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**pchang** · May 23, 2005, 17:00

What did the reject letter say?

**Gibsie** · May 23, 2005, 17:08

I think you may have too many jobs listed there. Espeically the ones where you were only there a few weeks. But I'm not a recruiter, so don't necessairly take my word for it

**Pyrodrew** · May 23, 2005, 17:16

Rejection letters suck because they rarely give the real reason, if any reason at all. "We decided to go with someone else, thanks and good luck." A postcard with the word 'No' is what companies seem to be moving towards.

I'm too lazy to read your whole resume, but your objective is too vague. It can make you sound desperate to take anything. If it was more specific you sound more focused and goal-oriented, IMO. It also makes it easier for the HR person rather than a "Guess what I am/want?" objective.

**Sirotnikov** · May 23, 2005, 17:51

you concentrate too much imo on the stuff you did.

you write so much about the treest that you can't identify the forest

instead of describing that you filled out excell sheets and calculated this and that, your should write a proper job description - laboratory assistant, calculations officer - what ever.
then add things that descrbie your job: formulated and executed measurements, wrote procedures, did Q&A, wrote manuals.

You should also mention skills and not just projects, such as:
- work under pressure and short time delivery
- good people skilles
- multitasking
- leading a project from planning to execution, and results assessment.

most of the special skills you mention are **** that you are expected to either know or learn on the fly.

imagine you'd write: "skilled with writing using pen, pencils and chalk".

instead you should write: - wide array of experience in handling light and heavy lab instruments - wide experience in handling unique substances - large experience in planning and executing unique procedures and later assessing the results and process quality...

whatever.

btw, most of what i wrote would be an inexact description as i only quickly skimmed this long long file.

**MichaeltheGreat** · May 23, 2005, 17:56

I've found (from employer's perspective) and had this echoed by recruiters that "objectives" are just so much wasted space.

What occurs to me is that prior to this last job, you had lots of short term jobs and then big gaps in hiring. Since you're in the initial screening phase, people don't care to sort out why, they just look at maybe the top ten or twenty of 100 or 200 resumes, and look for reasons to cull the rest.

I'd eliminate some of the prior jobs, figure out something to explain the gaps, and maybe consolidate your earlier experience to a functional blurb.

Depending on the field, a lot of resumes are sorted automatically, so incorporating acronyms and buzzwords helps, even if it's in a skills and qualifications section.

I don't know how different your job market is from San Diego, but three weeks is a short time. People I know who've recently been hired have generally been hired for jobs they first responded to three and fourt months earlier. Most companies, in three weeks, they haven't even finished gathering resumes, and sometimes, they start the process before they even have official approval to add the position, so they have people applying for jobs that don't yet (and may not ever) exist.

**Lancer** · May 23, 2005, 17:59

Stickers. Butterflys, flowers, add some color.

**Japher** · May 23, 2005, 18:05

A postcard with the word 'No' is what companies seem to be moving towards.

Most companies, in three weeks, they haven't even finished gathering resumes, and sometimes, they start the process before they even have official approval to add the position, so they have people applying for jobs that don't yet (and may not ever) exist.

I've been looking for over 3 months now.

MM posted this at CG, and I editted it some. Here's a copy of that post:

Here's what I would do:

OBJECTIVE: To obtain a position as a [INSERT POSITION TITLE HERE] that would utilize my 10+ years of experience testing and analyzing analytical assays as well as my understanding of data management systems.

EXPERIENCE CasChem, Bayonne, NJ
Quality Control Technician, August 2000 to March 2005

Performed in-process, final product, and raw material assays to assure product conformity to quality specifications
Supported Research and Development efforts on an ongoing basis
Calibrated and maintained an assortment of laboratory equipment, including viscometers, specific
gravity meters, analytical balances, and Karl Fisher titration devices.
Maintained in process and final sample archives.

International Technidyne Corporation, Edison, NJ
Quality Assurance Coordinator, August 1998 to December 1999

Ensured the proper and timely conclusion of all instrument and incision device complaints.
Compiled documentation for new products according to ISO quality standards
Coordinated interdepartmental communication to ensure the smooth operation of complaint systems.
Trended complaint data to find problem areas and recommend possible solutions.

Lab Support, Various Locations
Various Positions, March 1995 to July 1998

Correlated, evaluated and data based formulation data for brand name food, pharmaceutical, and blood products
Developed and/or Wrote new product specifications, process documentation, process monitoring plans, study plans, SOIs, Interim Reports, and Presentations
Compounded and tested product samples and prototypes
Supplied computer support and training

Rutgers University, Newark College of Arts and Sciences
Tutor, Fall 1993 to Fall 1994

Instructed students in chemistry, geology, and accounting.
Appraised computer-teaching programs.
Training of other tutors

SKILLS General chemistry experience, hazardous and sensitive material handling, working knowledge of lab equipment including analytical balances, penetrometers, Brookfield viscometers, pH meters, FTIR, NIR, and UV spectrometers, GCs, Hunter Lab Scan II
Colorimeters, Sieve Analysis (ROTAP), Anton Paar density meters, Mettler Karl Fisher titrators, and an assortment of wet chemistry and other laboratory procedures, including but not limited to acid value, hydroxyl value, saponification number, unsaponifiable matter, iodine value, %soap, %NCO, % volatiles, melt point (capillary and drop), gel time (dry stick and Brookfield), and heavy metals.

Computer: MSOffice, World Wide Web programs, Xspec,[LIST AS MANY RELEVENT SW PROGRAMS YOU CAN THINK OF THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO USE, OR HAVE USED IN THE PAST] various other software, competent with computer hardware

CERTIFICATIONS Nationally certified by the College Reading and
Learning Association as a tutor.

EDUCATION Rutgers University, Newark College of Arts and Sciences
Major in Geology (3 of 4 years completed)
Minor in Chemistry

References are available on request.

Made your OBJECTIVE a little more precise, removed how you got the positions you have had, changed the wording on some of the job duties, removed some duties that would be implied, consolodated temp positions, removed some irrelevant jobs, added some job responsibilities to SKILLS, removed GENERAL SKILLS (could be listed as Hobbies/Interests), removed all minors but Chemistry, moved education to the end since it is not what we want to emphasize, changed "incomplete" to "3 of 4" to make it more positive and makes it appear that you want to finish if given the opportunity...

When you look at a job posting I would recommend identifying keywords and making sure they are in your resume IF you have said experience.

There's probably more you can do. You have a lot to do with quality issues, maybe add that to the objective.

---

I don't think that the objective is a waste, but it can be if too long and not to the point. I even put a "profile" section in my resume, which is really just a way to throw in all the buzz words.

**DanS** · May 23, 2005, 18:16

Aren't people in many areas moving towards a litany of "successes" rather than credentials? Depends on your area, I guess.

**The Mad Monk** · May 23, 2005, 19:53

I work in QC, Dan --- most of my "successes" involved delaying or stopping $50,000 product shipments.

**The Mad Monk** · May 23, 2005, 19:57

Just realized I can upload the document here.

I'm going to incorporate Japher's suggestions (thanks again!)

MtG, you're right, it's a bit early to panic, but I'm without income at this point, so it's better to get everything right the first time around.

Attached Files

strippedresume april 2005.doc (32.5 KB, 117 views)

**Lawrence of Arabia** · May 23, 2005, 20:05

you forgot to slip a $20 in there

**atomant** · May 23, 2005, 20:08

My $2:16 cents for what they are worth, is that your resume seemed to me to read more like a position description. Instead of what you achieved in those roles. An employment consultant pointed the same thing out to me. I have attached my resume, sans contact, present job and personal details, so you can see where I am coming from. Also use alot of punchy language and don't be afriad of building yourself up.

When I have hired people previously, I really look at what they achieved in their positions, then what they did, and finally where they went to school.

Hope it helps.

Attached Files

sampleres.doc (59.5 KB, 119 views)

**Velociryx** · May 23, 2005, 20:12

Experiences drawn from my time working with the VP of Haldane and Associates, here in Columbia

* Provide numbers. The example you gave just a minute ago is a beauty! most of my "successes" involved delaying or stopping $50,000 product shipments. FANTASTIC! How many? How much total money did YOUR fast action and keen eye save the company? Talk it up!

* Likewise, the bit about coordinating between several departments...how many departments (and, if it won't eat up too much real estate, what were they?). Did your position as liaison between these groups facilitate savings for the company? If so, how much? (estimates are okay too, provided you have the support of your superiors when they call to check!)

* Assembled ISO docs...too weak....did you actually do any of the writing, or just put the docs together from existing stuffs? If you wrote, for how many products?
Personally, I'd lose line items like (handled hazardous materials and took inventory, and mention them in the "other skills" segment (Familiar with HazMat procedures & Inventory Control Systems...or something like that).

Bullet points are your friends...put your best skills in hard-hitting bullet points to draw the employer's eye to them, and to make room for that, ditch everything not directly related to the job you're applying for.

Carpentery skills, for example...very handy, but unless you're applying for a job where they might get used, toss them and make room for job-relevant notations. During the interview process, you can certainly bring up your non-job-relevant skills, and in fact, this is a good way to build rapport, but keep the resume focused *specifically* on the job that you're trying for.

Also, during the interview, adopt some of the same mannerisms as the interviewee without being obvious about it (practice this with your friends first!)....people like hiring people like them....not a surefire "in" but it'll give you a leg-up.

If you need more, PM me!

-=Vel=-

**Velociryx** · May 23, 2005, 20:25

PS: During salary negotiations, NEVER play the first card...if they ask how much you're thinking (and most good interviewers WILL), stall them and do this EXACTLY:

1) Tell them that you did not come to the interview prepared to discuss salary.....

2) As you are saying this, grab your pen and meet the interviewee's eyes. "but what ballpark were you thinking?"

3) MOST IMPORTANT THING after this is to BE QUIET!!!! Keep your dang mouth shut and maintain eye contact. Be prepared to write...keep that pen poised over the paper....then wait.

USE the silence.

People hate silences, and the interviewee WILL fill it.

Oh...and try not to choke when you hear the answer...

-=Vel=-

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