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Subject:
Resume
Category: Computers Asked by: maggs-ga List Price: $20.00 |
Posted:
29 Oct 2005 17:14 PDT
Expires: 28 Nov 2005 16:14 PST Question ID: 586564 |
What do you think I can improve on my resume and cover letter? How should I be present myself? Do you have any suggestions? My employment goal is a job in the IT industry, educating users, working with hardware and software to fixing PCs. I have pursued coursework in Windows Server 2003 Administration UNIX Network Administration CISCO Network Devices Configuration C++ and Java Programming EDUCATION: Berkeley College, New York, NY Bachelor in Business Administration Major: Management Degree Awarded: September 2004 G.P.A: 3.28, Honor?s List Member of Student Government Association Coursework completed: ? Entrepreneurship ? International Business TECHNICAL SKILLS: ? Proficient in the use of Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook, FrontPage, Exchange, and IBM AS/400, Knowledge of SUSE Linux 9.3 ? Proficient in Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver MX, Visual C++ 6, UNIX and Windows Server 2003 administration ? A+ Certified (September 2005) EXPERIENCE: June 2000 to Staples The Office Superstore, Inc. Woodside, NY Present Retail Sales Associate ? Merchandising and offering office equipment products: ? Performing inventory control and audit analysis ? Diagnosing and fixing customer PCs ? Gathering data and information using IBM?s AS/400 system April 2004 to The Mark Hotel, New York, NY June 2004 Assistant Network Administrator- College Internship ? Diagnosed equipment failures, and assisted with replacement ? Responsible for troubleshooting internet connectivity on corporate and guest network ? Maintained mission critical server connectivity January 2004 to Prime Manhattan Realty, LLC. New York, NY March 2004 College Internship ? Designed blueprint layout for office space reconstruction ? Entered Online Real Estate leads into database ? Prospected for leads using online news articles REFERENCES FURNISHED UPON REQUEST To Whom It May Concern: I am interested in a Desktop Support Engineer position within DOITT. I possess a technical background with regards to computer, network maintenance and administration procedures within Windows, UNIX, and Linux environments. I have studied UNIX Network Administration and Windows Server 2003 administration as well as Java programming at LaGuardia Community College. I am studying Network Operations (CISCO router administration) this semester. I possess the ability to effectively diagnose and troubleshoot PC hardware and software issues. I also possess the ability to fix and maintain Xerox and Ricoh copiers. In addition to my knowledge of computers, my work experience has given me numerous skills. These skills include inventory management, store planning and design, loss prevention, conflict resolution skills, as well as CD prepress and design. I also design and administer my own web sites, which include my resume site and an e-commerce site. My technical knowledge includes proficiency in the following software packages as well as many others: ? Microsoft Visual C++ 6 ? Microsoft Windows Server 2003 ? Microsoft Windows XP Professional ? Macromedia Dreamweaver MX ? Microsoft Exchange ? Adobe Photoshop 7 ? Red Hat Linux 9 Administration ? Pitney Bowes Mailing System (UPS) I am interested in this position because I believe it will provide me with an opportunity for growth, and also benefit your company. With my experience and drive, I have set goals for myself which I have attained. I believe that tasks can not only be done, but can be done more effectively to maximize the use of resources within your organization. Enclosed you will find links to my design projects. http://www.thomaspmaguire.com http://www.nicolemhernandez.com I believe I could be of great service to your organization. Please contact me at to arrange an interview at your earliest convenience. I am best reached between 7 am- 3pm at the above number. Thank your for your time. Sincerely, Signed |
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There is no answer at this time. |
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Subject:
Re: Resume
From: sanjay_bhardwaj-ga on 31 Oct 2005 01:19 PST |
Hi Maggs, Try registering yourself in Job sites, some of them are: Jobsahead.com Monster.com Dice.com Placement.com Cheers Sanjay |
Subject:
Re: Resume
From: jack_of_few_trades-ga on 31 Oct 2005 05:18 PST |
In your cover letter, make it as personal to the individual company as possible. Look in the job description and qualifications required to come up with ideas... then relate your own experiences (the more specific you can be the better) to the description and qualifications. Also be sure to address the contact person by name if possible, if not then be sure to atleast address the HR department and the company by name. I worked in HR briefly (in a training program) and noticed that most of people don't take the time to do this, but those who do get much more attention from the employer. |
Subject:
Re: Resume
From: tr1234-ga on 31 Oct 2005 08:31 PST |
To a certain extent, asking how to tweak a resume is one of those things where if you ask 10 different people, you're likely to get 10 different answers. So take my comments with a grain of salt, but in addition to the very good comments already made here, I'd suggest: 1) Move your "Education" and "Technical Skills" part to the bottom of your resume. Lead with your actual experience. A potential employer's main concern is going to be if you can do the job; the best way to show that you can is often to talk about what you've already done in previous jobs. 2) That said, since it seems your goal is to get a job that's slightly different from your recent ones, maybe you want to start your resume with a statement like "Objective" or (perhaps better yet) "Profile" in which you briefly state who you are, what you want, and--most importantly--what assets you offer to an employer. 3) The bullet points under each of your previous positions are very much job descriptions, a list of tasks and assignments you had in those positions. You should rejigger that section to better reflect your own achievements in those positions. Did you, personally, increase revenue for the company, find more customers, sell more products? Did you, personally, cut costs for the company, save the company money, make the company more efficient? Basically, in this section, ideally you want to not only describe what the position required, but also how you surpassed those requirements. Just some off the top of the head thoughts. Take them only for what they're worth. Good luck! |
Subject:
Re: Resume
From: traducer-ga on 01 Nov 2005 08:04 PST |
Hi Maggs. May I add my tuppence worth (I have hired a lot of Engineers - however I am UK based and we tend to be more Brit-consservative than other countries.) Jack & Tri1234 have got it about right, so I wont add, however for me the covering letter is overly long and juggled, may I suggest; 1) You start 2 paragraphs with "I am interested" - repetition, start the first one with "I am looking for". 2) For the 1st two paragraphs cut down the technical content if possible, mention 'teamwork' & 'project' somewhere - a covering letter should ideally only take up 1 A4. 3) Move the links to your design projects to underneath your technical skills list. In the skills list amalgamate the 3 MS Windows skills into 1 line, i.e. MS Windows Server 2003, MS Exchange, MS Workstation 2000/XP (if you havent worked with 2000 just lie - its a doddle & you can do it easily with server03 & xp experience - trust me) 4) This now gives you two terminating paragraphs, however they already seem similar, judge for yourself... "I am interested in this position because I believe it will provide me with an opportunity for growth, and also benefit your company" and "I believe I could be of great service to your organization." Also... For the UK this following comment seems arrogant and could be misconstrued as a criticism of the existing company systems.. "I believe that tasks can not only be done, but can be done more effectively to maximize the use of resources within your organization." The person that reads this will probably have set up the systems and thinks they run great. I reiterate - this is a UK point of view (suggested mods below). 5) I bin any CV that does not include an addendum with a references list including contact phone numbers - references in UK are done person 2 person by phone, often prior to interview, my time is valuable. 6)Contact times are a no no for me. I will phone during the working day if i dont get you 1st time I will try next morning.. are you only able to work until 3pm? no good to me. Even if you cant work after 3 - this can be negotiated once you have your interview - dont hint at it beforehand. I would (personally) prefer your final two paragraphs varied along these lines... I am interested in employment with <insert company name> because it will provide me with opportunities for experience, personal development and also be beneficial to yourselves. I am comfortable working on projects either alone or within a team and am sure that I would be able to assist you in maximizing the use of resources within your organiSation. [You Americans with your Zed's & Esses :-)] I have attached my CV for your perusal, please feel free to contact any of the referee's on the seperate references sheet. If you think my skills could be of service, I can be contacted on the above number to arrange a mutually convenient interview time. Best Regards or Yours Sincerely. I hope this appears to 'flow' more smoothly... if not ignore this comment :) |
Subject:
Re: From: traducer-ga on 01 Nov 2005 08:04 PST
From: maggs-ga on 01 Nov 2005 14:32 PST |
Hey, your information is pretty good. I never really included reference sheets with my resume, so it seems from your logic they would be in the rubbish bin by now. I think I'll send reference sheets from now on. My cover letter is a freak of nature, it's quite long, and it definately needs improvement. That is why I am here. Most of my experience focuses on the retail sector, I take technical courses at a local college on the side, and I am going for my Master's in Computer Science in January. Thanks everyone. Anymore ideas would be greatly appreciated. |
Subject:
Re: Resume
From: traducer-ga on 02 Nov 2005 01:33 PST |
Examples from the University of Kent in the UK. http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/cvexamples.htm |
Subject:
Re: Resume
From: maggs-ga on 02 Nov 2005 05:26 PST |
EXPERIENCE: June 2000 to Staples The Office Superstore, Inc. Woodside, NY Present Retail Sales Associate ? Facilitate sales by offering unique solutions ? Evaluate inventory controls and develop security policy ? Assist associates with use of AS/400 systems ? Diagnose and fix customer PCs April 2004 to The Mark Hotel., New York, NY June 2004 Assistant Network Administrator- College Internship ? Diagnosed equipment failures, assisted with replacements ? Located IT supplies, completed Purchase orders for supplies ? Responsible for troubleshooting internet/ application connectivity on corporate network ? Assisted Hotel guests with equipment usage and replacement EDUCATION: July 2001 Berkeley College, New York, NY to Bachelor in Business Administration September 2004 Major: Management Degree Awarded: September 2004 GPA: 3.28, Honor?s List Member of Student Government Association TECHNICAL SKILLS Proficient in the use of MS Windows Server 2003, MS Workstation 2000/XP, MS Office Suite, IBM AS/400, SUSE Linux 9.3, Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver MX, Visual C++ 6, UNIX Server administration A+ Certified (September 2005) CISCO Router/ Switch configuration REFRENCES FURNISHED UPON REQUEST To Whom It May Concern:: I am looking for a Desktop Support Engineer position within DOITT. I am interested in employment with DOITT because it will provide me with opportunities, personal development and also be beneficial to yourselves. I am comfortable working on projects either alone or within a team, I am sure I would be able to assist you in maximizing the use of resources within your organization. I have attached my resume for your perusal, please feel free to contact any of the referees on the enclosed reference sheet. If you think my skills could be of service, I can be contacted at (347) 256 6037 to arrange a mutually convenient interview time. Best Regards, I left the spacing in the cover letter to fill in details more relevant to the job. It makes it easier for me to reconfigure my cover letter, in the event I need to fill in experience and or other skills. I like the way my resume looks. At least, now I don't have to fight with it going 2 pages. Thanks everyone |
Subject:
Re: Resume
From: mike123456789101112-ga on 02 Nov 2005 10:42 PST |
Hi there, Please see below an article we published recently which gives some good general Resume/Cv information CV Writing ? Write a Perfect CV Your CV is a gateway to getting an interview for that ideal job. It is your opportunity to provide a good first impression but you only have two sides of A4 paper in which to do it. It is not surprising then that most people have trouble getting started. Firstly, you need to know what the employer is thinking. The employer suddenly has a vacancy. Filling the vacancy is going to take up valuable time that he would rather spend doing his normal job. He would love to find the perfect person immediately rather than plough through hundreds of CV?s. It is often a dull, thankless task. The employer has a job description in front of him. It includes experience or qualifications that are essential for the job and some attributes that are desirable but not absolutely necessary. He starts going through the pile of CV?s on his desk. He scans each one for about 30 seconds and makes a judgement. He simply hasn?t got time to read the CV that is more than two pages and all the relevant information is hidden in long paragraphs. - He files it in the bin. Fancy formatting, coloured text or multiple fonts do not impress him. Is this person trying to hide their lack of experience for the job behind an artistic CV? ? He files it in the bin. He notices spelling mistakes and poor punctuation. This person is just sloppy! ? He files the CV in the bin. He breaths a sigh of relief, the pile on his desk is smaller already. He makes another coffee and then starts reading?????????. This should tell you a few things about writing your CV. Keep it concise and to the point. The employer needs to see your work experience, skills and achievements in the first 30 seconds of scanning your CV. He knows what he is looking for. You have what he is looking for. Don?t distract him from your relevant skills by adding in lots of unnecessary information. Keep it simple. Plain formatting, simply laid out under headings. The employer wants to see exactly when, where and what you have done. Fancy formatting makes your CV difficult to read. It may make your CV stand out from the rest but for the wrong reasons. Keep checking your english. Good spelling, punctuation and grammar are essential. It is the first step in your personal presentation to an employer. It says a lot about you. Also, poor english distracts the employer from reading the content of your CV. Now the content: Contact details should be displayed on the first page. When he decides to invite you to interview you want him to see immediately how to contact you before he changes his mind! Personal details should be limited to those that are absolutely necessary. Most employers expect to see your nationality and date of birth but you can choose to leave these out if you think they may go against you. Other personal details such as number of dependents, driving license and marital status can be included if it is not going to make your CV too long by including them. These can help employers to get a rounded picture of the person they are going to interview. Do not include names and ages of children or name of spouse. The employer is not interested at this stage. Interests can be included but only in one or two lines. It may provide a starting point at interview for general conversation before getting down to serious questions about your work experience. It also gives a rounded picture of you without taking up too much space on the CV. Profile is positioned prominently in your CV and should be used to sell yourself in one paragraph. It is an opportunity to sum up your skills, experience and general suitability for the job for which you are applying. Career History or Work Experience. The heading you use depends on the length of time you have been in fulltime employment. If you have recently left school or university you should use the heading ?Work Experience? and include all placements, paid and unpaid work. If you have been in fulltime employment for the last two jobs this should be under the heading of ?Career History?. Do not use both headings in the CV. Whichever heading you use you must include dates, name and location of company and a brief description of what your job entailed including all the positive contributions you made to the company. Education should be described in terms of selling yourself to the employer. Include all relevant courses, dates passed and name of school or college. But, leave out poor grades and failures. These will not help you get invited for interview. If you have a university degree you can leave out all of your lower qualifications. Mature applicants may want to leave out ?Education? altogether, as your career history and skills are probably more important. Skills can be described under three headings: Technical Skills, Professional Courses and Additional Skills. Technical skills are those related to a technical, mechanical or engineering job. You need to list your skills and how recently you have used them e.g. Java Programming used in the last 3 years. Professional Courses are those that you have attended specifically for a particular job e.g. sales courses, hairdressing. Additional skills are anything else that may be relevant e.g. languages, keyboard skills, health and safety courses. Finally: Make it easy for him! Remember, the employer has very little time. He doesn?t know you yet and is only interested in what you can offer him and his company. Make it easy for him to: Scan your CV, Identify that you have the skills he is looking for. Pick up the phone to invite you in for an interview. E & O E - Copyright 2005 CVwriting.net http://cvwriting.net CV Writing - How to Write a CV - We show you how to write a CV in minutes. Professional CV writing at a fraction of the price. Full instructions and helpful tips. Telephone support and Web CV options for your complete CV writing solution |
Subject:
Re: Resume
From: traducer-ga on 09 Nov 2005 07:12 PST |
Hi Maggs, It looks good to me, stick the original bullet points (which were good) into the employment experience section and 'jobs a good un' (Brit colloquialism). Good Hunting T |
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