Critique My Resume

implementing

troubleshooting.

Programming

Electronic

Who are you? Age? Race? Religion? Married? Where were you born? US citizen? Have drivers license? Willing to travel? How do you get along with others? Is english your first language? Do you speak any other languages? How many credits did you take in english composition? Can you communicate? Did you participate in sports? Where and when did you graduate from high school? How many students does Lakewood University have? How many students are in the EE dpartment? Did you ever hold down a regular job at anything? How did you finance your education? Do you use drugs or drink a lot?

That should do it!

Well, the format sucks (at least here). Make it easy to read. Line wraps are death to readability.

Indeed it is! Fix it! It's a PITA to read. Perhaps it would be a good idea to post it on a web site and provide a link to it?

I don't think personal information is required on the Usenet.

Too vague and trite. What do you want to do? Who do you want to work for. Goals? ...not that anyone looks here anyway. ;-)

Ok, so far so good.

Leading is good. What did *you* contribute? "Implementing" is a tad vague. Every bullet must be forceful and start with an action (leading) verb.

Weak. What did *you* do? I understand that this was a college assignment, but you've got to put more force here.

"implemented" or simulated? A "workbench" suggests simulation. Did you do hardware? Hardware is good!

Backwards! Design, simulation and IMPLEMENTATION. You made work! That's the real deal! ...though I would leave off the "1MHz square wave amplifier" part. This makes little sense. The fact is that you *accomplished* something. Make it look like you did just that. What you accomplished is less important, though it should make sense, IMO.

Good, though the TLAs are distracting. The bottom line is that you *accomplished* something. DOn't hide it behind weird TLAs and names. What did you *do*?

...rather meaningless. Hands-on is good. Practical is good. I [m not convinced this is the right way to go. *Hours* do not equate to experience nor knowledge. I think I'd stress your practical side (formal labs, etc.) and accomplishments in those labs, but perhaps downplay the hours spent.

Good. Was it a paid assignment? A TA is usually a graduate assistant (IIRC you're a recent graduate). This may be worth differentiating. If it was a paid position, put it at the top!

I like your action words. You've done pretty well. However, you have to d better than all others!

I'd for a book that describes the current resume format that's in vogue. Your resume seems to be upside-down, or inside-out. Perhaps you want to stress your skills over education, though both are good. Indeed, given that formatting is cheap, do both a chronological resume and a functional resume. Send 'em all! ;-)

Never anything other.

Irrelevant!

He's from Canada, so I'd assume not. However, works status is important.

Good idea.

Irrelevant. Everyone gets along just peach with others. ...on the resume.

Watch that one too. This get into the discrimination area too.

Other languages should be highlighted. Agreed.

"Credits" are worthless. They're a checkbox.

On a resume? Please! That's what interviews are going to find.

Good point? Are you going to make your future boss' golf/hockey/curling team stronger? Please!

Not so important, but it gives an idea how long college took. If it's more than four years in between, I'd pass.

The HR person already knows this.

Absolutely important information!

This isn't fodder for a resume directly, but combined with the "experience" may tell a lot.

Please! This has no business on the resume, one way or another. OTOH, expect to piss in the cup when interviewed.

^ over

Try to put yourself in the reader's shoes. That is they can sometime have

Try to keep it to one page as to not piss off the person reading it. Elaborate on your experience give then a break-down of what you've done (for example from my resume):

Electrical Designer (F/T)

Motor Coach Industries (MCI), Dept. of Engineering, Vehicle Systems

Teaching Assistant (P/T)

Dept. of Mathematics, University of Manitoba

The Electrical Designer experience maybe meaningless to anyone outside the automotive industry, so I would only use this format if I was applying to an automotive manufacturer.

The thing to note is that experience in king. And write to your audience. Point form is best since the first round is usually a visual inspection (big blocks of text have a tendency to be files under T -> Trash). White space is nice, it give the reader eyes a rest.

Another good thing to do if you have (and you should have) a cover letter is to brag (the point of the letter) about your experience, awards, teaching positions, etc.. And reference theses facts in the resume section. If they don't want to read it, they'll skip it, but give them the option.

If you can go to your universities career resource department, there are people there that can help you spruce up you resume (it's their job). That's where this format comes from. Take what they say and then modify it to suit you style (try to pretend you have some artsy skills -> I found this a little hard).

Hope this helps

Dwayne

Sarangan, first, good luck to you in your job search.

For 15 years I was what those slippery personnel folk like to call a "hiring manager", while in actuality I was a principal engineer and middle-level manager. As a consequence, I was one of the technical guys at Raytheon charged with screening incoming resumes for possible interest, so I'll give it to you from my perspective.

First, place yourself in the place of the technical manager who must sceen between 250 and 500 incoming resumes each week, plus take care of his full-time engineering responsibilities. Here is the way that it work from that perspective when screening applications from new college graduates:

Since recent graduates have limited practical experience on which to base the content of their resume, you closely read what is posted on the first page. The first four things most reviewers look at is: the (1) the name and reputation of the college or university; (2) The applicants major; (3) The applicant's GPA; (4) Finally, his statement of objective/goals.

If you aren't graduating from a university well known for theh accomplishments of its graduates in a particular field, or have a relatively low GPA, then it's entirely up to your statement of your goals and objectives to help you survive the first cut, because the balance of the resume will not be read at this time. If you make this first cut, the balance of your resume will be read at a later time, but unless you really put your foot in your mouth it won't generally affect your chances of being invited in for an in-person interview. (This is simply because the level of experience students gain as an undergraduate is relatively unimportant to employers who, at this juncture are more interested in your potential than your past (other than academic) accomplishments.

On reading your resume, regretfully you wouldn't make the first cut at Raytheon or many other large US firms, but by improving your resume content you could. You have a respectful GPA, however it doesn't compare with the many 3.8 with whom you will shortly find yourself in competition for jobs. Also, in all honesty, your university is virtually unknown to many firms, hence they won't know how to interpret or scale your 3.1 GPA vis-a-vis those from better known universities like Cal Tech, MIT, McGill, etc.

Cutting to the brass tacks...

You need to re-write your statment of objective completely, eliminating most of the arm-waving/motherhood statments contained in your current resume and replacing them with a clear-cut, pro-actove statement of what you will being to your employer in the way of raw qualifications, plus what you see as the professional goals that you could achieve though this employment. For example:

OBJECTIVE: To contribute to the solution of complex and challenging control system design problems through the application of my education and potential to enthusiastically pursue viable and cost effective solutions, at the same time advance my engineering knowledge through a working association with professionals more experienced than myself.

Here is another:

OBJECTIVE: To apply and enhance my education in and knowledge of circuit simulation through the energetic application of effort to achieve the solution to practical simulation/emulation challenges, plus gain practical working experience through my association with others in the field.

Hopefully, these examples will give you the general idea. Beyond that, I shudder a little at your listing thesis project under the category of experience. I would personally prefer to see these included under your heading of EDUCATION, but that's more of a style issue subject to personal judgement.

Still, I do feel that you should include a list of the major courses you have completed in undergraduate school. For the type of position you are seeking employers will likely want to confirm that you have had the full complement of EE math courses as well as sujbects like DC and AC circuit analysis. The balance of the resume really doesn't make too much of a difference.

Again, good luck and hope this critique helps.

Harry C.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name is sufficient

Illegal to ask anything more than 'have you reached majority (18)'

Illegal to ask this, it is none of the employer's business. If they ask, politely state that it is illegal to ask this question.

Illegal to ask this, it is none of the employer's business. If they ask, politely state that it is illegal to ask this question.

Illegal to ask this, it is none of the employer's business. If they ask, politely state that it is illegal to ask this question.

Illegal to ask this, it is none of the employer's business. If they ask, politely state that it is illegal to ask this question.

Unless the job requires specific security clearance, this too is out of bounds. Employer's can only ask "can you legally work in this country?"

daestrom

This response cannot be serious.

Age, race, religion and marriage are all items that should NOT be placed on a resume since hiring decisions cannot be made on the response. In fact a potential employer could be sued if they were. Don't think of including a picture of yourself either.

The other points are either irrelevant to hiring, will become evident with an introductory letter, will come to light in the interview or are already known to the human resource professional.

Incorrect. This is a valid question because the employer requires this information in order to establish benefits package costs (part of the total compensation package).

This is incorrect. It is the option of the company to hire only US Citizens if they so desire, and in many cases their business requires them to do so. It has nothing to do with security clearances, although most jobs (but not all) requiring a security clearance will also require US citizenship.

With regard to foreign language skills, there is no legal requirements for an applicant to provide this information, but in many cases if he/she choses to do so, it enormously enhances their job prospects with many hiring firms. For example, an ability to converse fluently in Chinese or Japanese will signnificantly improve your chances of receiving a job offer from a firm doing business in the orient. To a lesser extent, so will an ability to converse fluently in Spanish, Russian, French, or German.

Harry C.

------------- While Lakehead isn't known in the US, it is known in Canada-and as far as I know, its curriculum is accredited by the Canadian Engineering Society-the standards are not trivial. It is true tha it doesn't have the cachet of an MIT but it certainly isn't a "Bubba U" Otherwise all your points are very good.

-- Don Kelly snipped-for-privacy@peeshaw.ca remove the urine to answer

Absolutely! The marital status *CANNOT* be used as a condition of employment.

Certainly. I got in a tiff with my employer's insurance company some years ago. I had to file all our stuff though both companies insurance. I couldn't figure out who paid what, or

But if they do ask, just put down "light n' bright"!

Matt

bi-directional

I have to drug test on almost every job I go on. I have to fill out paper work on age, race, veteran status, education, etc. With a name like Sarangan Srikanthan the first thing I would do is change my name if I wanted a job. Pete Smith or Roy Williams sounds better. Sarangan Srikanthan sounds a lot like that guy that killed Bobbie Kennedy. It also sounds like an Arab that might be related to a terrorist. Arab names are no good for work anymore. The insurance company might have a problem providing liability and workers compensation for an Arab - it is just too risky. The reason for the drug testing is the employer gets lower insurance rates if they have a drug testing program. I also would add one more question: "What is his sexual preference?" Gays have a hard time in the work place. We have one electrician that is a she-male that got an operation using our health insurance coverage. When it hits camp all hell breaks loose. It can't live with the males and the females freak out so it gets a private room.

Hey, the guy asked for advice. Just giving him the facts of life.

HOSded under

Hiring an engineer is often the beginning of a long-term relationship. Quite often there is no one that knows the job available, so there is some expectation of training on both sides. The hiring manager's job is to find someone who can fill the opening and become productive quickly, understanding that there is no "perfect" candidate. The resume is the first step in that process. The idea of the perfect resume is to avoid the waste can and get to the next cull. Engineering hiring is a tad more complicated than "get a dispatch". It goes both ways, engineering is a tad more complicated than "just take your tools and produce", as well.

...and I'm certainly glad I'm *not* in the IBEW. I'll vote *hell no* if it ever gets that far. Fortunately, I don't think there are enough idiots to get close to a vote (OTOH, life is full of surprises).

This is often the case. Where did I say it was illegal or immoral to require drug tests as a condition of employment. I prefer not to have to submit to such invasions, but I understand their need in some areas. I prefer to be treated as an adult, so I'll make sure I don't give management reason to start testing.

Listing any such information on your resume will get it binned though.

Post employment, sure. They cannot be asked as part of the employment screening process. I know my employer will immediately bin any resume with such information. Though I did know one engineer they offered a job to because he had a Hispanic surname (he's of Italian descent, BTW).

Of *course* they want to know education level. Sheesh, they're hiring an engineer! He'd better show education, doncha think?

Arabs certainly can and do work. Discriminating based on ethnic origin is illegal. Yikes! What a little racist little gem you are.

What's your point? Discriminating based on sexual preference is illegal. Anyone listing such information on their resume will be binned in fear of being sued.

...could have fooled me!

Actually, sexual preference is not yet protected in all 50 states. While it is protected in some states, it is not protected at the federal level yet. The military is one obvious place.

Well, I disagree with GN about racism, I have to admit that it does exist and it does come into play quite often. *Proving* it in a court of law is not as easy.

daestrom

Sure, just leave that field blank and accept the consequences. HR will be in turn perfectly happy to simiply 86 your application, rather than forwarding it along to the hiring manager for his/her review.

Name a single major employer that will exchange a cash payment in return for you waiving coverage by their benefits package.

I appologise in advance for the verbosity.

Huh? Just what cost components do you believe are contained in a 'total compensation package'? I've simply got to believe that you've never prepared one, or for that matter never seen one. Just for your illumination, an estimate of the total compensation package is generally prepared BEFORE anyone is invited in for an initial interview, if for no other reason than to justify that the expenses associate with an interview are consistent with the candidates potential value to the firm.

Let's say that my firm receives an application from an interesting sound candidate for an entry level engineering position from an applicant living in Chicago. Before the cost of the interview trip is even estimated, HR will estimate the cost of relocation involved for a move from Chicago to Boston. For a single person living in an appartment, let's assume that this will cost the firm $3,500. Contrast this to the $20,000 or more that it will cost them to relocate the same invididual living in a suburban home with his wife, dependents, and all his household belongings.

Are you really naive enough to believe that any sensible and competently managed firm doestn't take factors like this into account PRIOR to issuing an interview invitation?

Now there is the cost of an interview visit itself. (Recall that the firm hasn't yet seen the applicant in person, and the conventional corporate fear is that he may turn-out to be some sort of a flake or nut case. Let's say that the round-trip air fare to Boston is $1,000 for an unmarried applicatant, but commonly protocol requires his wife to be invited to accompany him. This doubles the cost. Add to this the cost of a weekend in a first class Boston hotel, meals, etc. and the total tab is now between $1,500 for an unmarried applicant which rises to around $2,500 if he is married.

The pressure is now on the hiring manager. "How good is this guy, and how badly do you need him?"

So you look over the numbers and make the trade-off analysis.

You find out quickly that if he is single, your exposure in inviting him in for an interview is $1,500 and if he accepts the job offer another $3,500 for relocation expenses. If he is married, this increases to $2,500 for the interview, plus another $20,000 if he accepts your job offer.

The next step is for the hiring manager to explain to HR why a particular candidate is worth this amount to bring in for an interview and recruit. I've done it many times, but trust me it is a difficult task when the applicant has yet to demonstrate his potential value when he lacks a track record of accomplishments.

You are extremely naive if you don't believe that the single/married question has a great influence on the chances of a new or recent college graduate receiving an interview invitation for a number of reasons, including one outlined below.

If you believe that, regardless of how the applicant fills in his application, that the hiring firm doesn't already have this information alreay on file. No responsible firm worth working for will ever issue an employment interview invitation to any applicant on which they have not already run a comprehensive credit and background check! As a result, leaving out information fields on the employment application form always raises RED FLAGS, something never to the applicant's advantage.

Again, my above comments apply to applications for professional level employment. Day workers, hourly labor applicants, and para-professionals like technicians face far less critical review and analysis.

That's entirely true. Still, sometime try to pass a Japanese fluency test without being extremely well traveled or native born! :-)

Harry C.

I used to be an engineer until I decided to make the big bucks. You probably are not qualified to be an IBEW electrician. We have to do physical work and engineer the job. Engineers for the most part are paper jockeys and desktop mouse pushers that aren't qualified to carry my tools.

No, not a little racist gem, a big racist gem. I am 6 ft, 2 inches tall and weigh 270 pounds. Arabs did 9/11. Islam religion teaches to not befriend Christians. It is in the Koran. They have no place in America. All 6 million of them should rounded up and exported! And I am not going to work with them.