On resumes, job descriptions and hiatuses (Kilala.nl (Cailin Coilleach)) by Cailin Coilleach

Over the past few weeks I've been updating my resume, just to make sure it makes a good impression. I'd been using the same resume for three years now and have never changed much about the format, nor the layout. I guess I'd gotten so used to doing it this way, that in my eyes it was The Right Way(tm). Just to be sure, I asked the guys in the Ars Technica boardroom subforum for their opinions. Let's just say that I had a lot of work to do! ^_^;

In the version 3.x format of my resume I'd posted all of my technical skills at the jobs where they'd been used. Ie, Solaris was to be found with every client, Nagions was listed with client X and Tivoli was listed with client Y. And so forth. The job descriptions that came with each of these jobs were also rather bland.

With version 4.x I moved all the technical skills into a section of their own, thus removing clutter and making things more legible. I also changed the job descriptions in such a way that they didn't just list the basic/obvious stuff. Rather, each description would focus on some of the achievements I made at each client.

This prompted an interesting question from one of the Ars subscribers:

Your second period (top of second page) is exceptionally content free. Apparently you were in a lot of meetings with some other people. Compare this section to the next. It almost looks as if you took a demotion, or were on vacation.

In this case, LordFrith is comparing the work that I do at $CLIENT with the work at $PREVIOUS-CLIENT. He remarks that it seems that I'm doing much less ambitious work and wonders whether I was demoted; and rightly so!

Yes, the work I'm doing at $CLIENT is little more than basic systems administration. I go through our daily routine and don't have many "exciting" projects. This isn't a matter of demotion, but a matter of consulting (detachering in dutch): sometimes you get an exciting job and sometimes you just do normal, dull work.

So why did I stick with this unchallenging work? Why didn't I ask for a heavier project which'd shine on my resume? Because at the time I was still going to school :) For the past year I've held two full-time jobs (2x 30h a week) simultaneously: one during the day and one during the night. By staying with a client where the workload is light I've allowed myself the room I needed to work on my second BSc degree.

Anywho... I'm really happy with all the feedback given by the Ars folks. With their help, my resume's improved a lot.

Posted in: demotion , description , job , resume , school