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Critique My resume too!

polarmystery

polarmystery

Diamond Member
So I've been job hunting for a while and although I have recieved quite a few phone calls, no serious bites. Most of the calls have been from switchboard engineering firms even though clearly that's not what I want to do. I'm trying to make a later career change but it has been EXTREMELY difficult. Your thoughts/critiques/concerns are very much appreciated. Here goes. (This all fits on one page on my word document for reference. Also, the course curriculum highlights aren't formatted correctly on Anandtech so I just listed them straight down):


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME
XXXX
Carrollton, TX 75006
XXXX
eaj0010@gmail.com

Objective:
-Seeking an engineering position as a systems or controls engineer in the United States where I can utilize my engineering and communication skills to increase company customer base

Summary:
-Built and constructed control systems design project for school senior project using MATLAB & Simulink for analysis and troubleshooting
-Programmed, built, and interfaced a Hitachi branded LCD screen to work with a Windows platform connected to a dummy terminal through a serial interface protocol
-Proficient in computer hardware and computer software troubleshooting, updating, installation, and applications

Education:
-Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, August 2006
University of Texas Arlington, Arlington TX
Cumulative GPA: 3.15 on a 4.0 Scale

Course Curriculum Highlights:
-Electrical Component Semiconductor Design
-Control Systems Design and Systems Analysis
-Analysis of Control System Data
-Control Systems Design Capstone Senior Project Lab
-Discrete Signals & Systems
-Microprocessors & Computer Networks
-Computer Assisted Engineering System Design
-Date Evaluation of Electronic Measuring Devises

Experience:
Product Engineer, October 2006 to Present
Siemens Engineering & Automation, Grand Prairie, Texas
- Awarded Siemens Top+ Performance achievement award within first year at Siemens for quick performance, goal completion of standardization of drawings, and creation of customer required switchboard specifications and custom wire diagrams
- Created several reference elevation drawings for switchboard fabrication to improve switchboard lead times for customers
- Provided Application Engineers with electrical design schematics working with customers? specifications by recommending parts to use for cost effectiveness and customer satisfaction
- Created & modify new and existing switchboard elevations for ISO 9001 compliance
- Applied techniques of electrical engineering to create custom wiring diagrams with ground fault protection, modified differential, metering, and automatic power transfer switches for use with custom switchboard designs

Electronic Component Salesman, September 2006 to February 2006
Fry?s Electronics, Arlington, Texas
- Directed customers with computer advice and upgrades improving customer knowledge and assurance with hardware purchases
- Used Novell Client software to log onto point of sale machines for customer purchase information.
- Researched PC hardware component products and specifications to advise salesmen improving store salesman product knowledge to increase departmental revenue and customer base

Activities:
-Assembled, tested, and purchased materials for computers for colleagues, co-workers, and personal clients for personally owned computer business
-Installed dual-screen computer monitors and device drivers for Siemens SAP R3 transition.
-Member of IEEE Student Organization
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 
objective, worthless

put experience before education

emphasize more soft skills for your fry's job

who gives a fuck if you can "Used Novell Client software to log onto point of sale machines for customer purchase information. " if you're trying to get another job as an engineer

*personal preference

I'd put your current job in present tense, as you are still doing it
 
Originally posted by: Ns1
objective, worthless

put experience before education

emphasize more soft skills for your fry's job

who gives a fuck if you can "Used Novell Client software to log onto point of sale machines for customer purchase information. " if you're trying to get another job as an engineer

*personal preference

I'd put your current job in present tense, as you are still doing it
Click to expand...

Experience before education even for entry level job? I'll try that.

I agree with the novel thing btw... 🙁 and the present tense job thing makes sense also.
 
Originally posted by: polarmystery
Originally posted by: Gibson486
get rid of course cirriculum.
Click to expand...

I was told by a recruiter to put that since I am seeking an entry level job, but it's not working obviously 🙁
Click to expand...

let me tell you from experience....

recruiters are not always right. You are no longer right out of college, so no one gives a care about your classes anymore. That said...classes taken should never be mentioned on a resume unless you did something really sigficant in it (like build a time machine).

Instead of a summary, maybe you should replace it with a skills section.
 
Originally posted by: polarmystery
Originally posted by: Ns1
objective, worthless

put experience before education

emphasize more soft skills for your fry's job

who gives a fuck if you can "Used Novell Client software to log onto point of sale machines for customer purchase information. " if you're trying to get another job as an engineer

*personal preference

I'd put your current job in present tense, as you are still doing it
Click to expand...

Experience before education even for entry level job? I'll try that.

I agree with the novel thing btw... 🙁 and the present tense job thing makes sense also.
Click to expand...

well you DO have experience (2 years almost?) so while it's entry level, I'd stress all the shit you learned there instead
 
Originally posted by: polarmystery
Originally posted by: Ns1
objective, worthless

put experience before education

emphasize more soft skills for your fry's job

who gives a fuck if you can "Used Novell Client software to log onto point of sale machines for customer purchase information. " if you're trying to get another job as an engineer

*personal preference

I'd put your current job in present tense, as you are still doing it
Click to expand...

Experience before education even for entry level job? I'll try that.

I agree with the novel thing btw... 🙁 and the present tense job thing makes sense also.
Click to expand...

Yes, because you want the person to see what you accomplished first. If they are impressed, they will be more so when they scan further and find out you are still entry level.

 
Originally posted by: Ns1
objective, worthless

put experience before education
Click to expand...

I'm surprised people are putting education before experience. Seems like an ok entry level tactic, but that's what it screams of.

Your experience at Siemens is a bit long. If I had 50 resumes to go through, I'd probably skip it. Only keep the most important few points or make it more concise.
 
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Originally posted by: polarmystery
Originally posted by: Gibson486
get rid of course cirriculum.
Click to expand...

I was told by a recruiter to put that since I am seeking an entry level job, but it's not working obviously 🙁
Click to expand...

let me tell you from experience....

recruiters are not always right. You are no longer right out of college, so no one gives a care about your classes anymore. That said...classes taken should never be mentioned on a resume unless you did comethign really sigficant in it (like build a time machine).

Instead of a summary, maybe you should replace it with a skills section.
Click to expand...

I guess I feel that if I take that out, and my objective out is SCREAMS that I want to stay in the switchboard electrical field which is what I do not want. How do I structure a resume for a career change? I can't tell you how many recruiters call me for switchboard design when I put that on there...it's crazy and I'm trying to get out of this field permanently.
 
Originally posted by: polarmystery
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Originally posted by: polarmystery
Originally posted by: Gibson486
get rid of course cirriculum.
Click to expand...

I was told by a recruiter to put that since I am seeking an entry level job, but it's not working obviously 🙁
Click to expand...

let me tell you from experience....

recruiters are not always right. You are no longer right out of college, so no one gives a care about your classes anymore. That said...classes taken should never be mentioned on a resume unless you did comethign really sigficant in it (like build a time machine).

Instead of a summary, maybe you should replace it with a skills section.
Click to expand...

I guess I feel that if I take that out, and my objective out is SCREAMS that I want to stay in the switchboard electrical field which is what I do not want. How do I structure a resume for a career change? I can't tell you how many recruiters call me for switchboard design when I put that on there...it's crazy and I'm trying to get out of this field permanently.
Click to expand...

Apply to engineering firms that work on municipalities. Your experience will take you far there.

 
Add some metrics to your accomplishments. Adds more perspective on just how great (or not) you are.

When I go through resume's, all I see is blah blah blah until you hit me with some numbers or specific language that convey's success.

Don't bother with classes you've taken. If I'm interviewing you and you're fairly fresh out of college, I may ask about your schooling. Otherwise all I care about is how you're going to make me look good and help out the company by hiring you.

There's a lot of intelligent people looking for work. Why does your resume differ from anyone else's? That's your challenge.
 
Yeah, it would be good to list any apps or systems that you've worked with in previous environments... but you haven't worked in any previous environments.

The objective isn't worthless, I've had all employers before me tell me they were impressed by it. Your objective shouldn't be to ge a job and do well at it... they we already hoping for someone capable of doing that. Here's the one that got me compliments when I first started out, something you can use:

To find employment within an influential working environment in need of young individuals eager to get their career pathway started.
Click to expand...

Dont use "I" statements. That's Comp 101. And your summary shouldn't be a bullet list of your past experience. It needs to be a compilation of who you are, what you did in the past, and where you want to be... hence: summary.

Again, he's something from my resume 5 years back:

Currently living in Pinellas County attending St. Petersburg College with plans to graduate with an Associates Degree of the Arts and later enroll at University of South Florida to Major in Management Information Systems with a Minor in Business. Spent over four years in web development while maintaining a small web hosting business which is used to earn an even greater understanding of networking as well as develop skills in public relations. Spent x years at xbusiness. developing experience within a corporate support department. Now seeking an employment position relative to education and experience in hopes to put the acquired skills to use.
Click to expand...
 
The objective isn't worthless, I've had all employers before me tell me they were impressed by it. Your objective shouldn't be to ge a job and do well at it... they we already hoping for someone capable of doing that. Here's the one that got me compliments when I first started out, something you can use:
Click to expand...

FWIW I disagree; all too often it's just loaded with bullshit buzzwords wrapped around more bullshit on top of some more bullshit. So if you got a REALLY REALLY GOOD objective leave it, but if it's just crap I'd get rid of it.
 
Originally posted by: Ns1
The objective isn't worthless, I've had all employers before me tell me they were impressed by it. Your objective shouldn't be to ge a job and do well at it... they we already hoping for someone capable of doing that. Here's the one that got me compliments when I first started out, something you can use:
Click to expand...

FWIW I disagree; all too often it's just loaded with bullshit buzzwords wrapped around more bullshit on top of some more bullshit. So if you got a REALLY REALLY GOOD objective leave it, but if it's just crap I'd get rid of it.
Click to expand...

You can't exactly baffle them with bullshit when, structuraly speaking, an objective is only supposed to be one sentence. Wel... some can. But they shouldn't be hired anywhere anyway.
 
Originally posted by: Ns1
objective, worthless

put experience before education

emphasize more soft skills for your fry's job

who gives a fuck if you can "Used Novell Client software to log onto point of sale machines for customer purchase information. " if you're trying to get another job as an engineer

*personal preference

I'd put your current job in present tense, as you are still doing it
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

In regards to "objective"... if the only objective you can come up with is generic, it's not worth it. An objective is a personal goal. It's a statement of what you want. It's a statement requesting a company's help to get there, followed by a list a list of details of why this company should care. It's NOT a statement of what you intend to do for a company. If you are gonna have a cookie-cutter statement in there, you might as well not have one at all. Don't do it because it's a formality, do it because you have a goal that you are so set on that it's importance is above every qualification you've spent your life working on.

Putting experience before education is a must, unless your experience is worthless jobs that have no real applicable skills besides developing common sense work habits. While your education says that you are trained to do something, you experience shows that you HAVE done it. Which would you trust more... a doctor that has successfully performed the procedure you need done, or the hospital intern that has so far only read books and maybe watched a few videos about the procedure? Experience talks louder than education.


The "Activities" are pretty "meh." too. You gotta understand that no matter how you word something, someone qualified to determine if you are right for a position reads the truth. Here's what I read for your activities:

- I fix my friends & family's computers.
- I hooked up a second monitor to a lot of computers.
- I paid the dues for a student organization but didn't care to get a full-fledged membership after I graduated.
 
Originally posted by: Injury
Originally posted by: Ns1
objective, worthless

put experience before education

emphasize more soft skills for your fry's job

who gives a fuck if you can "Used Novell Client software to log onto point of sale machines for customer purchase information. " if you're trying to get another job as an engineer

*personal preference

I'd put your current job in present tense, as you are still doing it
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

In regards to "objective"... if the only objective you can come up with is generic, it's not worth it. An objective is a personal goal. It's a statement of what you want. It's a statement requesting a company's help to get there, followed by a list a list of details of why this company should care. It's NOT a statement of what you intend to do for a company. If you are gonna have a cookie-cutter statement in there, you might as well not have one at all. Don't do it because it's a formality, do it because you have a goal that you are so set on that it's importance is above every qualification you've spent your life working on.

Putting experience before education is a must, unless your experience is worthless jobs that have no real applicable skills besides developing common sense work habits. While your education says that you are trained to do something, you experience shows that you HAVE done it. Which would you trust more... a doctor that has successfully performed the procedure you need done, or the hospital intern that has so far only read books and maybe watched a few videos about the procedure? Experience talks louder than education.


The "Activities" are pretty "meh." too. You gotta understand that no matter how you word something, someone qualified to determine if you are right for a position reads the truth. Here's what I read for your activities:

- I fix my friends & family's computers.
- I hooked up a second monitor to a lot of computers.
- I paid the dues for a student organization but didn't care to get a full-fledged membership after I graduated.
Click to expand...

Pretty transparent eh? I guess I can take those out also. I much appreciate the feedback!

 
Originally posted by: OdiN
Originally posted by: polarmystery
Originally posted by: OdiN
I also didn't read this one, and it also sucks.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the constructive criticism :roll:
Click to expand...

You asked for my thoughts, I gave them to you. Now quit your bitching.
Click to expand...

Opie, don't be so touchy just because someone has a better resume than you.
 
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