Resume rules

[Len Olszewski <saslpo -at- UNX -dot- SAS -dot- COM>]

Regarding the recent thread on a statement of objectives in a resume, I
can contribute what they taught me about resumes and applying for jobs
(at good old DTCC). I have to say that it worked for me.

This isn't in any textbook, BTW. And we're going loosely from notes
here.

The employment application process consists of 4 parts:

1 - The resume: a general, comprehensive history

2 - The letter of application: this is what relates to a specific job

3 - The interview: if you're lucky, good, or both

4 - The application form.

Numbers 1 and 2 ALWAYS go together; they complement each other; they
should NEVER be combined.

Keep your resume and your letter to one page each. If longer, cut
something out.

If you *must* use 2 pages, use 2 FULL pages.

The letter of application should contain five standard blocks of
information:

1 - personal

2 - education

3 - work experience

4 - references - though not usually included, can be inserted as filler

5 - publications.

You job objective should go in the "personal" section of the application
letter.

I've got other rules for resume composition, interviews, and so on but
so, probably, do you.  I'll be happy to share them if anybody asks.

To summarize, however, the career objective should be a part of the LOA,
*not* the resume.  People *expect* job-specific things in the LOA; your
resume should not be obviously doctored towards a particular position,
as Mark Levinson noted in a previous post, or you risk incurring the
disdain of your potential employer. You should strive to avoid this.

|Len Olszewski, Technical Writer | "Vultures don't eat sponge cake."  |
|saslpo -at- unx -dot- sas -dot- com|Cary, NC, USA|  - Trinidad proverb                |
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| Opinions this ludicrous are mine. Reasonable opinions will cost you.|