(And Resumes as a Result of This Homework)
|
What is important to you? |
|
|
In the spirit of the adage - "You don't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been," it pays off to exert considerable effort in this area. These are some questions we ask of candidates we are considering for our clients. The answers may change over time, but it is wise to reflect and stay current with yourself on the following topics: |
|
|
|
1. What do you specifically like about your job? What gives you a sense of accomplishment? What can you be enthusiastic about? Studies have proven repeatedly that it is very difficult to be good at something you dislike or are bored by. What would your ideal job look like on a pie chart?
2. How would you rank yourself against your peers (top 10%? 20%?) and why? You do not have to be a star to be valuable; if your greatest strength is steadiness and dependability, then look for an employer who will appreciate you for those qualities. Managers and executives appreciate employees that give them peace of mind.
3. How have you contributed to the bottom line? Have you generated income, reduced costs, streamlined workflow? Use percentages here; dollar figures are too arbitrary.
4. Be specific about your strengths; too many people answer "I'm good with people." Conduct a customer satisfaction poll (a must for managers) and be able to recite facts and a statistic such as: "85% of my user community rated me as excellent to very good, and no one rated me as below average or poor." Managers: what is your staff turnover rate? What percentage of your projects were delivered on time and under budget? Under what conditions?
5. Your weaknesses? Again, be specific. An example might be "I'm lousy at giving formal presentations to a large group." It's better that you not get a job where this is expected of you than viewed as a mediocre player. If the weakness is in an area you sincerely want to improve upon, discuss that in the interview.
Next, verify your answers to these questions. Call your references. You should have at least six references that you keep track of and they should be a combination of superiors (minimum of two), peers, users/customers, and subordinates. Take your references out to lunch, and ask for their candid opinions. Do the people who have worked with you share your evaluation of yourself and your accomplishments? Or do they disagree with your self-assessment? Is there some consistency in their reactions? Make sure you include superiors, subordinates, and peers in your "poll." Is there a consensus opinion of what would make you more marketable? While no one can be certain of technology trends, this kind of specific feedback can help you manage your career successfully.
There is no shame in being a bit lost in this self-assessment portion. It may take some time to sort things out. Consider counseling if you get stuck. The Career Action Center in Cupertino offers effective and moderately priced programs that can help. An individual consultant can also be hired by the hour.
Defining A "Good Company:"
The definition of "good company" is arbitrary today.A good performer in the stock market may well be a sweatshop. High growth can mean complete chaos as a contributing employee. Each individual has to specifically define what they are looking for in a an employer.
You first question should: "Where Have I Been Successful?" Look for the
identifying features. The second question might be: "What can I learn, and
will that be marketable?" Position yourself defensively
for the next unexpected layoff by keeping abreast of new
technologies.
Questions to consider in your evaluation:
What obstacles/challenges are acceptable, or even fun for you to tackle?
Which might be a hindrance to your success?
What amount of bureaucracy are you willing to deal with? What size company feels right to you?
What are you willing to sacrifice for your career? What are you not willing to sacrifice?
What are your preferences for commute and travel?
What corporate cultures are you comfortable in (Meeting intensive? Virtual offices? Consensus management? E-mail or voice mail? Offices or cubicles?)
How much supervision do you want? What are your definitions of micro management and neglect? These terms are arbitrary; you need to define them for yourself so that you can effectively assess compatibility during the interview cycle.
What is your honest level of ambition? We live in a wacky time when 20% annual growth is considered mediocre; but if you are comfortable in that environment don't try to talk yourself into a company growing out of control. Let the adrenaline junkies take those jobs.
Consider all your preferences. You will not find everything you want in one
place, but if you persevere in defining good opportunities for yourself,
you will have the tools to measure each opportunity, and
you will save yourself much heartache in the long run.
Disclaimer: It is hoped
that the information provided on these web pages will be helpful to readers.
We assume that readers understand that any advice must be weighed against
an individual's situation. Some of the information on these pages
may be inappropriate for your circumstances. So use your head! Neither
Jim Thomas nor Linda Tuerk can be held responsible for an
individual's particular use of these suggestions.
RESUMES
Rule #1: Don't put your e-mail address at your current employer without
permission. It's tacky.
Other than that, there are no
rules.
There are many good books and workshops available on the subject of resumes. So we don't have a lot to say, except that there is no one way of writing one. Here are a few guidelines we believe are specific to Silicon Valley. Remember that resumes are used more often to screen you out than to invite you in, and that most readers do not have the ability to read between the lines (electronic scanning systems, HR, Secretaries).
A multi-page resume is fine, but only if the first page stands on its own as a single page resume. The first page must be scannable and should include contact information, a business skills summary, a technical summary, key accomplishments (your best statistics), education and employment history. Complexity of projects/assignments can be described on pages 2, 3 and 4, if you wish.
Don't leave any employers out, no matter how short the
stay. This world is too small, and you are suspect for everything
if you are dishonest in any one area. Use months and years when recording
dates of employment; leaving the months off sometimes looks like you are
trying to fudge. Do not attempt to fake a degree or a title.
It is no longer enough to list what you have done; you need to demonstrate
how well you have done it. Back up your talents with hard statistics. Examples:
"Good with people" translates to "Increased user satisfaction from 22% to
78% in 18 months," or "Decreased departmental turnover from 40% to less than
10% in one year." Be specific about the obstacles you overcame:"Implemented
MRP system while company grew 23% and upper management turnover exceeded
50%. 85% of modules were implemented on time. Cost overruns did not exceed
6%..." is much more impressive than "Implemented MRP system." Use approximations,
and get in the habit of keeping statistics about your performance.
The technical summary on your first page needs to list everything
that could possibly be scanned for. Include Languages, Operating
Systems, Databases, Applications, Tools, Platforms, Structured Methodologies,
Certifications, ISO9000-2, TQM, etc.
Use popular jargon, and also spell out what you mean. Do not assume that a human being who can read between the lines will be doing the resume screening. Example: in mentioning MRP also mention manufacturing, materials, requirements planning, etc.
Put it on good quality paper, and get it proofread.
For more detailed input, e-mail
Linda for a doc attachment.
Mention your title and salary range. If you need help constructing a summary
statement, mention that too.
| Home/TOC | Next: Networking | Contact us | Resources and Jumps |
Copyright Linda Tuerk 1997, 1998, 1999. All rights reserved.