need serious opinions/input on my resume

[jason]

seeing is how i need to start looking for a job instead of fixing my backswing...thought i would ask for some help..

Education

Aug 2005 – Present Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX
Bachelor of Science - Computer Information Systems
• Expected graduation date - May 2007
• Member - Association of Information Technology Professionals
• Dean’s List – Spring 2005
• Current Major GPA – 3.45 (subject to change upon completion of degree requirements)

Aug 2003 – May 2005 Central Texas College Killeen, TX
Associate of Applied Science - Network Systems Administrator
• Graduated May 2005 - 3.55 gpa
• Epsilon Delta Pi - National Honor Society in the Computer Sciences
• Dean’s List: 2004 Spring and Fall, 2005 Spring semesters

Experience


October 2005 – Present Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX
Student Computer Technician
• Fill customer requests for technical support
• Troubleshoot/repair hardware and software problems
• Use network for software installation
• Install printers via IP addresses and DNS names
• Hardware installation
• Responsible for technical support on the Tarleton State campus

January 2006 – Present Campus Computer Repair Stephenville, TX
Co-Founder/Computer Technician
• Small computer repair business started by fellow computer technicians and myself, aimed towards college students
• Provided reliable service/repair at a very affordable cost
• Troubleshoot/repair various types of things from operating system failure, hardware failure, and file recovery

June 2005 – August 2005 The Mobile Solution Mesquite, TX
Sales Associate
• Sold cell phones in a commission based environment
• Administered local network (mainly workgroups)
• Opened and closed the store, performed inventory
• Provided customer service

Nov 2003 – May 2005 Professional Service Industries Harker Heights, TX
Technician
• Office paperwork and filing
• Tested job sites on Fort Hood
• Performed contract work for US Army Corp of Engineers

Summer 2003 Southern Sheer Stud and Welding Copperas Cove, TX
Construction Assistant
• Read blue prints
• Used cutting torch, welding machine(s), additional hardware
• Provided safety precautions for employees
• Constructed multiple steel building frames in Central Texas

May 2002 – July 2003 Circuit City, Inc Plano, TX
Product Specialist/Warehouse Specialist
• Had inventory responsibilities
• Shipping/Receiving
• Spent hours in computer/peripherals department

Skills and Qualities

• Knowledgeable/Classroom Exposure in: SQL, VisualBasic.net, ASP, Linux/Unix, Information Security, Internet Commerce, Information Systems and Business Management, Server/domain setup and administration
• Networking skills in Microsoft and Novell
• Proficient in multiple versions of Windows including Server 2003
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite
• System diagnosis and repair
• Web site development and administration
• Operating system(s) installation
• Install and maintain network/shared printers and other peripherals
• Typing – 60 words per minute
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Able to think logically and clearly
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain things clearly
References Provided upon request





one thing that concerns me is having too many previous jobs listed....should i limit it to only 3 or 4 ???

serious input would be greatly appreciated

in ms word, it is right at 2 pages in length and is of course formatted correctly

[wimbo_pro]

The most important thing is to be sure the resume is only ONE page. You can always follow up later with more info once you have their attention. I also assume you are going to have your name and info up top, as well as an "Objective" or "Desired Position" at the top?

I have interviewed hundreds of people over the years, and even went to a 3 day seminar on interviewing/hiring (talk about boring...). It's VERY important that your resume catches the attention of the first person who views it, or else it gets filed. If you want me to help look at your final product before you send it out, I would be happy to give my take on it.

[Emerson1]

Put that you lead a little league basketball team to a losing season.

[jason]

Originally posted by wimbo_pro
The most important thing is to be sure the resume is only ONE page. You can always follow up later with more info once you have their attention. I also assume you are going to have your name and info up top, as well as an "Objective" or "Desired Position" at the top?

I have interviewed hundreds of people over the years, and even went to a 3 day seminar on interviewing/hiring (talk about boring...). It's VERY important that your resume catches the attention of the first person who views it, or else it gets filed. If you want me to help look at your final product before you send it out, I would be happy to give my take on it. i do have all my contact info on top, just didnt feel like posting my address and phone # on the dlow...im not a fan of puting an objective or anything like that...

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by jason
seeing is how i need to start looking for a job instead of fixing my backswing...thought i would ask for some help..

Education

Aug 2005 – Present Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX
Bachelor of Science - Computer Information Systems
• Expected graduation date - May 2007
• Member - Association of Information Technology Professionals
• Dean’s List – Spring 2005
• Current Major GPA – 3.45 (subject to change upon completion of degree requirements)

Aug 2003 – May 2005 Central Texas College Killeen, TX
Associate of Applied Science - Network Systems Administrator
• Graduated May 2005 - 3.55 gpa
• Epsilon Delta Pi - National Honor Society in the Computer Sciences
• Dean’s List: 2004 Spring and Fall, 2005 Spring semesters

Experience


October 2005 – Present Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX
Student Computer Technician
• Fill customer requests for technical support
• Troubleshoot/repair hardware and software problems
• Use network for software installation
• Install printers via IP addresses and DNS names
• Hardware installation
• Responsible for technical support on the Tarleton State campus

January 2006 – Present Campus Computer Repair Stephenville, TX
Co-Founder/Computer Technician
• Small computer repair business started by fellow computer technicians and myself, aimed towards college students
• Provided reliable service/repair at a very affordable cost
• Troubleshoot/repair various types of things from operating system failure, hardware failure, and file recovery

June 2005 – August 2005 The Mobile Solution Mesquite, TX
Sales Associate
• Sold cell phones in a commission based environment
• Administered local network (mainly workgroups)
• Opened and closed the store, performed inventory
• Provided customer service

Nov 2003 – May 2005 Professional Service Industries Harker Heights, TX
Technician
• Office paperwork and filing
• Tested job sites on Fort Hood
• Performed contract work for US Army Corp of Engineers

Summer 2003 Southern Sheer Stud and Welding Copperas Cove, TX
Construction Assistant
• Read blue prints
• Used cutting torch, welding machine(s), additional hardware
• Provided safety precautions for employees
• Constructed multiple steel building frames in Central Texas

May 2002 – July 2003 Circuit City, Inc Plano, TX
Product Specialist/Warehouse Specialist
• Had inventory responsibilities
• Shipping/Receiving
• Spent hours in computer/peripherals department

Skills and Qualities

• Knowledgeable/Classroom Exposure in: SQL, VisualBasic.net, ASP, Linux/Unix, Information Security, Internet Commerce, Information Systems and Business Management, Server/domain setup and administration
• Networking skills in Microsoft and Novell
• Proficient in multiple versions of Windows including Server 2003
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite
• System diagnosis and repair
• Web site development and administration
• Operating system(s) installation
• Install and maintain network/shared printers and other peripherals
• Typing – 60 words per minute
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Able to think logically and clearly
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain things clearly
References Provided upon request





one thing that concerns me is having too many previous jobs listed....should i limit it to only 3 or 4 ???

serious input would be greatly appreciated

in ms word, it is right at 2 pages in length and is of course formatted correctly only one page....ive heard this from severl teachers and employers

[wimbo_pro]

Originally posted by jason
i do have all my contact info on top, just didnt feel like posting my address and phone # on the dlow...im not a fan of puting an objective or anything like that...

Okay, but I think its critical you DO have an Objective. Think of it this way...a company gets HUNDREDS of resumes a month. They have assigned someone to "sort them out" when they first come in, to be looked at later by a manager or HR person. That person takes less than 5 seconds to look at your resume and catagorize YOU. BLAM!! Your filed. But are you filed in the right one...the one that will be filled NOW?

Of course not all companies work this way, but many do.

[AggieJohn]

yeah, limit it jason

[handNthedirt]

old english font.....and condense it.

[crabman]

Definitely only one page. Too many particulars on the jobs and too many listed. Only list the ones targeting your job prospect.

Most important, print it on card stock and deliver an original. Your resume will literally "stand out" in a stack of resumes. It will be neat. It will not have folds in it because it was delivered in a clasp envelope. You will be surprised how this helps. We do all of our bound presentation material on card stock and you would be surprised how many people comment on it. They say that they feel like they are important to us.

[BTEXDAD]

Originally posted by crabman
Definitely only one page. Too many particulars on the jobs and too many listed. Only list the ones targeting your job prospect.



One page is a good idea, but if you would expect to get good references from all of your supervisors at all jobs, just put the two jobs you presently are doing on page one. Then put "Work experience from May 2002 thru August 2005 included on attached sheet. If anyone wants to review it they can. If not they can get info they desire from page one.
Some of the people hiring stress experience more, some are more interested in skills. Some base it 90% or more simply on the interview.

Good luck!

[3afan]

Originally posted by Emerson1
Put that you lead a little league basketball team to a losing season.

now THATS funny

[jason]

Originally posted by Emerson1
Put that you lead a little league basketball team to a losing season. we might not have won many games, but we had trick plays and we had fun :hand:

GO PENGUINS !!!

[Adidas410s]

here are my thoughts...I spent months and months interviewing for a job. I had the nice one page resume with 2 or 3 bullet points for each job I had been a part of. I had a nice catchy objective...a good 3+ GPA...2 degrees...blah, blah, blah....and it didn't matter. Amazingly enough, I changed my resume to be much more detailed and gave information about WHAT I had done at a job or in an organization...and I had 2 job offers in the 2 interviews that I had with that resume.

Contrary to popular belief, a good employer WILL read through your application BEFORE they interview you. They may even do a bit of research on your previous companies/schools and have some questions to ask you. Personally, I would rather work for an employer who took the time to learn a bit about me instead of one that was too busy to take the time to learn about the candidates they are considering for the position. If my boss can't take the time to be prepared and make an informed decision on who is going to work for him/her...then IMO that doesn't speak too highly about the types of decisions that they will make on the job and thus they aren't somebody I would probably want to work for.

[GreenMonster]

I just want to know if you named the team the Penguins due to their cold shooting sprees?

[Adidas410s]

oh and to speak to formatting...

- 3 or 4 jobs (if they are all relevant) with 2 to 3 bullet points...no more. Also, don't just write half statements. Provide details about what you did in that job. For example the tech support job. I would much rather read what types of software and hardware you worked with than reading "did hardware maintenance." You are looking for a job in a very technical field that requires a lot of specialized skills and languages (in both diallect and computer-based ;) )...so demonstrate that you know something about it.

- interests/skills/hobies...personally I would write a sentence or sentences about the types of languages and programming formats that you are competent in. Get rid of the 87 bullet points there...and cut it down to 3 or 4 consise statements. One about computer languages. One about your familiarity with hardware/software applications/support. One regarding operating systems and any other misc info. One regarding your neverending love for the downlow.

- On your work experience...even if multiple jobs are listed as "XXX date - present" you want to show the one with the newest start date at the top...for example:

June 06 - present...Storm's Burger Flipper
March 05 - present...ESO Technical Support
August 04 - present...Id10t Problem Solver

[CenTexSports]

If you are doing this for a mass mailing or general use, make sure you highlight all skilled experience and just mention in a short sentence any general experience you have.

If you can, try to update this document specifically for any one particular job or interview, highlighting the aspects of your training and experience that is pertinent to this company. For mass distribution, it is important to keep it at one page but if it is for a specific job that you anticipate an interview, a second page is appropriate if needed.

In my experience, you get the job or have the best shot getting the job within the first two minutes of an interview. The first impression that you make needs to be positive. Go in dressed appropriately, generating a positive attitude, and treat the interviewer with the utmost respect. I promise you that a professional person will respond to this and you will see this in their face during the interview.

[jason]

Originally posted by GreenMonster
I just want to know if you named the team the Penguins due to their cold shooting sprees? lol no, we got stuck with black jerseys with white numbers, so penguins fit...

one of my kids dropped an atomic elbow during a scrum for the ball...

[BTEXDAD]

Originally posted by Adidas410s


Contrary to popular belief, a good employer WILL read through your application BEFORE they interview you. They may even do a bit of research on your previous companies/schools and have some questions to ask you. Personally, I would rather work for an employer who took the time to learn a bit about me instead of one that was too busy to take the time to learn about the candidates they are considering for the position. If my boss can't take the time to be prepared and make an informed decision on who is going to work for him/her...then IMO that doesn't speak too highly about the types of decisions that they will make on the job and thus they aren't somebody I would probably want to work for. :clap: :clap: :clap:

I agree with this 100%, Adidas.
Some years back company I was with had outside "consultant" come in to review company procedures on all kinds of things and make recommendations. He stressed that human resource area should do all the screening of applications for job interviewers in different areas (such as me). He thought hiring should be done almost entirely from what took place in interview. I didn't see the job application until the human resource person brought it in along with the actual applicant.
The Q&A process brought out past jobs, skills, education etc, but I never felt comfortable not being familiar with the person's background before he walked in the door.
BTW, We followed these procedures for about two yrs until company decided benefits of having this outside consultant around weren't cost effective. Then we went back to most of our old ways again.
But there still are companies that stress the interview more than anything, and pay very little attention to bulk of application.

[Bandera YaYa]

Gee, I think aj is starting to rub off on you, jason.......... :rolleyes: What next, do we get to hear about what you will be wearing when you deliver them???? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :p

[pero chato]

I would remove the GPA info--the dean's list and honor society cover that.
Change the "Skills and Qualities" to "Skills and Abilities".
Put Skills and Abilities after education, and work experience last and in a condensed format as suggested by other posters.
If there are certifications especially on software, include them.

[CHS_CG]

I completely agree with Adidas, i used to use a once page resume and as soon as i switched to a detailed one with in a week or 2 i had a job.

[clemsmarina]

I won't date myself from when I exited Stephenville, but I will give you my experiences.
Being an IT recruiter, your resume should not resemble others resumes that do not have an IT background.

First and foremost, an IT resume DOES NOT need to be limited to 1 page. Make sure you list all Software, Hardware, OS, Databases, Languages, Sys or Network Admin info.

When resumes hit HR, the person at that HR desk is looking for key words that match the job the manager has an opening for. If you do not elaborate on your specific duties that pertained to each job, they may miss your skills.

Assuming you are pretty young, single and without a bunch of kids, don't be afraid to do some some short term contract work in order to gain additional on the job skills. 6 month or longer contracts are the norm, with most companies regularly extending them.

Send me your email and I can forward a few examples.

Any other questions, please ask... Good luck out there!!!

[jason]

Originally posted by clemsmarina


First and foremost, an IT resume DOES NOT need to be limited to 1 page. thats kinda what i was thinking, i mean, somebody as great and wonderful as i am needs more than just 1 page...geez....

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by jason
thats kinda what i was thinking, i mean, somebody as great and wonderful as i am needs more than just 1 page...geez....

make sure that you include a few glamour shots too! ;)

[GreenMonster]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
make sure that you include a few glamour shots too! ;) I always thought the one of you on the crapper reading the Sports page was a pretty decent look for you.

[wimbo_pro]

Well, I have heard the others views on lengthy resumes before...and I guess it can go either way...however....what is making yours "lengthy" at the moment is stuff that is not relavent to what they're looking for. I agree with including the IT related stuff...but really, stuff like this doesnt add anything to the topic:

Summer 2003 Southern Sheer Stud and Welding Copperas Cove, TX
Construction Assistant
• Read blue prints
• Used cutting torch, welding machine(s), additional hardware
• Provided safety precautions for employees
• Constructed multiple steel building frames in Central Texas

May 2002 – July 2003 Circuit City, Inc Plano, TX
Product Specialist/Warehouse Specialist
• Had inventory responsibilities
• Shipping/Receiving
• Spent hours in computer/peripherals department

Just my view!

[Old Tiger]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
make sure that you include a few glamour shots too! ;) If you are Chuck Norris just send in some action shots and you'll definately get the job.