ARCHIVE: IT CAREER EXPERT
Skills Assessment on your Resume
John Smiley
08.24.2000
Rating: -4.60- (out of 5)
Skills Assessment on your Resume
During the last few years, I've had the opportunity to counsel students
concerning their resumes. One mistake that I find they make on their
resumes (especially those students who don't have a strong paid work
background) is that invariably they fail to include every skill they
possess on their resume.
For instance, a few weeks ago, a student who had just completed my
Introductory Java class, asked me to look over her resume. I read it
twice, and she obviously sensed something was wrong.
"There's no mention of your Java skills," I pointed out.
She explained to me that she didn't feel it appropriate to include a
mention of a skill that consisted only of classroom learning (this in
spite of the fact that she was head and shoulders the best student in
the class).
I disagreed; pointing out that the mention of any skill on a resume,
even a skill that hadn't been fully 'tested' in the workplace, is
something that a prospective employer should know about. Let the
prospective employer make the decision as to how much weight to place
in a 40-hour Java class. Who knows? Perhaps they have a critical Java
need to fill, and your 40 hours is 40 more than anyone else they have
right now.
Of course, it's also important not to overstate your skills. Classroom
skills are not the same as skills learned on the job, and that's why I
advise my students to prepare a Skills Assessment Grid as the last page
of their resume. With a series of rows and 5 columns, list EVERY
computer-related skill you possess, and rate it with a grade of between
1 and 5 like this:
1.) Classroom/Self Learning
2.) Less than 1 year of work-related experience
3.) One to 2 years of work-related experience
4.) Two or more years of work-related experience
5.) Expert. Possess Certification or have taught the subject matter
You'd be amazed at how quickly a recruiter can 'eyeball' this Skills
Assessment Grid, and see exactly what skills you possess. More
importantly, it gives you a chance to mention every skill you have --
even if they were not necessarily picked up in the workplace.
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Written by John Smiley, MCP, MCSD and MCT, author, and adjunct
professor of Computer Science at Penn State University in Abington,
Philadelphia University, and Holy Family College. John has been
teaching computer programming for nearly 20 years.
John Smiley is president of Smiley and Associates,
http://www.johnsmiley.com/smass/smass.htm a computer consulting firm
located in New Jersey.
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