President at ERS Antenna Company, goes over the topic of getting control over how you are perceived during the hiring process. Gary says that keeping your resume polished and updated, which is something that most people do, is only part of the equation. Beyond that you need to make the most of the approximately 2 minutes a hiring manager or someone else making the hiring decision may give your resume when considering you for a job. Here is how you do that. Ask yourself if your resume really showcases your capabilities. You may be a great engineer or writer and know it, but does your resume convey that you’re a great engineer or writer? Put yourself in the shoes of the person likely to read your resume to get an idea of what it will convey to them. Gary says a good way of achieving this is to assume that anyone reading your resume has zero technical understanding or specific knowledge of what you do. In the process of communicating what you do through your resume effectively, make sure to highlight 3 types of information: specific skills, specific duties, industries you’ve worked in or want to work in. Be clear in your resume about you specific skills, such as your education and how things you’ve learned have translated into specific achievements in your career. For example, if you’re an RF engineer, you could say “with 15 years of RF experience, I have designed, tested, simulated, and integrated RF microwave components for radar, electronic warfare, automotive, and telecommunication applications to include antennas, receivers, amplifiers, integrated circuitry, exciters, and other active components.” Make this part crystal clear by avoiding acronyms or jargon and focusing on specific skills that will have meaning to the reader. Next, explain your specific duties by zooming back a bit in terms of detail but still giving enough of it so the reader can truly understand the other tasks you perform in your current position. This will help them compare your current duties to the duties of the position you are applying for. To continue with the example of being an RF engineer who designs radar systems within the defense industry, you could say you’re “an RF hardware designer who designs, tests, and integrates antennas for collision avoidance radar systems.” Explaining what your current employer does, in terms of the goods or services they provide, will help the reader of your resume understand the industry you’re working in and could also show a path for you transitioning into another industry. Don’t assume anyone knows what your employer does just by the company’s name. The part of your resume that lists work history is a good place to add wording about what the companies you have worked for do.

key quotes

• Gary says that keeping your resume polished and updated, which is something that most people do, is only part of the equation. Beyond that you need to make the most of the approximately 2 minutes a hiring manager or someone else making the hiring decision may give your resume when considering you for a job.
• In the process of communicating what you do through your resume effectively, make sure to highlight 3 types of information: specific skills, specific duties, industries you’ve worked in or want to work in.