English/North American Resume 2

[FrenchCAD]

Hi,

Since I'm currently updating my website, I'd like to know which standard (if any) I have to use to write my resume in english, since I know it is different from the French one. And what do you think about the idea of online resume? Do you have one?

Many thanks

Cyril Guichard
Mechanical Engineer

 

[TheTick]

I don't know of any specific standard, though I'm sure some are out there.

I do know that the CV (curriculum vitae) is almost completely unknown to U.S. employers, except when applying for academic positions.

Currently I am assisting my boss in interviewing candidates for a new position. I see many different "styles". Some have a work history summary before going into detail. The important aspect of any of these is a logical work history progression that outlines key skills and points of professional growth.

I am familiar with your postings, so I can say your English seems above average, even better than some Americans. Still, it never hurts to find a native speaker to review. I can do this for you if you would like.

All this machinery making modern music can still be open hearted.

 

[FrenchCAD]

"I am familiar with your postings, so I can say your English seems above average, even better than some Americans."

Thanks for the kind words

"Still, it never hurts to find a native speaker to review. I can do this for you if you would like."

Agreed. I have to type it asap but once it will be done, I sure would send it to you. If you're interested, my French CV is online at

http://cyril.guichard.com/website/fr/cv.html

This one follows the French most common standards regarding CVs

Cyril Guichard
Mechanical Engineer

 

[plasgears]

There are many resume formats, but consider the following:

- Title block with basic address information;
- Concise summary description of background, 40-50 words;
- Listing of jobs from latest to oldest. Be sure to describe the companies in terms of annual earnings, products. List accomplishments in specific numbers;
- Academic background, licenses, awards, professional society memberships;
- Military background, if any.

Your cover letter should expand on the specific goals in terms of position, size of company, industry, etc.

I was coached to leave out my aviation certifications if I wasn't looking for a job as a pilot. Leave out hobbies that are not germaine. An expression of sports interests may fit in to help form an impression of your physical condition.

 

[RDK]

There is no real hard and fast rule regarding résumé’s or CV’s either corporate of personal.

They are a selling document and you should highlight what you are selling. You may be selling a solid work history where you have been given increasing responsibilities, then a chronological resume will work. You may be selling a skill where you have some specific past performances that you are selling, and then a task-orientated resume would be correct. You may be selling a rich project history there a listing past projects and clients would be the one to use. You can of course mix them up a little if you are selling a combination of the selling features.


Thing about what are the strengths that would attract a client to you over another job applicant of consultant and highlight these points.

Of course the rules of good writing for documents still apply. (These apply in any language.)

You should have the spelling and grammar perfect. (Putt knot yore truss in spell chequers!) If you are writing in other than your native language, have it proof read by someone who is a native speaker of that language. Have it proof read anyway.

Use lots of white space on the page because it makes it easier to read.

Format should also be pleasing, don’t show off your collection of fonts. Use one and stick to it throughout, simply vary size, bold, italics and underlining as necessary.

Don’t use too much jargon unless your reader will be familiar with the terms. (This is especially important for people who work across various disciplines.)

Short simple sentences are best.

Above all tell the truth. I once got a resume from someone who I almost fired off a project six years previously. (He was a summer student and I put him where he would be some use and not cause any damage.) According to his resume he was running that complete project. Better to undersell and deliver more than expected than to oversell and fall short.



Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[StarrRider]

FrenchCAD

I have to agree with RDK

More than anything else – be honest. For additional advice – check out Monster, Net-Temps, Dice and some of the other web employment sites. They are all full of it – and you can take that any way you want to.

Personally – I use

http://www.4Jobs.com

- they allow you to build a multi-page portfolio but you need to know how to make it look good. Write your resume (don’t bother adding links to it) and then paste it into FrontPage. When it looks good, copy the HTML code (body only) and paste that into their little edit box.

Lee

Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

 

[FrenchCAD]

The rules to write a CV/resumé are the same for everyone then : good short non-specific writing

I'll take a look at some examples on those websites to see how to arrange mine. In France, we write it this way :

* ID
* Title or function or job
* Academics / Diplomas
* Professional experience
* Computer knowledge
* Laguages level
* Misceanellous

That's the most common scheme.

Also, we need to provide a photo in most cases.

Cyril Guichard
Mechanical Engineer

 

[NickE]

Wow on the photo.. I dont think that employers are really allowed to ask for a photo with a resume... hmmm...

FrenchCAD- thats exactly the order i used for my last resume.

*ID
*Education (Academics (where whatfor))
*Publications (Thesis / articles)
*Practical work experience
*Relevant (Technical Knowledge and Skills)
*Computer Skills
*Professional Affiliations




Nick
I love materials science!

 

[TheTick]

In the U.S., professinal experience typically comes before academics. Depending on the job, computer skills may or may not be best placed before experience.

Providing a photo is not common in the U.S.

My father emmigrated to Canada from Germany in the late 1950's. He told that in Germany at the time, typed resumes were not proper. Many companies employed handwriting examiners who would analyze the handwriting on prospective candidates' resumes.

While most advice says to keep a resume to a single page. In U.S. engineering, two pages is the accepted norm. Please, no more. I just finished going over a 4-page resume that detailed everything back to a candidate's paper route in grade school!

Side note: we are opening a new contract-to-possibly-direct position, and my boss is using me to co-interview candidates with him, to assess specific skills and to keep an extra eye on body-language and other cues. This has been enlightening, to say the least.

I may make you feel, but I can't make you think.

 

[StarrRider]

FrenchCAD

I should have sent the complete link earlier – sorry I didn’t.
Good – Bad – Ugly (be kind – just say homely) – poor writing skills – Unemployed – What ever

This is me

http://www.4Jobs.com/LeeBell

Considering that an Online Resume like mine is free – I consider that a very good service
If you want some extras – they are available and the cost is not really all that great

Lee

Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

 

[StarrRider]

FrenchCAD

I should have also included the link to their sample resume

http://www.4jobs.com/JillSample.

It uses some of the more advanced features that are not available in a free account. You can pay them to write your resume for you as well. This does have a healthy charge to it but they can do things that you simply cannot do. I think that their Sample demonstrates that they are good at it.

For me - one of the frustrating things about this site was that I spent a great deal of time trying to add links within the résumé’s body without any success. The page processor that they use simply deletes them. I also had a problems with something that has now been eliminated - so I won't go into it.

Lee

Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

 

[brad]

I second TheTick's recommendation on two pages (or less). A few years back, I reviewed blocks of about 300 resumes over a few months. I started noticing a trend--the average engineering resume that I saw was about 4 pages (with some as large as 10+ pages), but of the 10% most qualified candidates (based on reviewing the resume), the average resume was 2 pages. Further, very few of them had more than three pages.

I was looking for specific skills--in particular FEA/CAE experience. I think of the very large resumes were large because people felt it necessary to include 5 pages worth of publications/in-depth job descriptions, or else because they were doing a "shot-gun" approach. By contrast, the candidates who were qualified for my needs had given pointed, short resumes which clearly confirmed to the reviewer (me) that they fit the needs of the position (and that they understood the position). If you can't convey why you are good for a particular position in two pages, then it may be that you are not qualified for that position.

Brad

 

[GregLocock]

After 20 years of reasonably succesful applications my resume is two pages, ruthlessly edited. It does not include my shoe size, interests, high school swimming certificates or other irrelevant rubbish. My application letter has been as short as three paragraphs, or as long as 3 pages. I suppose if my interests were relevant they would go into that.

The worst resume I have seen was a bound 15 or 20 pager, with press cuttings. The candidate was very very good, and I hired her. But I threw the resume in the bin two minutes after she walked into the office for the interview (and grinned). She got the interview despite her resume. If we'd had 20 people to think about she would not have made the first cut.

Always bear in mind, the function of your resume and covering letter is to get you to the interview with the engineering manager. It has to make sense to the HR people who will be skimming it, but also has to appeal to the mug who gets to decide who gets interviewed, often an engineer in the relevant department.

Cheers

Greg Locock