Warning signs on resumes

As a person who has instability on my resume (one thing that does scare potential employers), I might propose a sub-topic of "are there valid reasons to switch companies" in short periods of time? A couple examples for me have been things like a significant jump in pay and benefits or a significantly shorter commute.

I received a resume' several years ago where the individual liked working outside and thought that surveying would be a nice hobby.

Instant response: Send "Thanks but No Thanks" letter (professionally speaking).

I wouldn't worry too much about the length of employment issue. Some chiefs are independent by nature and go from projects to projects. Some other chiefs are company folks, sticking with their employers.

One warning sign in resumes is the use of super adjectives:

"magnificent data management skills"
"superb field notes"
"Incredible knowledge of Commodore 64 computer platform"
Etc.

The quality of spelling and punctuation is useful in the review of a resume. It tells a lot.

Job jumpers always have reasons to jump. People with lapses, or went to work at Home Depot or Chili's for a few years have reasons too. Those are things you can discuss in person. Sometimes its money, family, health?? Person to person, eyeball to eyeball is the only way to resolve those concerns.

The ones that always trouble me are the people who put great detail into job descriptions or specific technical items. Most of the time it's like they took something from a manual and are just blowing smoke. I also don't think it's a good idea to list references. Or to provide too much personal information (that's an HR thing). Bad grammer is always a bad thing too, but not a total kill.

The whole education issue is another thing that some over exploit. (that's another topic entirely)

I'm not in hiring mode, but I still get a few unsolicited resumes/letters. I do read them and do try to respond, mostly in an effort to keep them encouraged to keep looking.

It depends. A few years at college, a few years USFS survey aid to crew chief, a few years office/field civil engineering tech, I/O field, draftsman office for a coupla years doing Transmission lines mapping in 5 western states, then a few more years as PC for PLS doing subdivisions and boundaries qualify for exams.

Why did I leave? Did not want to further participate in wasted time/money when it was being paid for by my taxes at FS. And hand decided I wanted a PLS, and would be needing more variety of experience to become of interest to a PLS.

The bigger the company, the bigger the ethics issues. Payolla to govt supervisors for contracts. However, twice I have left small buisness PLS's who did not agree with me on the interpretation of the statutes. The misuse of ethics to get around the rule is not ethics, in my mind.

Uber greed of owners as they market the company to buyer without anyones knowledge. I saw that coming several months ahead and just said, no future here for me. When greed trumps ethics, well, look what we got going on in DC.

Three times I have seen this one. Highly respected top notch company bought out by big city corp engineers. They absolutely destroy what they bought within a year or two.

People with lapses, or went to work at Home Depot or Chili's for a few years have reasons too. Those are things you can discuss in person. Sometimes its money, family, health?? Person to person, eyeball to eyeball is the only way to resolve those concerns.

:good:

There are always reasons and some very good ones!

Another thing to keep in mind is times have changed. 99% of applications are now submitted online. The personal tough is forever gone. Don't review applications with the same litmus test from years ago. You may miss out. If you want a good employee, passing on a suspect application may land you a missed opportunity...just sayin'...I've got quite a bit of experience on this!

did any of the companies change names over the period of time? my father has changed his company name no less than 7 times since 1981. same address, phone, fax, e-mail, but different signs... he also goes through more red pens and erasers than the average middle school.

but perhaps there is the cause?

beware of engineers who jump ship every 2-3 years. i've known a few and there is usually a reason behind these changes.

Got a resume in just the other day. How's this for a warning sign?

"..been in country two weeks, still learning english.."

The guy may be the greatest surveyor on the planet, but if he cant communicate...

We are currently looking for a rodman. Tons of resumes in, almost all overqualified. Things are still tough out there.

-V

Sure have seen a few of those. Just work with them for a few weeks and it becomes clear why they have reason to move on from time to time. Same can be said for any occupation. If a spotty to you resume has you concerned, know there is a reason each time they left. Just find out if the reasons are good, bad or ugly. Find out from the reference if you can and the applicant. Apply common sence. If a reference dances around the reason he left or was put out, it's a flag.

I'm in construction and have jumped around for years. Been a bartender, truck driver, commercial fisherman and a sawyer (just a few). Construction work is fickle,& got to feed the family! Finally have found a spot and have been here 15 yrs. Just the nature of the beast.

-JD-

A- - Do you want a pc that will be a pc 15 years from now?
or
B- - Do you want a pc that will be your office manager while you sip toddies on the country club golf course in 15 years.

Those are my two schools of thought. If you want option A, then somebody that has skipped around is no good to you. If you want option B then I would question them about their job movement, most likey they are trying to move up the ladder. In this economy there are more glass ceilings at companies than there are ladders.
I am still young and dumb but this is how i view it.

> I wouldn't worry too much about the length of employment issue. Some chiefs are independent by nature and go from projects to projects. Some other chiefs are company folks, sticking with their employers.
>
> One warning sign in resumes is the use of super adjectives:
>
> "magnificent data management skills"
> "superb field notes"
> "Incredible knowledge of Commodore 64 computer platform"
> Etc.
>
> The quality of spelling and punctuation is useful in the review of a resume. It tells a lot.

:good:

I used to walk away from companies like there was no tomorrow. Their Loss.
I don't regret it and looking back on it, they were some of the best decisions I ever made. One pathetic outfit laid me off for the holidays and believed they could re-hire me afterwards, wrong answer. Of course, I work in a Union environment, which is quite different than how most of you operate. Now I'm on my own and loving it.

Ralph

spelling things correctly

good handwriting

nothing written in crayon.

probation officer as a reference

demands a work truck but has no license

doesn't have a social security number

> I'm in construction and have jumped around for years. Been a bartender, truck driver, commercial fisherman and a sawyer (just a few). Construction work is fickle,& got to feed the family! Finally have found a spot and have been here 15 yrs. Just the nature of the beast.
>
> -JD-

My resume has some similarities to JD's. Worked construction for 6 years and had as high as 5 w-2's at the end of the year. Then worked for one man for nearly 7 years and twice since then for a few months when he needed extra help. Since 1987, when things pretty much went south in Houston, I have kept the bills paid (mostly) by traveling and helping people out with problems. That leads to a lot of different jobs in a short period of time, though I did manage to stay nearly 3 years with companies twice.

> ... a consistent pattern of switching companies every 2 years....

The first 6-8 years of my career I never was at one place more than about 18 months. Inevitably work would run short and I had a family to feed. Couldn't wait around even for the 2 week waiting period for UI to kick in, so I went and got another job.

Now, if any of these employers had, even once, said "Mark, we like your work and want you in our long-term plans, but we just need to you to sit it out for awhile until things pick up," I'd have stuck around. Some of them said something like that when they tried to call me back, after it was too late for them. When it mattered they all just acted like I was a burden. So I moved on. And learned something valuable at the new place. Field crew, especially, can be pretty transient work.

By the time I had enough time in to pass the LSIT employers were a little more committed to me, so I was more committed to them. I just started my third job in the 14 years since I passed the LSIT. And I'd still be at the second one (or, perhaps, returned to the first) if not for this economy.

So I don't think 2 years really speaks negatively as to the character of the applicant. But it might speak to the breadth of the skill set.

Make the calls and check the references.

:good:

"nothing written in crayon" Unless it's Kiel!

Best way to weed them out quick is to tell them to bring thier calulator for our standard party chief test , most will come clean before they get there and only the qualified will show up .
David