Foo - The resume game (rant)

This is something I really can't stand.

On one hand, you have to list stuff on the resume, so automated keyword filters get your resume some human eyeball contact. List too little (or just the stuff you have credentials for), places either think you have little or no experience and pass you up for some guy who listed everything, or just never see your resume because the keyword tools pass it by.

On the other hand, listing too much will get you gibbed because you either are written off for being a "jack of all trades, master of none", or someone sees that you are familar with product "X" and demands to know everything about it, down to which buttons pop up in which dialogs. Answer wrong here, and the interview is over, especially if its the interviewer's pet program.

Making targeted resumes helps a bit, but its annoying to lose jobs to others who you know in the industry have zero clue what they are doing and have zero experience with stuff... but are able to spit out keywords like a Googlebombing website on their resume.

/rant off

I am so glad to work and have worked in industries where word of mouth rules all.

Good luck in the Matrix.

I'm with you there. I'm not a huge fan of the "Real World."

Is that little jersey the thing you get for "Titanium Membership?" I figured it would be a pretty star. How do I get a bird thing?

The jersey is for the Ti membership, although I wouldn't mind some type of star. The bird thing is for Sheldon Brown, doing some type of decent donation in tribute to his memory.

Btw, What industry are you referencing in your rant?

The jersey is for the Ti membership, although I wouldn't mind some type of star. The bird thing is for Sheldon Brown, doing some type of decent donation in tribute to his memory.

A yellow jersey? Are you kidding me? I'm supposed to PAY to have a yellow jersey next to my name? What are these people smoking?

I refuse to wear anything yellow because there are already too many posers riding around in yellow livestrong and TdF jerseys thinking they're Lance.

Yellow is the color of Lance-Worship, so... HELL NO.

A yellow jersey? Are you kidding me? I'm supposed to PAY to have a yellow jersey next to my name? What are these people smoking?

I refuse to wear anything yellow because there are already too many posers riding around in yellow livestrong and TdF jerseys thinking they're Lance.

Yellow is the color of Lance-Worship, so... HELL NO.

Search the forum for Titanium Club. The yellow jersey is just an icon. It could be anything.

So do you feel you are getting your money's worth for that yellow jersey mlts? What are the mere mortals missing by not having access to the exclusive (almost postless) club?

Search the forum for Titanium Club.

Why? I prefer Carbon Fiber anyway.

I work for the Federal Governement. The only, I do mean only, skill needed to advance is interview skills. That is it. It dont matter if you cant, well, nevermind. If you are good in an intereview the sky is the limit.

I'm getting really tired of all the stupid "must do/must not do" BS that recruiters/HR reps tell me. I was talking to a recruiter the other day that said a company told her they won't talk to anybody that comes in wearing a suit. What the hell?

People are so opinionated! How in the world are we supposed to know whether you want a resume that looks like this or like that, or whether we look desperate if we send a hand-written thank you letter or if we get the cold shoulder if we don't send one? Some like phone calls--other DO NOT. How are we to know? Are we to guess?

Can you tell I'm fed up? ;)

Aprilm,

1. Always wear a suit to an interview
2. Smile a lot and be friendly

So do you feel you are getting your money's worth for that yellow jersey mlts? What are the mere mortals missing by not having access to the exclusive (almost postless) club?

I run adblocking software, so sites I visit get -zero- revenue from ads, clickstreams, tracking cookies, Flash Shared objects, drive by downloads, or other stuff. However, it takes money to run a site, so in return for zero ad revenue from me, I explicitly support sites I frequent. I get my money's worth from the time I've spent on this, so $25 a year is pretty low for time per hour spent.


I work for the Federal Governement. The only, I do mean only, skill needed to advance is interview skills. That is it. It dont matter if you cant, well, nevermind. If you are good in an intereview the sky is the limit.

Very true. When I was on the other side of the desk, I would keep in my head that at a job interview in general (some candidates have bad days), I'm likely seeing the absolute best from a candidate, the tops of what he or she has to offer. Should a candidate come in and just be an ass (I've had one guy actually stop an interview to pick up a call on his cell and then yap at my desk for about ten minutes), I roundfile his resume.


I'm getting really tired of all the stupid "must do/must not do" BS that recruiters/HR reps tell me. I was talking to a recruiter the other day that said a company told her they won't talk to anybody that comes in wearing a suit. What the hell?

People are so opinionated! How in the world are we supposed to know whether you want a resume that looks like this or like that, or whether we look desperate if we send a hand-written thank you letter or if we get the cold shoulder if we don't send one? Some like phone calls--other DO NOT. How are we to know? Are we to guess?

Can you tell I'm fed up? ;)

Its just getting old that people have little interest in skills or experience, but are more interested in how well one can play the keyword game without being caught at resume inflation. Same with the under/overqualified stuff. Say you don't know enough, you don't get the job. People who say "I can learn fast" is not an answer, just like ignorance is no excuse in law. On the other hand, if you do know stuff well, HR people will not hire you because they are afraid you will ditch them as soon as something pops up. They rather hire someone who almost can't find work other places so they know they won't lose their admin even if he is a novice to competitors, and have someone who can put up with low pay.