Comment on my resume!

[hellmet]

I'm trying to find a job as an Entry-level Linux Sys. Admin and I recently overhauled my resume after looking at a large number of resume samples. However, I feel my eyes might have got trained to my style of resume writing, and possibly my resume is a mess :) and I don't know!

It'd indeed be wonderful if you could take the time to comment on my resume.

Thanks!!

UPDATE:: Revised version, according to your comments and samples across the web, attached. See S.V.Resume-SysAdmin-v3.0.2.pdf

[00ber n00b]

Is it common practice to expose gpa?

[Dayofswords]

master of computer science
who wouldn't hire you?


part that confused me
"authorized to work in US"
I believe to work in US.. you just have to reported what you make as income when doing taxes

.......... i'm no lawyer...
good resume though

[tylerspaska]

IMO:

Your resume should only be one page.

Your resume is not your interview. It's only a piece of paper that is used to get you the interview. It should act as enticing bate to the potential employer

You have too much information under your previous work responsibilities. Also, you should be telling what you accomplished with your time at each job, not what your responsibilities were. They key here is to sound interesting enough to be interviewed.

I have seen some cool resumes that are in the form of infographics. If you can pull it off it will certainly get you in the door, and that's what a resume is for.

As for the GPA it is common practice to put it in the resume if it exceeds 3.0; which yours does. However, it is not required. If the employer wants to know what it was they'll ask.

I also like to see other interests, to see that candidates are multi dimensional, which you somewhat have under "Other Info".

I would, at the very least, add some vertical lines to add aesthetic appeal.

I say these things with hiring experience, although not in the same field you are applying for so perhaps you can take what I have to say with a grain of salt.

Check out these samples:

http://businessmajors.about.com/od/sampleresumes/Sample_Application_Resumes.htm

[chillicampari]

Quick question: Administer a mixed environment of several Unix flavors, Windows.

This confused me, do you mean Linux distributions or Unix systems? I'd assume from the rest of the resume Linux, but it's something that caught my eye.

Edit- Whichever one it is, I'd also rework that to use a formal word like distribution or system instead of flavor.

[Exodist]

Is it common practice to expose gpa?

I dont know. But 3.6 isnt that great IMHO.

[steveneddy]

I would say punch up the look of the resume and not so many details of most of what you have listed.

Look at this pic (http://www.resume-resource.com/Examples/resume-sample-it-engineering7.html.jpg) for a good example of what you need to be going for.

From this web site:

http://www.resume-resource.com/examples-technology.html

[CharlesA]

I dont know. But 3.6 isnt that great IMHO.

It's not? 4.0 = "A" last I checked.

Nice degree, but you can cut it back to 1 page.
- Remove some detail about work history, you can discuss that more at the interview

- Switch the "skills" to a two column format, so that it'll look nicer IMO.

Overall it's not that bad for a 2 page resume, but if you can cut it down to 1 page, it would be great. :)

[LowSky]

It really needs to be one page long, use a smaller font like size 10, omit information that overlaps, for instance don't list that you managed Dell computers, computers are computers the internals of a Dell, HP, or even a IBM server a generally the same.

Your status of not being an American citizen is going to be tough for some American companies to want to hire you, if you have a current work visa, or you are applying for citizenship then it makes things easier. Also 3.6 is a very good grade, but its not necessary to list. I would leave both off items of your resume. As those are talking points during an interview.

Don't go crazy listing the duties of each internship or job experience, tell the basics. The interview is the time to talk about your entire abilities.

[Xbehave]

My resume fails (but its probably because i'm under-qualified), but here is my 0.2c
cut the last page that is blank (maybe that is an okular bug)
try and compress to 1 page (may not be possible)
do not "outdent" numbering
do not split point 2 over to pages
do not list every little thing you have done e.g

scrap:
Experience with DELL hardware
Excellent troubleshooter.
Upgrade software packages.
Configure and troubleshoot Apache configuration.
Configure Samba for printing and Windows systems.

Condense:
Handle and troubleshoot (DELL) systems ranging from rack servers to
desktops and user-laptops.
Install new servers and machines into the data-center – Rack, ESX,
RiverBed.

A Linux operating system for Hewlett Packard Thin Clients.
Lightweight GUI and the Firefox browser for a Kiosk-like system.
Ease installation of the OS across the organization’s 370 locations.
Document work done and include an upgrade path for the OS.

Documenting company’s IT network infrastructure
Simplify existing processes by creating help-documents

Administer a mixed environment of several Unix flavors, Windows.
Write scripts to ease driver installation, call log monitoring, etc.
Remote deployment of software and provide over-the-network help.
Troubleshoot network and rectify issues with connectivity.




As i said disregard that i^H^H^H, take everything i wrote with a pinch of salt as my CV ain't amazing, and feedback on my feedback would be appreciated to improve my own

[cprofitt]

A) You do not need to have a one page resume. Some prefer it for initial job seekers, but as experience builds up you will not be able to accurately fill out a resume in one page.

B) "Experience with DELL hardware" -- do not put yourself in a vendor hole. I would be general with this (Experience with a broad range of hardware including laptops, desktops, servers, blades and storage area networks -- assuming you have all that experience).

C) "Microsoft Windows – management." -- expand on what this means if you can. Do you have experience with Active Directory? OpenLDAP implementation with Windows? Windows server/ desktop?

D) I would use bullets to indicate separate items under each job. It makes it easier for the resume reader to process the information.

-----

Good Luck!

[cguy]

Name: XXX
Address: XXX
Telephone: XXX Mobile: XXX
E-mail: XXX
Nationality: XXX
Date of birth: XXX
Gender: XXX

These should be the first things in the CV and should be placed one under another, like I typed them here.

Have a look on the Europass and other official and international CV models.


Edit: the way you have it done makes it really hard for one to easily spot the personal information.

Edit no.2: Also, how's your foreign languages skills? Any English certificates? (yes, I know it's the second official language of India, but that doesn't guarantee that you're one of those who can really speak it well)

[hellmet]

The very fact that my attachment has 64 views, and only 12 responses should speak volumes about the length, like most of you have said. I guess I should try condensing it to one page.
@cprofitt: Many companies ask for vendor specific experience - Dell/HP etc. So I added that line since I do have experience with Dell hardware.
Regarding MS Windows, yes, I did think about that, but I didn't want to give any more space to Microsoft. But, yes I guess I should slightly expand on that.
@Xbehave: Thanks for the tips. Outdenting - yeah looks bad. I should probably take away a lot of stuff there.
@Lowsky, yes.. I will be condensing my resume to a page. You're right. I have too much info on it.
@chillicampari : Thanks for pointing that one out. 'Flavor' is not a professional word.
@tylerspaska: Thanks! I'll just keep accomplishments, then. Regarding infographics, I've always wanted to add those but never dared to do so. I guess I could have a second resume with infographics. If that turns out good, I may very well use it as a primary.
What do you mean by vertical lines? Never seen/done them.
@Daysofwords : A lot of people wouldn't want to hire me. First, there are too many graduates being churned out now. Jobs have vanished and company coffers have reduced. I'm a non-citizen authorized to work for the next 2-1/2 years only after which I'd need sponsorship. I'm not sure if they have an incentive to train an entry-level guy and then lose him later.



Name: XXX
Address: XXX
Telephone: XXX Mobile: XXX
E-mail: XXX
Nationality: XXX
Date of birth: XXX
Gender: XXX

These should be the first things in the CV and should be placed one under another, like I typed them here.

Have a look on the Europass and other official and international CV models.


Edit: the way you have it done makes it really hard for one to easily spot the personal information.

Edit no.2: Also, how's your foreign languages skills? Any English certificates? (yes, I know it's the second official language of India, but that doesn't guarantee that you're one of those who can really speak it well)

Thanks! I will look at international CVs
Regarding English, I have a score of 106 / 120 in TOEFL. Should I include that?


----

A Special Thanks to everyone that commented. Thanks for taking the time out to improve a fellow ubuntu-er!!
Please keep your comments coming.

[cguy]

Regarding English, I have a score of 106 / 120 in TOEFL. Should I include that?
Yes!

[hellmet]

Hey all!
Finally managed to shrink my resume to one-page. Your feedback has been valuable for this change, and I hope you take the time to have another look at the updated resume (see Original Post)

THANK YOU!

[orlox]

I like to type my CV in latex using the moderncv package. Here are some examples:

http://www.math.uic.edu/~hurder/math589/vita.html

[pwnst*r]

needs to be one page, don't show the internet your phone #/address. as a system admin wannabe you should know not to do that.

[Xbehave]

Hey all!
Finally managed to shrink my resume to one-page. Your feedback has been valuable for this change, and I hope you take the time to have another look at the updated resume (see Original Post)

THANK YOU!
The layout is much better, Hopefully others will give advice on the content changes but it looks much better and I think that matters in a CV

[hellmet]

The layout is much better, Hopefully others will give advice on the content changes but it looks much better and I think that matters in a CV
Thank you. :)

[PurposeOfReason]

I dont know. But 3.6 isnt that great IMHO.
For a MA in CS? Ha. I'd like to see what you pull out with that.

For many companies I've talked to for hire once I'm out of college, GPA is used only, and if that, for a quick sort. You're pretty solid on everything and could land any job you wanted. Or almost I should say. :)

[hellmet]

For a MA in CS? Ha. I'd like to see what you pull out with that.

For many companies I've talked to for hire once I'm out of college, GPA is used only, and if that, for a quick sort. You're pretty solid on everything and could land any job you wanted. Or almost I should say. :)
Thank you for the encouraging words. I'm really hoping so, too. :)

[pwnst*r]

For a MA in CS? Ha. I'd like to see what you pull out with that.

For many companies I've talked to for hire once I'm out of college, GPA is used only, and if that, for a quick sort. You're pretty solid on everything and could land any job you wanted. Or almost I should say. :)

truth^. you almost need to learn how to be a salesman once you get your foot in the door for that interview. you can sell yourself to almost whomever you wanted if you believe in your abilities.