Getting Hired...Opinion #2500

["Suzanne R. O'Kelly" <french7suzi -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

Hi folks. I'm reading your posts on your 4 page
resumes, and I'm thinking "no, no, no." Too much blah
blah puts you right in the no pile.

Here's why: You don't have that kind of time to make
that impression. Why should they take the time to wade
through it when they can find soemone just as
qualified to get the job done is a lot less time.

What you do to cut it down: No one's resume needs to
go back more than 10 years, and frankly, I can't
believe those of you who have been in this rat race
for as long as you have don't know this. Why? Because
you look old. And I know it isn't fair, but I didn't
make the rules. But to have them not really know, get
in the door, wow them, and then they'll hire you
because no one will really know how old you are; it's
really hard to tell how old people are when they are
between 40 and 60. So 10 years. Cut it down. No one
cares what you did in 1990 anyway. They want to know
what you can do for them NOW. If you must, summarize
you skills in the first page right under your
objective.

Cover letter: For the love of gee dash dee, you're a
writer, and they are going to expect an interesting,
error-free cover letter. Mine puts you right in the
moment...it starts out "It's 8:10pm, and you're stuck
in the office wrangling through file after file
because you don't have a writer...." BTW, I've gotten
so many kudos for that letter and more than one offer
(tooting my own horn here, I know, but I want to help,
not brag)...and I only have 6 years experience. So put
some time and imagination in. It'll pay off.

Am I bossy? Maybe. But this subject is a important one
for me...I live in San Francisco where the
competition's fierce and you have to do everything you
can to set yourself apart. At my present job, they
asked me to do some interviewing, and all I got to say
is oy. Some people weren't even close to getting it
right.

Good luck out there.

Suzanne
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