Ask HN: Questions About Resume for Entry Job
First:
Objective -- yay or nay?
Education -- bottom instead of top? I currently have it on the bottom, because my personal projects are on the top.
Second (this is off-topic):
Three months ago, I asked for advice about finding an entry job (you can read about it @ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10350972)
I'm still looking. Should I also be applying for internships?
5 comments
[ 3.5 ms ] story [ 24.6 ms ] threadEducation -- top if it's more unique/impressive than personal projects, otherwise below that
If you want to email it to me (see my profile for the address) then I'd be happy to take a look and give you other tips. My office is in a software startup incubator, so I can also pass your resume around if you seem like the kind of person other companies want to hire.
Instead of listing personal projects, just have a link to a portfolio. I like to see and not be told.
Education is nice to have on top. Generally keep it pretty terse: where you graduated from and what your degree was in.
Internships can be a fantastic leg up, but may be hard to get into if you are a bit out of college.
Otherwise, while most people default to chronological resumes, there's a case to be made for a functional resume for recent graduates, people changing careers, or people with non-traditional educational careers, etc. The idea is, emphasize your skills and what you can do, rather than what you have done.
If you're not familiar with functional resumes, here's a pointer or two:
* http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7770-functional-resume.html
* http://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/resum...
Now, the flipside is, there are people who argue that "functional resumes are bad", like this:
http://www.quintcareers.com/functional-resume/
My feeling is that if you're using a functional resume to try and hide something, then this kind of thinking holds. But if you're young, recently out of school, etc., that will be pretty obvious anyway, and a functional resume may still be better at emphasizing your skills and strengths.
FWIW, if I was reviewing a resume and it was for a entry level job, I would not in any way "ding" the candidate for using the functional style. In fact, I'd probably appreciate it, because it makes my job easier than trying to infer things from your description of your various class projects, internships, summer jobs, whatever. Just go ahead and tell me what you think you can do, and an interview will be the opportunity to dig deeper.
If you'd like specific feedback on your resume as it is, feel free to email me (prhodes@fogbeam.com) or post a link in this thread.
The objective is obvious, the job you're applying for. So, nay.