Resume is the key in opening door to job in business world

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I am always mystified when I read about the shortage of professionals in information systems because I have been seeking a position in that field for many years with no success.

I have a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics, also a master’s degree in computer science, and have taught mathematics and computer science at the college level for years. I have also kept up with the field of computer science by taking additional courses.

The teaching jobs are not well paying because they are ad hoc, non-tenure track positions (mid-twenties is about it). I have applied for many programming jobs over the years but in most cases, I don’t even get an interview. I am a good programmer and I always got straight A’s in my programming courses. Why am I having such a hard time getting into this field?

If you aren’t getting interviews, there is something wrong with your job hunting approach. The problem could be your resume, a perceived lack of experience, or even your age. The job market is hot right now in almost every job category, so if any reader is having trouble landing a job, these tips could help.

First, take a hard look at your cover letter. Is it addressed to the person doing the hiring, rather than "To whom it may concern"? Is it tailored to each position for which you are applying? Do you mention why you want to work for their company? Are you matching up the skills you have with the qualifications for the position and giving examples on the cover letter? Are you certain that there are no typos or grammatical errors? It’s a good idea to show your cover letter and resume to people in the industry, so that they can critique it.

I suspect your resume is your biggest problem. If you look like more of a teacher than a programmer, you will look like you don’t have any "real" experience. Fair or not, it is the problem many educators face when they try to cross over into the business world. I experienced this myself when I made a career transition from my teaching and counseling career into training and development. I didn’t get a single interview until I did two things: got some "real world" experience and re-wrote my resume, using mini-stories about my results.

If you suspect that you don’t have enough business experience, it would be a good idea to "create your own experience." One way to do this is to approach a small business or professional organization and ask them if they need a technical project completed. You may even have to do a project for free, just to get a business reference and the experience to put on your resume.

Companies are so desperate for IT professionals, many are creating training programs on-site and paying these students while they learn. Staffing companies are searching for IT people they can place them in their client companies. Most of these staffing companies have more open jobs than people to fill them. This could be a good way to make the leap from education to business. Another approach is to apply for a computer training position in corporations or at a computer training company. This would leverage your teaching experience and help you create a bridge into the business world.

Regarding your resume, I recommend a functional format, rather than a chronological layout. Functional resumes allow you to highlight your skill categories, rather than a chronological list of employers. Here’s how to do it. Under the Work Experience section, along the left-hand side of your resume, list up to five categories that will match a programmer’s typical qualifications. Under each category, write a paragraph or two about your results. These results may be things you did in your teaching job or even unpaid activities; you don’t need to mention where.

The key is to group results by category not by job. For instance, if one category is "Project Management," you might list three or four technology-related projects you were accountable for, and the results you achieved, regardless of when or where you did those projects.

It’s important to maximize your business-related experience and minimize your teaching jargon. Speak the language of business: "instructional design" rather than "lesson plans." Although it may seem like a small point, employers who read your resume could screen you out as too academic, if you don’t pay attention to details like this. A good place to pick up business lingo is in the trade journals.

Finally, and sadly, young IT professionals have told me that older applicants can be at a disadvantage when it comes to high-tech jobs. A recent Fortune Magazine article, "Finished at Forty" explains that IT jobs (among others) are often the domain of the Gen X crowd and there can be a perception that older technicians are dinosaurs. Minimize the age factor by removing jobs you held early in your career. You may even want to leave dates off entirely. Remember that the object of a resume is to get an interview, you don’t have to give a detailed account of your entire employment life. In addition, make sure the technology expertise you list on your resume is state of the art. No one cares about outdated technology, only what you can do now and in the future.

Do you need answers to tough job hunting questions? Are you looking for some added punch to help you stand out from the crowd? Joan Lloyd’s has developed job hunting tools that can help you to maximize your job search:

Savvy Negotiation Strategies to Get Paid What You’re Worth on a New Job (Detailed, 8-page PDF by email – no shipping charge)
Easy, Step-by-step Guide to Using the Internet to Land a Great Job (Detailed, 10-page PDF by email  – no shipping charge)
The Resume That Opens the Door and the Interview That Gets the Job (Detailed, 37-page PDF by email – no shipping charge)