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Subject:RE: Fitting a Job Ad (was Re: Misguided Love) From:Suzette Seveny <sseveny -at- petvalu -dot- com> To:"'v2cdisrc -at- us -dot- ibm -dot- com'" <v2cdisrc -at- us -dot- ibm -dot- com>, TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 4 May 2000 10:31:41 -0400
On Wednesday, May 03, 2000 8:41 PM, v2cdisrc -at- us -dot- ibm -dot- com
[SMTP:v2cdisrc -at- us -dot- ibm -dot- com] wrote:
<snip>
> However, on my resume, guess what's on the top? A long list of tools. Why?
> Am I a hypocrite? I don't think so. However, I do feel like recruiters are
> looking for tools. When comparing two candidates, it seems to me that a
> long list of tools is an easy (though inaccurate and lazy) way to quantify
> a writer's skills.
<end snip>
I look at this a different way. My tool knowledge is close to the end of my
resume. Maybe I'm deluding myself by thinking a recruiter will read through
all the other knowledge and strengths that I will have, in their quest to find
out what tools I know. I believe that I can learn any tool within a very quick
timeframe. I base that belief on the fact that on a basis I am forced to
quickly learn and understand how new software works - to the point that I am
able to write a user manual for it. If I can do that with such a wide variety
of software (from financial to point of sale and inventory systems) then I
think I have demonstrated that I have the power to learn a new *tool* quickly
as well. That just seems logical.
I'm interested in what other techwriters think about this.
Suzette Seveny
Markham, Ontario, Canada
sseveny -at- petvalu -dot- com or suzette -at- yesic -dot- com
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