A few quick thoughts on resumes (for s/w people). This comes from a guy who has had to read them and reflects my experiences. YMMV.
- The hiring manager has certainly read dozens, and possibly hundreds, of resumes by the time he sees yours.
- Reading resumes isn’t his main job — it’s a distraction from his main job. By the time he gets to yours, he hates reading resumes.
- He has two basic questions: “Can you solve his problem?” and “Are you an insufferable jerk?” If your resume says “Yes!” and “No!” clearly and succinctly, you’ll get an interview.
- Resumes that clearly say “No!” or “Yes!” are quickly rejected, but without malice.
- Resumes that pussyfoot around, saying neither “Yes” nor “No”, especially resumes that do so at great length, inspire actual rage.
- No one really cares what you did 10 years ago.
- A resume is not an opportunity to tell the world how great you are. Remember: the hiring manager is already in a bad mood. Taking up his time with irrelevant self-congratulation isn’t going to make him like you.
- You know how many relevant projects you need to get an interview? One. One project on which you employed relevant skills to produce observable results.
- Don’t say you “contributed” (or employ any similar language). Say what you did. (Wrote code, drew pictures, animated skeletons, designed wireframes, whatever.)
- One page. If you can’t make a case for an interview in one page, it’s hopeless.
In short: The guy reading your resume wants to find someone who can do the job, and who isn’t going to be a hassle to deal with. A resume is a structured way to argue that it’s likely enough that you meet the requirements that an interview is merited. If you’re a legitimately good fit, that’s not a high bar. If you’re not a good fit, you’re not going to get the job anyway, so why not be brief?
