• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

UPDATE: I got an offer! Resume Critique

Looks great! Resist any temptation to slim that down to less than the 2 pages you're using. A 2-page resume in your situation is perfect.
 
Too long IMO. You should be able to condense that into a solid two page resume.

It comes up as 4 pages when I open it. The 4th page is blank but still...
 
I kind of job hopped for awhile - trying to find where I wanted and I recently realized - I just hate Fargo.

What kind of salary should I ask for in the minneapolis area with my resume? Any advice?

as for it being too long - I want to put those pertinent employers down as with those it gives me 4 years experience, I dont have a Bachelors ( I would like to get one, but getting married, kids, and supporting the wife while she gets her affected that, maybe next year I'll pursue it again ) but I do have an AAS - and a couple certifications - pending my MCSE and I'll do the CCNA if an employer pays for it.

Some recruiters have my resume as of today...we will see what happens - but I dont know what to ask - I've checked salary.com - and I just wanted to hear your guys input.
 
Speaking from the perspective of Human Resources, brevity is vastly preferable for any resume.

You REALLY need to cut that down to under two pages or the HR monkey reviewing that bloated novel will quickly move on to the next resume in the stack.
 
I have always managed to keep mine to a single page. I have an expanded version, more like a CV, but always lead off with the one page version.
 
Where should I skim then? Some employers - or what? My 2 previous employers I want to leave completely as is - but I could skim on some of the other ones - please help me.
 
There's an awesome resume thread going on over at in their networking & support subforum. But they are down right now so no linkie.
 
Originally posted by: multiband8303
Where should I skim then? Some employers - or what? My 2 previous employers I want to leave completely as is - but I could skim on some of the other ones - please help me.
Click to expand...

I can't see yours because I'm at work and it is blocked, but I generally leave out old jobs and ones that aren't relevant to whatever I'm targeting. I use some formatting tricks to get the most out of a single page. It's kind of an eye-catcher.
 
I wouldn't put references. ANd i would remove your oldest experience and shorten your current one. That seems really long winded
 
You don't need to take out any job to shorten it, however, you should reduce the verbage you have for all the jobs except the most recent two. You are looking for a systems/network administrator role and your last two positions are the ones that best apply to it. The others should be there to show your progression and account for those years of work. They do not need as much detail as you have there.

I also have some other questions:

1) You have managed over 50+ exchange servers but your company had 250 employees with 650 total end users. That seems rather excessive for those numbers.
2) What VMware did you work with? ESX? Did you use VMotion? Did you do the initial installations of VMWare or just environments on it? VMWare is hot right now so more detail would be helpful.
3) What versions of SQL did you work with? Microsoft 2000/2005, Oracle? A little more detail as to versions would be helpful. I would assume only MS SQL from your resume, but if you did 2005 I wouldn't know it from this.

In your career objective, state something more than what you have there. Tell them that you want to live in the Minneapolis area. I would look at your resume and see job hopper, but if you explain you want to move I might be more inclined to hire you.

Kill the skills section it is just rehashing what you have listed in your experience.
 
Each individual client was composed of less then 250 employees, we are consultants, on contractual hire - that is why I managed them (with the aid of our help desk as well)

as for VMware - initial installation - and yes I did use Vmotion

SQL 2000 only, no Oracle/SAP experience whatsoever (A lot of my installations were SBS shops)

Thanks for your help very much.
 
Originally posted by: multiband8303
Each individual client was composed of less then 250 employees, we are consultants, on contractual hire - that is why I managed them (with the aid of our help desk as well)
Click to expand...

You should explain it a little better on the resume. If I glanced and looked at the numbers my BS meter would go off if I didn't know the details you just gave.

as for VMware - initial installation - and yes I did use Vmotion
Click to expand...

Definitely expound on this experience. VMWare is hot in the market. Also using VMotion would indicate to me that you probably have some SAN experience and that should be on there as well.

SQL 2000 only, no Oracle/SAP experience whatsoever (A lot of my installations were SBS shops)

Thanks for your help very much.
Click to expand...

Indicate MS SQL then. You don't want people who are looking for guys with Oracle experience calling you by mistake. It would be a waste of time for both you and the interviewer.
 
It doesn't look that different. Are you sure you uploaded the one you changed?

I still don't see any clarification of the VM skills and those are far more important than setting up VPNs with appliances. I see too much detail with the older jobs and the skills section is still there even though it is just repeating what you have stated in the experience.

I think this is the same one as before.
 
It looks pretty good, my suggestion is try and edit the wording on some of you experence so that is fits on a single line. Also looking at it from far away it looks kind of cluttered I don't know if you could maybe clean up the format a bit.
 
I wouldn't use size 8 font. It will just annoy the person trying to read it. There are also some spelling/grammar issues (than, not then, for instance)
 
congrats!!!! no matter what you choose to do, best of luck to you. 🙂 :beer:
 
Congrats! Going to work for Northwest Airlines by chance? For a support position with your experience in the Twin Cities that is the right starting salary assuming you're getting benefits, a 401k match of some sort and the other basic trappings. Help desk just isn't paying a lot particularly in larger companies since you can pay the same money for two or three techs overseas with basically the same experience.

As for long term planning I'd suggest you look for project opportunities with measurable benefit (cost savings, revenue drivers, performance/stability improvements, etc..) once you settle in your new job that you can update that resume. It will better prepare you for an engineering position or perhaps a business analyst or project lead role that are the long term career paths for your average level 2/3 support geek. Once you move out of the support world (bottom run of the IT ladder) and start implementing technology solutions appropriate to the business you will make yourself much more valuable to your current employed in the marketplace. The easier it is to "dollarize" your value, the easier it is to negotiate a larger salary and the less likely you'll ever get downsized or outsourced.
 
LOL, sad thing is I'm happy about $55k.....

No it's not Northwest Airlines - Small little company, I will be the only IT person there. So my title is just plain ol' Network Administrator/Systems Analyst.

Anyways - I want to start "dollarizing" as you say absolutely, but this is a contract to hire position so after my 6 months - if they like me, there is a raise - how much is determined by them. But I feel dumb now for thinking $55k is alright, in Fargo I was making $30k, even with the cost of living (being 23%) higher - I will be doing alright I think...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top