Java Programming Interviews Exposed

Chapter 2

Writing a Noticeable Resume

A common joke amongst recruiters and interviewers is that they always throw half of the resumes in the trash without reading them, because they do not want unlucky people working for them.

Getting your resume noticed can be quite hard, and may involve a little luck. The advice and writing technique shown in this chapter will hopefully reduce the reliance on luck as much as possible.

How to Write a Resume and Cover Letter

The written part of a job application generally consists of two parts: a resume and a cover letter. A resume is an account of your professional qualifications and other relevant skills, whereas a cover letter is a personal letter to the interviewer that describes how the specific role you are applying for suits you, and what extra qualities you can bring to the team along with the role.

Even though your resume should appear generic, you should tailor it to a particular job. When you submit your resume, make sure you tweak it in favor of the job you are applying for, focusing on your most prominent skills that match the job specification.

A resume should never be more than two pages in length. Most interviewers are developers in their day job, and simply do not have time to trawl through pages and pages of a career history. Keep it concise and relevant, and concentrate on your most recent roles.

With this in mind, you should make sure that any key information you definitely want an interviewer to see is toward the top of the ...