Resume, limit past experience at what point?
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One of the topics in the Lounge today, got me thinking about past experiences, bring up a question. When you build your resume, at what point do you chop off your work experience, that is past projects? Back a few years ago in an interview, the company mentioned that a major point on my resume was the listing of a past project (over a decade old at that time) where I build simple point of sale systems in C++ under MS DOS. They designed point of sale systems and this would somewhat relate to them, but it was no where near the scale of application that they handled. I normally would adjust a resume with the types of project which would apply to the company, but at what point do you cut them off? You might leave out just the project they needed to know about.
Rocky <>< Blog Post: LINQ - Disconnected-Attach, no change tracking fix.. Tech Blog Post: Cheap Biofuels and Synthetics coming soon?
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One of the topics in the Lounge today, got me thinking about past experiences, bring up a question. When you build your resume, at what point do you chop off your work experience, that is past projects? Back a few years ago in an interview, the company mentioned that a major point on my resume was the listing of a past project (over a decade old at that time) where I build simple point of sale systems in C++ under MS DOS. They designed point of sale systems and this would somewhat relate to them, but it was no where near the scale of application that they handled. I normally would adjust a resume with the types of project which would apply to the company, but at what point do you cut them off? You might leave out just the project they needed to know about.
Rocky <>< Blog Post: LINQ - Disconnected-Attach, no change tracking fix.. Tech Blog Post: Cheap Biofuels and Synthetics coming soon?
I keep a complete resume of all my experience, then tailor the resume to a specific application. Of course, I haven't had to provide a resume in years, as MyXaml, Interacx, and the Code Project articles are quite effective in demonstrating my abilities. Marc
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One of the topics in the Lounge today, got me thinking about past experiences, bring up a question. When you build your resume, at what point do you chop off your work experience, that is past projects? Back a few years ago in an interview, the company mentioned that a major point on my resume was the listing of a past project (over a decade old at that time) where I build simple point of sale systems in C++ under MS DOS. They designed point of sale systems and this would somewhat relate to them, but it was no where near the scale of application that they handled. I normally would adjust a resume with the types of project which would apply to the company, but at what point do you cut them off? You might leave out just the project they needed to know about.
Rocky <>< Blog Post: LINQ - Disconnected-Attach, no change tracking fix.. Tech Blog Post: Cheap Biofuels and Synthetics coming soon?
Rocky Moore wrote:
at what point do you chop off your work experience, that is past projects
I don't. I keep pretty much everything on it. Sometimes I cater my resume to a specific opening as well.
"Any sort of work in VB6 is bound to provide several WTF moments." - Christian Graus
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Rocky Moore wrote:
at what point do you chop off your work experience, that is past projects
I don't. I keep pretty much everything on it. Sometimes I cater my resume to a specific opening as well.
"Any sort of work in VB6 is bound to provide several WTF moments." - Christian Graus
Also, a related query? What is the number of pages that normally is considered a desirable feature in a decent resume?
Vasudevan Deepak Kumar Personal Homepage
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Yesterday is a canceled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is the ready cash. USE IT. -
Also, a related query? What is the number of pages that normally is considered a desirable feature in a decent resume?
Vasudevan Deepak Kumar Personal Homepage
Tech Gossips
Regional Weblog (in Tamil) :: Voicing for the Society
Yesterday is a canceled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is the ready cash. USE IT.It depends on the number of pages. I try to keep it at no more than two at the most. Generally if I have to cater a resume for a specific position, I try to make it one.
"Any sort of work in VB6 is bound to provide several WTF moments." - Christian Graus
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One of the topics in the Lounge today, got me thinking about past experiences, bring up a question. When you build your resume, at what point do you chop off your work experience, that is past projects? Back a few years ago in an interview, the company mentioned that a major point on my resume was the listing of a past project (over a decade old at that time) where I build simple point of sale systems in C++ under MS DOS. They designed point of sale systems and this would somewhat relate to them, but it was no where near the scale of application that they handled. I normally would adjust a resume with the types of project which would apply to the company, but at what point do you cut them off? You might leave out just the project they needed to know about.
Rocky <>< Blog Post: LINQ - Disconnected-Attach, no change tracking fix.. Tech Blog Post: Cheap Biofuels and Synthetics coming soon?
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One of the topics in the Lounge today, got me thinking about past experiences, bring up a question. When you build your resume, at what point do you chop off your work experience, that is past projects? Back a few years ago in an interview, the company mentioned that a major point on my resume was the listing of a past project (over a decade old at that time) where I build simple point of sale systems in C++ under MS DOS. They designed point of sale systems and this would somewhat relate to them, but it was no where near the scale of application that they handled. I normally would adjust a resume with the types of project which would apply to the company, but at what point do you cut them off? You might leave out just the project they needed to know about.
Rocky <>< Blog Post: LINQ - Disconnected-Attach, no change tracking fix.. Tech Blog Post: Cheap Biofuels and Synthetics coming soon?
Rocky Moore wrote:
at what point do you chop off your work experience
Think use, not "how-to".... If the application of the project still applies to the work you want, then keep it. If it does not, then don't keep it. This means that older, more challenging projects may stay, but newer less challenging projects don't. Remember a resume isn't a generic brag sheet. A resume is your first contact with a company you want to do business with (or want to keep doing business with -- we are required to keep a current resume on file at work, for work). If it isn't good, it may be your ONLY contact with that company, so you want it to be good enough to get that second contact! Some people generate a new resume every time, this is difficult, some keep a template with more than what they need, and trim it, this is better in some-ways, not so good in others, but definitely faster. Some don't bother and keep a default resume. I actually recommend all three. Blind resumes are not always a great thing, but it keeps you up to date with business rates common in your field, and sometimes gets you feedback to turn back into your resume. Just don't take rejection personally, blind resumes, rarely get a bite. If you find a job that sounds interesting, don't send the default resume, tailor it with a cut-down template at least. And if you find that job that looks like a dream, don't go in half-way, don't toss them a generic, tailor it to fit the ad. If the job ad gives a list of qualifications, ask how your experience fits those qualifications, change the text to answer those qualifications. But NEVER lie! If you never did Forth work, and they want a Forth programmer, tell how your experience applies to Forth and how you know how it applies. Who knows? if they like your resume, they might bring you to help out. Because this could be taken from any old work you have done in the past, don't remove anything from your template resume, just add to it. This way you can "add it back" with new words if someone wants to know how you plotted gravitational anomolies for NASA using quaternions and octonions while in college. You may think it was a waste of time, but if you find a job offer asking about quaternions you can haul out that description and tailor it to fit the job.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)