Touchy subject

[fatrockstar]

My resume is not standard. Today I had a recruiter at Linden Labs -- the creators of Second Life -- tell me they couldn't figure out my resume. Not only that, but the hiring manager wouldn't even look at it. I find incredibly hard to believe that a hiring manager at a company that made its mint on a video game that thrives on individual creativity won't give my resume the time of day. Either the recruiter is lying or the hiring manager wants to fill a janitorial position. The exchange pissed me off. My resume is impressive AND scanable. It has everything necessary to showcase my qualifications. To be passed over because of someone else's lack of imagination for a job that requires imagination is irony I'd rather avoid.

I went through this last time I looked for a job with this resume. A number of factors worked against me, the primary one being I was attempting to change careers. You can't change careers with a chronological resume, especially if your industry relies heavily on agencies for staffing. Recruiters only want to see what you've done and will only match you up with jobs that are relevant to your history. They don't care what you want. They don't work for you. Recruiters are the reason career contractors rarely get ahead. I know this firsthand.

Add to this the notion that recruiters are automatons programmed to only respond to certain stimuli. If they don't get it, they'll ignore it or tell you you're wrong. You can't reason with a recruiter. If they veer off their preset path their heads will explode.

I lucked out last year and managed to find a couple of recruiters who saw the potential in my resume. One was at the agency I currently work for, and the other was at Microsoft (of all places). These recruiters checked back with me periodically and talked to me in depth regarding my career goals. I will always be grateful to them.

So this time around I am using an updated form of this "questionable" resume. I could convert it to the chronological format so as not to confuse the delicate nature of the recruiters currently in circulation, but I don't think one year of program management will be enough to get any of them to match me up with positions I actually want. After the next gig is done, sure. I'll chrono all they want.

It's very stressful -- do I risk having recruiters stonewall my resume, or do I risk having recruiters refuse to match me up with jobs I want because of my work history?

Comments

[twilight2000.livejournal.com]

When I went into the zoo for a teaching job -- I very specifically made sure every damn job (and recruiter) got *both* my resumes -- the functional and the chronological -- for just that reason. Don't know if it helped, but it's how I came out of the zoo as well.

Just a thought.

[poco-a-poco.livejournal.com]

Hey, strange question, but are you on Facebook? Nothing to do with this post, just curious.

Happy Early Birthday!!

[winifred.livejournal.com]

thanks! yes, I am on facebook. I don't use it much because I'm not comfortable with the interface -- not bloggy friendly to me.

[poco-a-poco.livejournal.com]

Well add me on there!
Joe Jenkins

[winifred.livejournal.com]

I couldn't find you -- have you ever done a search for Joe Jenkins on Facebook? I don't know which one is you. :-(

[poco-a-poco.livejournal.com]

I'm the one in Arlington, TX. What's your user name then?

[winifred.livejournal.com]

I am unable to find you by location. Did you join the Arlington, TX network? If you do a search for "Wynne" I'm the first profile that shows up.