Apply for job

Every year software companies receive thousands of job applications. After reviewed and eliminated many, the personnel department sends few resumes to management for review and makes decision on hiring. Many managers told me that as they reviewed these applications they found that many of them are really bad. As managers who decide on hiring people, they do NOT want to waste time interviewing people that have poorly written resume. One manager told me: “When you have twenty or fifty resumes to review, you can only spend about one to two minutes on each resume. If I don't see what I need in that time, I move on to the next resume. However, if I see information that is important to what I need at the beginning of the resume then I will continue to read more”.

The key is to provide the right information in an easy to read format in the beginning because a resume is a way to get to the next phase: the interview and the interview determines who will get hired. Every software company often receive hundreds resume for every job opening and it is impossible to interview all applicants so the personnel department review and eliminate most applicants based on their resumes. Today, with electronic application, it is very easy for personnel people to press the “DELETE” key at their computers after they scan briefly on resume so to get their attention, your resume must be “PERFECT”.

There are few things, that applicant may need to consider: If you do NOT have the right qualifications, Do NOT apply for the job. When the job listing says "Senior Architect with 5 years experiences," do NOT apply if you just graduated because you will NOT get it and it just waste your time. I know that many students create just one resume and send it to every job that they see advertising in newspaper or the internet. This is a “BIG MISTAKE” because if the resume does NOT have what the job requires then it will be “DISCARDED”. The key in writing resume is you must tailor your resume to fit what the job requires so you may have a chance of getting the interview. My advice is to carefully review the job description that is posted for the position and rewrite your resume to match that job.

For example, software job description: “Requires a degree in Computer Science, with 2 years of experience in Java and C/C++ programming with knowledge of Oracle database”. Then you may want to start your resume with the sentence: “I am looking for a challenging position as a Software Engineer with a focus on Oracle database”. That's your first signal for the person reading your resume that you are interested in their opening position and you are qualified for the job. Then you could add a few sentences below: “A degree in Computer Science from XYZUniversity, 2 years of programming in C, C++ and Java in several computer courses as well as support the school websites using these languages. Assist university staff in managing students records using Oracle database”. Actually, you are taken their job requirements and reflected them back to the resume reader. You need to have these important skills and qualifications in the beginning of the resume. This technique will make it easier for the personnel department to see how you meet their needs.

A resume is something that represents you in your absence, so it must be carefully written especially today as many companies are using the internet and applications are all in electronic form. You must review what you wrote before hitting the “SEND” button. I recommend that you carefully read and reread your resume several times, if needed having someone to review it to identify spelling and other grammatical mistakes. Proper grammar and punctuation is very important if you want to leave an impression on the employer. You should NEVER use “text message” just like you “Chat” with friends in your resume as this is NOT appropriate for business. You should have a good email address prefer using your real names in your school email or something appropriate – an email such as “HipHopMan” at hotmail.com or “Crazygirl” at gmail.com does NOT impress any serious company to hire you.

Almost every university has training in writing resume and how to apply for job and students need to take advantage of these services. When a manager receives poorly written résumés, it means that applicants do NOT care for what it takes to get hired and if the applicants do NOT care do you think a manager really care? A resume for job is NOT a chance, is NOT a gamble, and is NOT about luck but SEROUS work.

Most managers told me that what they are interested in is someone who is passionate at whatever they try to do. For example a software student who creates websites for the schools, helps tutor their friends in programming course and active in the community by volunteering. The best way to get attention is to have additional activities in your life NOT just a list of university courses. Managers like applicants to tell them about who they are and what they do in their life. For example: "I’ve spent the last three years managing website for our school, design, implement questions and answers for the students” or “I have volunteered to help flood victims as many of them are my friends”. This little information interested them because it tells them something more about the applicants as a “human being”. They can see that these applicants do care about their schools, their friends, their communities and NOT just a “Name” with programming languages skills.

If you just graduated from university in Computer science or Software engineering, hiring managers would expect that you know how to program in C, C++ or Java. At least you have some knowledge about software architect and design so you do NOT need to spend a lot of time on these subjects. Maybe a sentence such as “Skills in C, C++, Java, and Software architect, design” would be sufficient. Do NOT list trivial things such as “Window 7, or Google, or Word, Excel, Internet, Facebook, You Tube or any Computer games that you like etc.”

Sources

  • Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University