Re: Resume styles

Subject: Re: Resume styles
From: "Elisa R. Sawyer" <elisawyer -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: Michael McCallister <workingwriter -at- gmail -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 10:23:26 -0800

Chris,

In a case like this, I would not rule out the possibility that the critique
of the resume is a red herring.

-Elisa

On Wed, Dec 31, 2014 at 9:24 AM, Michael McCallister <
workingwriter -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:

> Chris,
>
> Julie's points are excellent, and I'd be skittish about someone who wanted
> "flashy" docs too. It sounds like he thinks documentation is more about
> marketing. If that's the case, focus on the philosophy of useful docs. "I
> use visuals to help the user understand how a product helps him/her to
> complete a task or otherwise get a job done. It's not about the dazzle (or
> the baffle alternative), it's about putting the user first."
>
> You might also explain that the reason you have had so many clients over
> the years is because your resume has impressed them all enough to talk with
> you.
>
> Best of luck!
>
> Mike
>
>
> Mike McCallister
> Just released: *Build Your Author Platform: The New Rules*
> <http://buildauthorplatform.com> (w/Carole Jelen)
> Notes from the Metaverse: http://metaverse.wordpress.com
>
> On Wed, Dec 31, 2014 at 10:48 AM, Julie Stickler <jstickler -at- gmail -dot- com>
> wrote:
>
> > >I found its style to be very traditional and the
> > formatting more difficult to follow than other resumes I have reviewed.
> > Considering your expertise is in Technical Writing, I was wondering why
> you
> > wouldnât approach your resume in a much more flashy visual style such as
> > your LinkedIn webpage.
> >
> > Because resumes are written for a different audience than web pages.
> Often
> > resumes are parsed by machine to extract keywords. Resumes have to be
> easy
> > to scan, because people often spend very little time on them before
> making
> > a decision about the candidate. And resumes are often printed out for
> use
> > during the interview process, so the extra graphics and colors that you
> > would see on a web page are not appropriate to a print document.
> >
> > As far as it being "more difficult to follow" without seeing your resume,
> > it's hard to know how to respond to that.
> >
> > On Wed, Dec 31, 2014 at 10:11 AM, Bridget Gordan <
> bridget -dot- gordan -at- gmail -dot- com
> > >
> > wrote:
> >
> > > I would run a mile. He sounds like he would be a PITA to work for.
> > >
> > > On Wed, Dec 31, 2014 at 9:55 AM, Chris Morton <salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi All,
> > > >
> > > > This just came in. I've been undergoing a series of interviews for a
> > > > position with a NY manufacturer of high-tech instruments. It's a
> > > relatively
> > > > young company, has a strong market position and is owned by a Fortune
> > 500
> > > > entity. They've had but a single technical writer in their entire
> > > history.
> > > > She was with them five years before moving closer to family and
> > vacating
> > > > the position. I've read her LinkedIn profile and thought her
> > > qualifications
> > > > were rather average.
> > > >
> > > > Out of the six gentlemen I've spoken with by phone, one fellow seems
> to
> > > be
> > > > the one I'm having the most trouble convincing that I'm the right
> > > > candidate. He was quite surprised to learn that a good number of us
> > > haven't
> > > > worked full-time for the same company all of our adult lives, that we
> > > tend
> > > > to move around and accept a succession of short-duration contracts.
> > I've
> > > > explained that I'd still be full-time at HP had that company remained
> > > what
> > > > it once was (or had any idea where it's presently headed). One has to
> > > eat.
> > > >
> > > > I've also attempted to explain that a varied career such as mine (and
> > > > perhaps yours) makes me more well-rounded and capable of seeing
> things
> > > in a
> > > > different light. I view this as a huge plus. Also, our Craig Cardimon
> > has
> > > > been reposting many an article that essentially states this same
> thing;
> > > the
> > > > days of the pension and gold watch are long gone, that each of us
> needs
> > > to
> > > > think of ourselves as entrepreneurs, etc. And although I'm delighted
> to
> > > be
> > > > freelancing at this time and have two good clients, Obamacare is
> > > > ridiculously expensiveâeven for the crummiest, least-expensive plan.
> In
> > > > addition to the exciting challenges of a new full-time gig, I'm keen
> on
> > > the
> > > > benefits package a FT position such as this offers. The initial req
> > read
> > > as
> > > > if it was written with me in mind.
> > > >
> > > > So.... I have my own ideas as to how to proceed, but was wondering
> how
> > > you
> > > > would answer this question:
> > > >
> > > > I spent a fair amount of time reviewing your work posted on LinkedIn.
> > I
> > > > see a lot of resumes and resume styles and one thing was really
> > bothering
> > > > me regarding your resume. I found its style to be very traditional
> and
> > > the
> > > > formatting more difficult to follow than other resumes I have
> reviewed.
> > > > Considering your expertise is in Technical Writing, I was wondering
> why
> > > you
> > > > wouldnât approach your resume in a much more flashy visual style such
> > as
> > > > your LinkedIn webpage. Can you comment?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Thanks
> > > >
> > > > > Chris
> > > > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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> > > >
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> >
> >
> > --
> > Julie Stickler
> > http://heratech.wordpress.com/
> > Blogging about Agile and technical writing
> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > Read about how Georgia System Operation Corporation improved teamwork,
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> >
> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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> > Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
> > http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources and
> > info.
> >
> > Looking for articles on Technical Communications? Head over to our
> online
> > magazine at http://techwhirl.com
> >
> > Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions? Search our public
> > email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives
> >
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Read about how Georgia System Operation Corporation improved teamwork,
> communication, and efficiency using Doc-To-Help | http://bit.ly/1pJ4zPa
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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>
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
> http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources and
> info.
>
> Looking for articles on Technical Communications? Head over to our online
> magazine at http://techwhirl.com
>
> Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions? Search our public
> email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives
>



--
Elisa Rood Sawyer
~~~~~^~~~~~
Technical and Creative Writer
"Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today." Mark Twain
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Follow-Ups:

References:
Resume styles: From: Chris Morton
Re: Resume styles: From: Bridget Gordan
Re: Resume styles: From: Julie Stickler
Re: Resume styles: From: Michael McCallister

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