.org/32801.html Resumes play an important role when applying for a job. Unfortunately, many applicants focus only on the content of the resume and not the appearance. The typeface chosen to display the resume not only influences the physical appearance, but also influences how an employer may view the applicant. In this study, resumes displayed in a high appropriate typeface (Corbel), resulted in the applicant being perceived as more knowledgeable, mature, experienced, professional, believable, and trustworthy than when displayed in a neutral typeface (Tempus Sans) or low appropriate typeface (Vivaldi). Moreover, the applicant was more likely to be called for an interview when their resume was displayed in a high appropriate typeface than a neutral or low appropriate typeface. http://tc.eserver.org/32658.html http://tc.eserver.org/32658.html At its core, building an online portfolio is much the same as any other design brief—the only difference is that you are your own client. So as with any design brief, it’s best to begin by asking yourself, “who is my target audience?” Let’s look at two types of portfolios. http://tc.eserver.org/32484.html http://tc.eserver.org/32484.html How to write a cover letter. http://tc.eserver.org/31923.html http://tc.eserver.org/31923.html Although we are allowed to put more into a cover letter than can appear on a magazine cover, the challenge is still to keep it succinct. In fact, writing something that is powerful and yet short is the single most difficult kind of business writing. You already know that although it's easy to go on and on in a company memorandum, saying the same thing in half the space can make your work twice as powerful. http://tc.eserver.org/31934.html http://tc.eserver.org/31934.html How do I present my academic experience and background in a way which won't turn employers off? I've found lots of example CVs on the Web, but none that shows how to promote postdocing to the "outside world". http://tc.eserver.org/31924.html http://tc.eserver.org/31924.html Resume and CV writing is a huge subject, and thousands of books have been written about it. My goal in this column is to give you a brief refresher on some of the most common concerns that you may have regarding the preparation of your own personal "marketing materials." And please don't be put off by that description. Despite the low regard you may have for sales and marketing, it is exactly this job that a resume or CV needs to do when it arrives at its destination. http://tc.eserver.org/31935.html http://tc.eserver.org/31935.html In this column I'll give you my strategy for preparing a CV and point you towards useful resources, but first of all let me assume that you are planning to start your career within the UK job market. CV styles vary across the world. http://tc.eserver.org/31919.html http://tc.eserver.org/31919.html It's your main marketing tool -- and a sink for potentially endless tweaking and anxiety. Here's some advice from our experts on how to put together that all-important résumé/CV (and its frequent traveling companion, the cover letter). http://tc.eserver.org/31920.html http://tc.eserver.org/31920.html Writing a bad résumé is easy. Writing a good résumé is hard. It will take time and many drafts. Because research scientists are often targeting several very different career paths simultaneously, it is important to have several different résumés that accent different skills. http://tc.eserver.org/31926.html http://tc.eserver.org/31926.html Competition is tight and readers are right to be concerned. But the numbers sound scarier than they really are. http://tc.eserver.org/31925.html http://tc.eserver.org/31925.html Many people start on their resume by worrying about fonts and spacing. Unless you get the wording down perfectly first, you will only be creating more work for yourself. http://tc.eserver.org/31929.html http://tc.eserver.org/31929.html Curriculum vitae (CVs) tell the stories of the professional lives of university scientists, documenting their careers and showcasing their accomplishments. A well-crafted CV can help a job applicant land an interview--instead of having her materials shredded or buried in a file. The CV is no less important for scientists with tenure and no intention of changing jobs, because it is an essential part of any application for grants, awards, and promotions. It should, therefore, be kept up-to-date at every academic career stage. http://tc.eserver.org/31921.html http://tc.eserver.org/31921.html I may sound unorthodox when I say that you really don’t need to be all that concerned about writing the perfect CV or résumé. If you are interested in an industry job, you want your CV to open doors as it gets routed from person to person inside an organization. But you also want it to represent you accurately when you make a good networking connection. http://tc.eserver.org/31933.html http://tc.eserver.org/31933.html Usually, a resumé will show a chronology of a professional career that is almost continuous. But what if the unexpected happens, and you are left with a "resumé hole"? A resumé hole is a large period of unaccounted time in your resumé. http://tc.eserver.org/31932.html http://tc.eserver.org/31932.html Your curriculum vitae cover letter is both an introduction and a sales pitch. It should show what sets this individual apart from all others, advises Professor Jeffrey Stansbury, chair of the faculty search committee at the Department of Craniofacial Biology of the University of Colorado School of Dentistry in Denver. Like any good sales pitch, your cover letter should motivate the customer to learn more about the product--in this case, you. http://tc.eserver.org/31771.html http://tc.eserver.org/31771.html Almost all technical writing benefits from the technique of persuasion. Grants and proposals must have persuasive elements to be effective; operating instructions should convince customers that they have bought the best product for the job; hospital literature should assure patients that they have chosen the most well-equipped place to recover from surgery; cover letters (and all correspondence with a prospective employer or client) should leave no doubt in the employer's mind about your excellent qualifications for the job or assignment under discussion. http://tc.eserver.org/31008.html http://tc.eserver.org/31008.html Most resumes circulating in cyberspace and on paper are terrible and actually do more harm than good for the prospective job seeker. How can you avoid resume mistakes? http://tc.eserver.org/31009.html http://tc.eserver.org/31009.html How do you know which resume format is right for you? Using the right kind of resume is important--whether you are wanting to emphasize specific aspects or deemphasize them. http://tc.eserver.org/30363.html http://tc.eserver.org/30363.html I did a presentation recently at a local college, and the students had a lot of questions about resumes and cover letters. Below are some helpful tips. http://tc.eserver.org/30321.html http://tc.eserver.org/30321.html The résumé is the key to landing a job initially, and then to advancing in the profession. So, let's consider the elements that go towards composing the ideal résumé. http://tc.eserver.org/30340.html http://tc.eserver.org/30340.html Provide your boss and the personnel department with a copy of your resume each time you update it. They will be interested to learn about any educational or training programs you've completed, changes in your current job responsibilities, new professional or civic organizations you've joined and any technical skills you've acquired since starting your current job. A resume should also reflect special accomplishments and your on-the-job performance record. http://tc.eserver.org/30304.html http://tc.eserver.org/30304.html The guide contained here is intended to help you on your quest to create a good, usable resume. I don't promise you that you will get a job after following my advice, but it will get you a lot closer to your goal. http://tc.eserver.org/29581.html http://tc.eserver.org/29581.html Keep it simple and easy to read. Do not overuse bold or italic lettering. When sending via e-mail, remember everyone may not have the same equipment/programs that you do. http://tc.eserver.org/29340.html http://tc.eserver.org/29340.html Your resume could be hurting your chances of landing a new job. Columnist Jeff Davis shares some advice for making sure your resume is one that hiring managers will read. http://tc.eserver.org/29339.html http://tc.eserver.org/29339.html Never assume that hiring managers don't look at cover letters, even when you apply for a job via e-mail. Use this outline to make sure you include the right information in your cover letter. http://tc.eserver.org/29102.html http://tc.eserver.org/29102.html This article suggests ways of writing a truly effective cover letter, an extremely important document in the search for a job. First, features gleaned from 13 model letters in technical writing textbooks yield figures on the number of words, sentences, and paragraphs per letter, plus the average number of words per sentence and paragraph, information helpful to those with little or no knowledge of how to write a strong cover letter. Second, the article surveys what the textbook writers offer as advice about the rhetorical principles that should be employed in composing cover letters. One piece of advice given by almost all of the experts is that writers should try to exude an energetic attitude, yet these same authorities do not delineate just how to display such a posture in the letters themselves. Third, examination of the letters reveals that one way that experts insert verve into cover letters is to use verbals, particularly gerunds, participles, and infinitives. In fact, 92.58% of the sentences in the 13 model letters have some type of verbal in them. The advantage of employing verbals is that while they are used for other parts of speech, they still retain the residue of action in their meaning. Fourth, the article describes the results of a survey to determine the acceptance of such constructions in the minds of two sets of readers: first-year writing students and third-year technical writing students. In both groups, more than 75% of the students preferred a paragraph with verbals in it over a paragraph devoid of verbals. Finally, the article suggests "sentence combining" as a procedure for teaching technical writing students how to combine basic sentences into verbals to garner variety and economy, one of the hallmarks of technical writing. http://tc.eserver.org/28863.html http://tc.eserver.org/28863.html In the nineties, if an employer took one glance at your résumé and started to fall in love with you, it probably had a lot to do with your long list of software tool skills. Nowadays, most employers couldn't care less about tools. It's all about industry experience. http://tc.eserver.org/27964.html http://tc.eserver.org/27964.html A selection of writing samples for cover letters, CVs and resumes. http://tc.eserver.org/26593.html http://tc.eserver.org/26593.html The one-page MBA résumé has become, in graduate management education, the self-representational document of choice. Sentences are out, bullets are in, details remain. The key is how to detail the bullet to describe, define, and deliver, in non-narrative form, professional achievements and accomplishments. In this paper, I examine samples of raw quasi-narrative descriptions and suggest restyled improvements for single-line bullets that more clearly, precisely, and effectively represent how authors describe their achievements. The raw data come from a data set of some 400 résumés submitted as a task in a studio-based broadcast course on business communication. The authors are mid-level managers in Latin America enrolled in a global MBA program. The paper examines the content and form of the objective, summary, and professional experience sections of the résumé and provides a set of tips for written language use in the résumé. http://tc.eserver.org/24707.html http://tc.eserver.org/24707.html Resumes may seem like something of a mundane topic, but after spending the last few weeks wading through resumes from software developers, it is clear to me that most developers need help with their resumes. This impression is backed up by many past resume reading experiences. While I have come across very few truly awful resumes, the majority of the resumes I have read in the last week have been substandard. Only a few have been what I would call really well done. http://tc.eserver.org/24237.html http://tc.eserver.org/24237.html This workshop combines demonstrations and exercises to help you revise your resume so that your past presents a persuasive argument for your career objectives. You can fully participate in this workshop even if you do not bring a copy of your resume. Those who bring a resume can use it for some of the workshop exercises. http://tc.eserver.org/24171.html http://tc.eserver.org/24171.html The difficult conditions in today’s tight job market provide a silver lining for those who teach technical writing. This urgent environment makes it easier to demonstrate the practical value of writing skills to students developing résumés and letters of application. http://tc.eserver.org/23680.html http://tc.eserver.org/23680.html Resumes. We know we need one. Most of use have one. But are we using our resumes to showcase what we can do, and to put our skills and talents in the best light? We can agree that a resume contains information about our work histories. It is often used by potential employers to pick a short list of candidates to interview for a job. In other words, it is often used by potential employers to screen out most of the candidates they decide aren’t qualified enough to make the short list. So how do you use a resume to your advantage? http://tc.eserver.org/22760.html http://tc.eserver.org/22760.html When you're applying for a faculty position with a college or university, the cover letter is your first chance to make a strong impression as a promising researcher and teacher. Below you'll find some strategies for presenting your qualifications effectively in an academic context. http://tc.eserver.org/22758.html http://tc.eserver.org/22758.html These are some words commonly used to describe your skills on your resume. http://tc.eserver.org/22759.html http://tc.eserver.org/22759.html This handout offers advice making informed design choices in creating a resume. We also have a sample resume that uses these design principles. http://tc.eserver.org/22757.html http://tc.eserver.org/22757.html A scannable resume can be scanned into a computer using the latest document imaging technology, allowing employers to search for applicants. It is a personal summary of your professional history and qualifications. It includes information about your goals, education, work experience, activities, honors, and any special skills you might have. http://tc.eserver.org/22034.html http://tc.eserver.org/22034.html Your resume must persuasively answer at least four key questions to win the interview. http://tc.eserver.org/22040.html http://tc.eserver.org/22040.html A template for technical writers developing new personal resumes. http://tc.eserver.org/22038.html http://tc.eserver.org/22038.html A list of verbs one should consider when writing a resume. http://tc.eserver.org/22035.html http://tc.eserver.org/22035.html Select a high quality paper. Standard bond, office, or copy paper is not the answer here. A 100 percent cotton fiber or other high quality paper is essential. http://tc.eserver.org/22033.html http://tc.eserver.org/22033.html Although there may be a dozen books out there that say something to the contrary or offer 'The' correct resume format, there really is no universally accepted template. A little common sense and some wordsmithing will go a long way to making an effective resume, irrespective of what format you choose. http://tc.eserver.org/22037.html http://tc.eserver.org/22037.html It’s simple…Don’t lie! Don’t embellish! It’s not only unethical, but eventually you’ll get caught. You may get away with it for a time, but it will catch up with you. Whether technical skills, training, or particular accomplishments, keep it honest. It’ll work better for you. http://tc.eserver.org/22036.html http://tc.eserver.org/22036.html Resumes should be written in language that is as plain and simple to read as possible. Don’t use a lot of jargon that may or may not be understood by your prospective employer. Avoid overusing buzzwords or slang. http://tc.eserver.org/21263.html http://tc.eserver.org/21263.html Everyone knows that your resume is one of the most useful marketing tools you have in a job search, and this is particularly true for technical communicators. Your resume not only presents your education, skills, and experience, but also provides a writing sample. In this workshop, you will learn how to develop a professional, eye-catching resume that will get you job interviews. Attendees should bring at least three copies of their resume with them to the workshop. http://tc.eserver.org/21205.html http://tc.eserver.org/21205.html Team Webmonkey reveals where to look for Web jobs, how to tweak your e-résumé, and the best way to interview. http://tc.eserver.org/20496.html http://tc.eserver.org/20496.html This chapter focus on business correspondence-general format and style for business letters as well as specific types of business letters. http://tc.eserver.org/20372.html http://tc.eserver.org/20372.html The best portfolio addresses the most tangible skills, domain expertise and tools skills. Here are our guidelines for creating a winning personal portfolio. http://tc.eserver.org/20329.html http://tc.eserver.org/20329.html Your resume is the first sample of your writing that a manager sees. If your resume is fatally flawed, you might not get an interview. Writing a resume involves determining what to emphasize to potential employers; building a convincing case for your qualifications through how you document your education, skills, and experience; and presenting your resume professionally. http://tc.eserver.org/20140.html http://tc.eserver.org/20140.html Demonstrates how technical communicators can create achievement-based résumés that emphasize past accomplishments and future potential. http://tc.eserver.org/19630.html http://tc.eserver.org/19630.html Employers read resumes in order to find evidence that a particular applicant is well qualified for a particular job. Experience, education, training, and personal qualities relevant to the job are all important. The resume should describe what has led the applicant to where he or she is now. http://tc.eserver.org/19631.html http://tc.eserver.org/19631.html Many employers look for creativity and imagination when the job calls for it. However, it is best to aim for a professional, neat, and organized look for your resume. If you are applying for a job that requires radical creativity, you can always include a portfolio of your wildest, most unbusinesslike work! http://tc.eserver.org/19628.html http://tc.eserver.org/19628.html I regularly ask my students to submit resumes early in the semester. Here are the top 5 problems that typically cause stress for my students (and me) on resumes. http://tc.eserver.org/15185.html http://tc.eserver.org/15185.html Lists ten common mistakes in resumes and ten suggestions for improvement based on his experience as a hiring manager. The article includes a sidebar on how to write effective cover letters. http://tc.eserver.org/14948.html http://tc.eserver.org/14948.html As a hiring manager and instructor, I've seen many resumes and taught hundreds of students on how to write an impressive resume. What I find most remarkable about resumes is when they exhibit simplicity and clarity. In this article, I propose some basics for getting the attention of a hiring manager by showing how you can showcase your skills, experience and talents using simple resume basics. http://tc.eserver.org/14940.html http://tc.eserver.org/14940.html I recently posted a message to a popular usability discussion list to learn more about usability-oriented resumes and portfolios. I come from a technical background and my résumé lists common technologies and software. I am interested in creating a version of my resume with a focus on usability, so I wondered what types of information usability practitioners list on their resumes, as well as what usability employers look for. I was also looking for advice regarding online portfolios. Do people prefer online to paper? What types of work should I include? I received a lot of great responses. Everyone believes having an online resume and portfolio is important. Several people said it is important to tailor your resume and portfolio for each job opportunity. I agree with that, but would add that it is important to maintain a comprehensive version of both online, and then tailor the printed versions for each job. http://tc.eserver.org/14754.html http://tc.eserver.org/14754.html Drake discusses the three objectives of cover letters to work applications. http://tc.eserver.org/14746.html http://tc.eserver.org/14746.html Smith, a former resume writer for a professional resume-writing franchise, demonstrates ways to improve the usability of resumes. http://tc.eserver.org/14477.html http://tc.eserver.org/14477.html Scannable resumes are frequently requested. They are scanned into a database and pulled up through keyword searches. Use left justification for everything and use the dreaded ALL CAPS for headings. When you are done, pray that you can redeem yourself with a properly formatted resume at your interview. http://tc.eserver.org/14293.html http://tc.eserver.org/14293.html The Career Center: Writing a Resume section contains information that can be helpful when you are preparing to write a resume. http://tc.eserver.org/14294.html http://tc.eserver.org/14294.html The Career Center: Writing a Resume Effective Scannable Resumes section contains information that can be helpful when you are preparing to write a resume. It discusses how many companies are using OCR scanning to pick keywords out of a resume and enter them into a database. This section can help you write your resume so it will allow for effective scanning. http://tc.eserver.org/14143.html http://tc.eserver.org/14143.html An annotated sample cover letter for applying for a tech comm position. http://tc.eserver.org/10784.html http://tc.eserver.org/10784.html This sixty-one slide presentation takes job seekers through a comprehensive interactive workshop about the drafting and desigining of their resume sections, including the contact information, the objective statement, the education section, the experience section, and the honors and activities section. http://tc.eserver.org/10761.html http://tc.eserver.org/10761.html Your Resume contains general information about building an effective resume such as overall organization, font selection, and a rationale for resumes. http://tc.eserver.org/10781.html http://tc.eserver.org/10781.html This 40- to 45-minute presentation is designed to help students develop their resumes and attract the attention of prospective employers. This presentation covers methods for developing each section of the resume and is well-suited to any person preparing documents for the job search process. http://tc.eserver.org/10782.html http://tc.eserver.org/10782.html This presentation is designed to assist students in learning the various methods for crafting a technologically correct document that will be successfully translated into a potential employer's database. This workshop is ideal for students who are nearing the time when they will be ready to apply for jobs or internships and need to tailor their resume for scanning. http://tc.eserver.org/10068.html http://tc.eserver.org/10068.html Cover letters can mean the difference between your work being read and being tossed callously into the nearest wastebasket. Writing cover letters makes me feel stupid and small, as though I were begging some faceless entity (read: editor) to acknowledge my pitiful existence. http://tc.eserver.org/10024.html http://tc.eserver.org/10024.html This article offers advice to technical writers about what to inlclude on their resumés, in order to get attention when applying for positions.