Atlanta Quality Assurance Association

The Incredible Shrinking Job Market (Part I - Resumes)
René Orlin CSTE

Have you hit any of your favorite job-search/recruiting websites lately? If you are looking for a new job or a better job or are one of the unfortunate hit by layoffs who are just looking for ANY job, the websites are discouraging. What happened to the good old days when I could count on seeing 400 QA jobs in the Atlanta area on computerjobs.com? As the QA job market shrinks and layoffs loom just beyond next quarter's losses for many small and not-so-small companies, finding a job becomes more difficult than ever.

So, what can you do to make yourself stand out from the competition? With more applicants to choose from and fewer openings to fill, the recruiter's job seems to be easier than ever. So, your first task is get the interview. First impressions are very important and the first impression you make is based on your resume. So the first step you should take is to work on that resume. Yes, the recruiting firm may revamp it - but they will still make their impression of your skill set based on your resume.

If applying for a specific job customize your resume for that company. What skills does the company need? Are those skills on your resume? Could you reorder or reformat your skills to highlight those that match the company's needs? Be careful when documenting your skills. I have refused to hire many QA people who may have done a great job, but they severely inflated their skill set. It could be that they only exaggerated in one area, and that area was not critical to the position, but it still left a bad taste in my mouth. Remember you should be prepared to answer questions once you get that interview regarding any skill on your resume. I have found that the term "working knowledge" is very helpful to use when describing those areas where you have some exposure, but your skills are limited.

Do you have an objective on your resume? How does it align with the company's goals? Do some research on the company and their goals and emphasize the areas where your objectives meet the needs of the company. I shouldn't have to mention it, but make sure that your objective mentions the position you want! I can't tell you how many people I have interviewed for a QA position whose objective was to "be a DBA" or "move into development." Why should I waste my time on someone who is bent on moving out of my department before they ever move in? When questioned, many of these folks told me that they just hadn't updated their resume. Well, excuse me! That makes me feel special, and reflects an inattention to detail that is not exactly a desirable quality for a QA person.

What about formatting? Is your resume well laid out? Is your font consistent? Are the correct things emphasized? I think it is very helpful to look at other resumes for formatting ideas. If you are not in a position where you see a lot of resumes, ask your friends and colleagues if you can get a copy of their resume to get some formatting ideas. Some general guidelines apply to all formatting. Put the most important things first and remember this may change for each company. Be consistent with punctuation of bullet items; end all with periods or none. Be careful in your font selection; it should be easy to read and should appear correctly on all operating systems. You may need to make a separate text-only version to post on the internet or send to some companies.

A few other thoughts about content... What about the old adage that it should all fit on one page? I don't think this applies if you have a lot of experience. You shouldn't try to fit 15 years worth of skills onto a one page resume. I do notice that many of the skills I was very proud to acquire in my first QA job are not so important anymore and I can condense these the more jobs I have. Use active verbs as opposed to passive wherever possible. "Organized test case review" has much more impact than "was responsible for reviewing test cases." Sell yourself! Focus on results and the realities of today's marketplace. The fact that you designed and executed tests for a new feature is not as impressive as the fact that you designed and executed tests for a RAD project with a 3-month timeline, uncovering significant defects before release.

What about a cover letter? This is an opportunity to let your originality and sincerity really shine. Use a cover letter to express your enthusiasm. Highlight why you would be a great fit for this job. Keep it short. Remember you want them to read it. A cover letter makes your resume stand out. This says to me that you have taken some extra time and paid extra attention to me, and my company's needs.

My final thought on your resume, is one I can't emphasize enough - PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD! Remember you are applying for a Quality Assurance job! Nothing makes me drop a resume in my circular file quicker than a misspelled word. If you are like me and never know exactly where that comma should go, make friends with the folks in your doc department and ask them to proofread it for you.

Now, your resume is perfect. You know it is perfect because you just got a call to schedule your first interview. Now what do you do? Stay tuned, to this channel, for Part II of the Incredible Shrinking JobMarket - How to ace the interview.

For past newsletters, articles and meeting information, please contact AQAA .

AQAA Articles The Incredible Shrinking Job Market (Part I - Resumes) René Orlin CSTE Have you hit any of your favorite job-search/recruiting websites lately? If you are looking for a new job or a better job or are one of the unfortunate hit by layoffs who are just looking for ANY job, the websites are discouraging. What happened to the good old days when I could count on seeing 400 QA jobs in the Atlanta area on computerjobs.com? As the QA job market shrinks and layoffs loom just beyond next quarter's losses for many small and not-so-small companies, finding a job becomes more difficult than ever. So, what can you do to make yourself stand out from the competition? With more applicants to choose from and fewer openings to fill, the recruiter's job seems to be easier than ever. So, your first task is get the interview. First impressions are very important and the first impression you make is based on your resume. So the first step you should take is to work on that resume. Yes, the recruiting firm may revamp it - but they will still make their impression of your skill set based on your resume. If applying for a specific job customize your resume for that company. What skills does the company need? Are those skills on your resume? Could you reorder or reformat your skills to highlight those that match the company's needs? Be careful when documenting your skills. I have refused to hire many QA people who may have done a great job, but they severely inflated their skill set. It could be that they only exaggerated in one area, and that area was not critical to the position, but it still left a bad taste in my mouth. Remember you should be prepared to answer questions once you get that interview regarding any skill on your resume. I have found that the term "working knowledge" is very helpful to use when describing those areas where you have some exposure, but your skills are limited. Do you have an objective on your resume? How does it align with the company's goals? Do some research on the company and their goals and emphasize the areas where your objectives meet the needs of the company. I shouldn't have to mention it, but make sure that your objective mentions the position you want! I can't tell you how many people I have interviewed for a QA position whose objective was to "be a DBA" or "move into development." Why should I waste my time on someone who is bent on moving out of my department before they ever move in? When questioned, many of these folks told me that they just hadn't updated their resume. Well, excuse me! That makes me feel special, and reflects an inattention to detail that is not exactly a desirable quality for a QA person. What about formatting? Is your resume well laid out? Is your font consistent? Are the correct things emphasized? I think it is very helpful to look at other resumes for formatting ideas. If you are not in a position where you see a lot of resumes, ask your friends and colleagues if you can get a copy of their resume to get some formatting ideas. Some general guidelines apply to all formatting. Put the most important things first and remember this may change for each company. Be consistent with punctuation of bullet items; end all with periods or none. Be careful in your font selection; it should be easy to read and should appear correctly on all operating systems. You may need to make a separate text-only version to post on the internet or send to some companies. A few other thoughts about content... What about the old adage that it should all fit on one page? I don't think this applies if you have a lot of experience. You shouldn't try to fit 15 years worth of skills onto a one page resume. I do notice that many of the skills I was very proud to acquire in my first QA job are not so important anymore and I can condense these the more jobs I have. Use active verbs as opposed to passive wherever possible. "Organized test case review" has much more impact than "was responsible for reviewing test cases." Sell yourself! Focus on results and the realities of today's marketplace. The fact that you designed and executed tests for a new feature is not as impressive as the fact that you designed and executed tests for a RAD project with a 3-month timeline, uncovering significant defects before release. What about a cover letter? This is an opportunity to let your originality and sincerity really shine. Use a cover letter to express your enthusiasm. Highlight why you would be a great fit for this job. Keep it short. Remember you want them to read it. A cover letter makes your resume stand out. This says to me that you have taken some extra time and paid extra attention to me, and my company's needs. My final thought on your resume, is one I can't emphasize enough - PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD! Remember you are applying for a Quality Assurance job! Nothing makes me drop a resume in my circular file quicker than a misspelled word. If you are like me and never know exactly where that comma should go, make friends with the folks in your doc department and ask them to proofread it for you. Now, your resume is perfect. You know it is perfect because you just got a call to schedule your first interview. Now what do you do? Stay tuned, to this channel, for Part II of the Incredible Shrinking JobMarket - How to ace the interview. For past newsletters, articles and meeting information, please contact AQAA .

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