Topic 1.2: Résumés

LinkedIn Tools

• LinkedIn provides a News Feed to keep users updated.
• Users can create a Profile that acts as a public résumé.
• LinkedIn offers a messaging feature for communication.
• Users can apply for jobs directly through LinkedIn's job applications.

News Feed

• The news feed provides updates
• Areas of interest are displayed
• Job postings are listed
• Upcoming projects are advertised
• Displays people of interest

Profile

• A good profile generally contains a picture, and a good summary of work experience, education, certifications, projects, and skills & recommendations.
• Keep your public résumé up to date and accurate.
• Use links within the résumé.
• Endorse other peoples profiles.

Messaging

• Messaging is often limited to connections
• Can be valuable for important follow-up information
• Messaging is used less frequently than other tools
• Connection via messaging requires adequate context, relevance, details, and trust.

Job Board

• Job board might not contain all companies
• Do not trust the "Easy Apply" function
• Ensure your application aligns with the job.

Genre Features

• Genres can include Limerick, Haiku, Non-fiction, and Memoir.
• Résumés should be 1-2 pages long.
• Résumés should have clear sections and layout with titles, organization names, and dates.
• Use reverse chronological order, consistent formatting and bullet points with action verbs
• Showcase clear results.
• Five elements of genre are purpose, audience, structure, diction, and citation.

Purpose

• The purpose of writing a résumé is to convince someone that you are the right person for the job and make them want to hire you.

Audience

• Résumés are typically written for a line manager, HR personnel, or an Application Tracking System.
• Target anyone in the company that may have a say in hiring.

Structure

• Résumé structure matters because it saves time and shows professionalism.
• Need to find information quickly
• Shows how well someone can present information.

Diction

• The tone of a résumé is formal and features action-focused bullet points, e.g., "Planned and executed 30 marketing campaigns, increasing lead generation by 25%".

Citation

• Use examples such as job references.

Structuring a Résumé

• Aim for a length of 1 or 2 pages with good spacing.
• Use an easy-to-read font and appropriate spacing.
• Use bold, italics, and underlines consistently to emphasize important points and key words.
• Use clear sections and headings
• Include relevant sections such as: "Whose résumé is this" "What is your goal" "Brief list of skills" "Education" "Employment" "Personal projects" and "Other relevant details".
• Always use reverse chronological order
• Clear titles such as 'Education Experience', 'Work Experience', and 'Projects'
• The goal is to allow readers to instantly find the required information.

What Matters in a Computer Science Résumé

• Prioritize work experience, course success (GPA if impressive), projects, and technical skills.
• Also include clubs and courses, non-technical skills, but make sure they are relevant.
• Work experience may not be as important as students think.
• Irrelevant work experiences may not significantly improve chances, but any experience is better than none.
• GPA is important for entry-level positions and the higher the better.
• Mention the software, programming languages, and frameworks the applicant is familiar with.
• Projects are worth including and may compensate for a lack of work experience.
• Extracurriculars, such as clubs and fraternity/sorority involvement may be worth including.
• Relevant coursework may be used if space permits, but otherwise should be left out in favor of other résumé items.
• Listing soft skills on résumés may not convey their presence.

Résumé Assignment

• Complete a 3-month "internship" with HaliHali Halibut.
• They are hiring a team of interns to help them select products to digitalize their business
• Assignment 1: Résumé (1a), Cover Letter (1a), Recorded Interview (1b)
• The rubric will be graded based on context, information, genre, sources & evidence, presentation.
• A checklist will be graded on how effective you meet the following: relevance, information, formatting, and evidence.
• The résumé must reflect personal experience.
• Contact details, organization names, and role titles can be changed.
• Résumés must match the cover letter and be tailored to the job.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

• ATS, are applicant tracking systems.
• Common platforms include Workday, Bamboo HR, Taleo, Greenhouse, and Brassring.
• They provide an applicant portal, application form, automatic processing, recruiter ranking, interview planning, and offer and rejection processes.

Automatic Processing

• Automatic processing is a hidden process that searches for keywords and matches job descriptions.
• Auto-rejection tools may reject based on residency, education.
• Automation is needed due to hundreds of applicants, dozens of positions, and limited time.

The Human Element

• ATS reduces applications
• A recruiter still shortlists
• Résumés must work for both ATS and recruiters
• Many ATS systems strip formatting.

Bypassing the ATS

• Bypass ATS with referrals -Provided by current employees
• Referrals are not universal
• Some referrals bypass ATS and the recruiter.
• Networking is important.

Recap

• By the end of this topic you should:
• Understand why resumes follow consistent formats.
• Understand what is required for a successful resume.
• Understand how résumés are processed.

For Next Class

• Search for the perfect cover letter.