I am looking for a job as a junior sysadmin.
Is there a recommended file format that is more likely to grab the
attention of HR?
HR is made up of mostly non-tech people so I suspect MS Word is the most
common format. :-(

What if I have direct contact with the hiring manager?

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

Jammer <ask...@mail.com> wrote:
>
> I am looking for a job as a junior sysadmin.

Welcome to the field.

> Is there a recommended file format that is more likely to grab the
> attention of HR?

I'll answer about content.  The two common competing formats
are skills based (my DICE entry has used this format for years
now) and chronological (still in use by monster.com which is too
generic in the fields they service for me).

> HR is made up of mostly non-tech people so I suspect MS Word is the most
> common format. :-(

DICE uses plain text in its rendering.  Clearly superior for
several reasons.  Recruiters tend to use Word because they
aren't technical folks.  In the end it's the content not the
rendering that matters.

> What if I have direct contact with the hiring manager?

Then you give a custom tuned resume to spec with the desired
content (true not made up) in the desired format (are you willing
to switch to chronological just to apply for this one job?) using
the desired rendering software (some hiring manager wants PDF
so that's what s/he gets).

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

Begin  <1177958592.744143.164650@y5g2000hsa.googlegroups.com>
On 2007-04-30, Doug Freyburger <dfreybur@yahoo.com> wrote:
[snip!]
> (some hiring manager wants PDF so that's what s/he gets).

I use troff (well, groff) so I can easily generate plain text or
postscript (and then pdf, or printed, as required) versions. IMO,
a competent unix hiring manager should be able to spot that and
appreciate it. But then, I am a bit demanding like that. :-)


--
j p d (at) d s b (dot) t u d e l f t (dot) n l .
This message was originally posted on Usenet in plain text.
Any other representation, additions, or changes do not have my
consent and may be a violation of international copyright law.

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

Doug Freyburger wrote:
> Jammer <ask...@mail.com> wrote: 
>
> Welcome to the field.

Thanks but I think a welcome is more appropriate after I get a job.
 
>
> I'll answer about content.  The two common competing formats
> are skills based (my DICE entry has used this format for years
> now) and chronological (still in use by monster.com which is too
> generic in the fields they service for me).
> 
>
> DICE uses plain text in its rendering.  Clearly superior for
> several reasons.  Recruiters tend to use Word because they
> aren't technical folks.  In the end it's the content not the
> rendering that matters.
Ya.
What is your opinion on unix<->other (MS) administration?
I got one inquiry about my non-existent Windows 2003 server, I guess
they hoped I had learned that in the 2 months since I sent them my resume.

My experience right now is 99% unix.
I have Windows desktop experience but I dual boot with Linux.
I'd like to find a job that fits a geek/nerd. :-)

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

On Fri, 04 May 2007 00:49:10 -0400, Jammer <ask.me@mail.com> wrote:

> What is your opinion on unix<->other (MS) administration?
> I got one inquiry about my non-existent Windows 2003 server, I guess
> they hoped I had learned that in the 2 months since I sent them my resume.

Unix pays better by a significant amount, at least in the Midwestern
USA.  Unix is _FAR_ less annoying, and my team's on call guy has a lot
less volume than the windows on call guy.

> My experience right now is 99% unix.
> I have Windows desktop experience but I dual boot with Linux.
> I'd like to find a job that fits a geek/nerd. :-)

If you want to email your resume to me, I'd be happy to take a red pen
to it and send it back with suggestions.  I've been seeing too damn many
bad resumes lately - stand out by not being one of them.  My address is
real if you want to send it.  (Please note: This is not a solicitation
for every headhunter out there to spam me with resumes.  Or even for
_any_ headhunter out there to spam me with _any_ resume.  We're full.)

Dave

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

Dave Hinz <DaveH...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Jammer <ask...@mail.com> wrote:
> 

SysAdmin is a high skill occupation no matter what the
operating system.  I started out on VMS back when
dinosaurs roamed the earth and only moved into Unix in
the mid-1980s.  I've also worked with SAs who had
transitioned in from HP-3000, PrimeOS, mainframe and
so on.

Switching OS is a bit like switching to a new county that
speaks a different language but is still a high tech Mecca.
You gotta replace your own dictionary but as long as you
are skilled enough the work isn't going to be that greatly
different.
[vbcol=seagreen]
> Unix pays better by a significant amount, at least in the Midwestern
> USA.

The pay differential I think is because of how Windows is
marketed.  There seems to be a claim that since its
desktop can be run by the unskilled, so can its servers.
At least MCSE is as high as it gets and that's SAGE Junior.

> Unix is _FAR_ less annoying, and my team's on call guy has a lot
> less volume than the windows on call guy.

Partly because UNIX is more mature, but Windows has
improved on that over the years.  More because of how
the users view it.  Windows has the 3 finger salute so
users think a reboot is actually a cure.  Sorta like thinking
Contact cold pills kill the virus that causes the common
cold.  Nope, it just treats the symptom.  Don't do anything
to handle the cause and the same thing will come back as
a problem again.

> If you want to email your resume to me, I'd be happy to take a red pen
> to it and send it back with suggestions.  I've been seeing too damn many
> bad resumes lately - stand out by not being one of them.  My address is
> real if you want to send it.  (Please note: This is not a solicitation
> for every headhunter out there to spam me with resumes.  Or even for
> _any_ headhunter out there to spam me with _any_ resume.  We're full.)

I'm also willing to look over and comment on a resume now
and then.  Even do the occasional phone interview if you want
to see what is and isn't fluff on your resume.

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]