and don't be texting your buddy, while sitting and waiting for the other apps. Looks really bad.
To all job seekers out there
- Thread starter debilorrah
- Start date
- Mar 25, 2007
- 1,310
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In my field, >2 pages is OK. Sometimes you need that many to list all your publications and awards.
Here's a different one: If you are submitting your resume electronically, online, make one that looks nice in ASCII (plain text, like Notepad). Separate paragraphs well, use asterisks for bullet-points, that sort of thing. When we get resumes forwarded from the HR software system, they are in ASCII and all that careful MS Word formatting goes straight to heck and becomes practically unreadable. I recently spent half an interview with a candidate trying to sort out the gobbledegook of her non-formatted resume, because everything became one long run-on sentence once the Word format was gone.
Attaching your resume as a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file to your cover letter email is also nice. Preserves the formatting a bit.
If you are from another country, even if you do happen to be fluent in the local language, get someone who is a local to help you with resume formatting. Outside the US, it is more normal to have short resumes that merely list job title and dates worked, with a very abbreviated "skills" section and perhaps one line of text per job to describe basic responsibilities. In the US, you're expected to write a short paragraph (preferably with bullet points for easy reading) bragging about your accomplishments in the position for every job. I have gotten many resumes from folks who are clearly not from the US, whose resumes can fit on a business card; yet, the job titles imply they have at least some skills not listed on the resume. I call a colleague at their current employer, who promptly tells me this person is highly skilled, yet from their resume I'd never know if they were any good or whether they can fit in at slightly-over-entry-level. Also, in the US, we don't put pictures, birthdays, or marital status on resumes. In Germany, apparently you do. Get familiar with the local custom and follow that.
And +1 to what Rhett&SarahsMom said about "smelling good": Enough of your countrymen and -women work here for me to know that a lack of bathing and dental hygiene is NOT a significant part of your culture. I don't care where you're from, have a bath and brush & floss your teeth before an interview.
Also, in the "I don't care where you're from" department, here in the US women have equal rights and may even be, you know, the hiring manager and stuff. Talk down to me or tell me to fetch you a cup of coffee, and you will be shown the door post-haste. This applies to foolish and backwards Americans as well--treat everyone you meet during an interview with the utmost respect, regardless of race, gender, longstanding feuds, etc. You'd think this would be obvious, that black people, Latinos, and women can be managers now, but apparently it isn't.
Here's a different one: If you are submitting your resume electronically, online, make one that looks nice in ASCII (plain text, like Notepad). Separate paragraphs well, use asterisks for bullet-points, that sort of thing. When we get resumes forwarded from the HR software system, they are in ASCII and all that careful MS Word formatting goes straight to heck and becomes practically unreadable. I recently spent half an interview with a candidate trying to sort out the gobbledegook of her non-formatted resume, because everything became one long run-on sentence once the Word format was gone.
Attaching your resume as a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file to your cover letter email is also nice. Preserves the formatting a bit.
If you are from another country, even if you do happen to be fluent in the local language, get someone who is a local to help you with resume formatting. Outside the US, it is more normal to have short resumes that merely list job title and dates worked, with a very abbreviated "skills" section and perhaps one line of text per job to describe basic responsibilities. In the US, you're expected to write a short paragraph (preferably with bullet points for easy reading) bragging about your accomplishments in the position for every job. I have gotten many resumes from folks who are clearly not from the US, whose resumes can fit on a business card; yet, the job titles imply they have at least some skills not listed on the resume. I call a colleague at their current employer, who promptly tells me this person is highly skilled, yet from their resume I'd never know if they were any good or whether they can fit in at slightly-over-entry-level. Also, in the US, we don't put pictures, birthdays, or marital status on resumes. In Germany, apparently you do. Get familiar with the local custom and follow that.
And +1 to what Rhett&SarahsMom said about "smelling good": Enough of your countrymen and -women work here for me to know that a lack of bathing and dental hygiene is NOT a significant part of your culture. I don't care where you're from, have a bath and brush & floss your teeth before an interview.
Also, in the "I don't care where you're from" department, here in the US women have equal rights and may even be, you know, the hiring manager and stuff. Talk down to me or tell me to fetch you a cup of coffee, and you will be shown the door post-haste. This applies to foolish and backwards Americans as well--treat everyone you meet during an interview with the utmost respect, regardless of race, gender, longstanding feuds, etc. You'd think this would be obvious, that black people, Latinos, and women can be managers now, but apparently it isn't.
colored paper is out too.
Wow. I do not envy that. 124 resumes is a LOT! I do agree that it would be nice to have feedback from the interviewer though. Around here I am sure they have rarely had that many people apply for most positions, a lot of times they will get 4-5 applicants. But even then they frequently dont ever call back. A few years ago when DH was job hunting almost NONE of the companies ever got back with him, except for the ones who wanted to hire him.
Quote:
I just have to say that I got so tired of the same thing that I got a red pen and started making corrections and sending them back. I actually interviewed the kid who made the corrections and sent it back.
Also another note to follow; Iron your clothes & put on a shirt with a collar even if the job doesn't require it.
You would be shocked at the number of people who can say " I showed up early, I had all the qulifications" etc.; but they didn't bother to iron their blouse.
I just have to say that I got so tired of the same thing that I got a red pen and started making corrections and sending them back. I actually interviewed the kid who made the corrections and sent it back.
Also another note to follow; Iron your clothes & put on a shirt with a collar even if the job doesn't require it.
You would be shocked at the number of people who can say " I showed up early, I had all the qulifications" etc.; but they didn't bother to iron their blouse.
- Thread starter
- #16
Katy I did that a few years ago - got a bug up my butt and redlined a bunch and sent them back.
- May 8, 2008
- 2,446
- 15
- 201
well I still have not heard back from the job I interviews with last Tuesday. So I am going with "didn't get the job"
I am disappointed. I have the skills and the experience. Felt I did well during the interview(s) But nothing.
One of the people from the staffing company I am also using, mentioned that my job history - that the last 7 years have been "in home" self employed situations and one short stint, due to lay off, at the salvage yard. Doesn't "show well"
She did say that she has already "sold" me to a company that is even interested in hiring me without a full "new hire class" coming in. Which is good. I just really wanted this job that I interviewed for last week. It was pretty much my dream job.
Again. A phone call, email or note letting me know they have gone with another candidate, would have been nice
I am disappointed. I have the skills and the experience. Felt I did well during the interview(s) But nothing.
One of the people from the staffing company I am also using, mentioned that my job history - that the last 7 years have been "in home" self employed situations and one short stint, due to lay off, at the salvage yard. Doesn't "show well"
She did say that she has already "sold" me to a company that is even interested in hiring me without a full "new hire class" coming in. Which is good. I just really wanted this job that I interviewed for last week. It was pretty much my dream job.
Again. A phone call, email or note letting me know they have gone with another candidate, would have been nice
- Thread starter
- #19
We are already preparing letters for those interviewed this morning. BAD stuff out there
- May 8, 2008
- 2,446
- 15
- 201
Quote:
"bad" as in under qualified? or bad as in "no jobs and too many applicants"? Both?
I have to admit I am holding hope for getting in with the husbands company come October when the other WFH(work from home) rep leaves for boot camp. But then again. I am praying to have a job by then and will NOT leave a job just to work for DHs company. I am loyal until I am messed with
"bad" as in under qualified? or bad as in "no jobs and too many applicants"? Both?
I have to admit I am holding hope for getting in with the husbands company come October when the other WFH(work from home) rep leaves for boot camp. But then again. I am praying to have a job by then and will NOT leave a job just to work for DHs company. I am loyal until I am messed with
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