Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Beefing up my resume

Recently I've been actively trying to find things to put on my resume. My goal is to have an insanely good resume when I get out of college. I've never written a resume before so I had to start from scratch. Basically what I did is search "Computer Engineering Resume Sample" on google. This brought up a bunch of examples and one of the things I saw that I could improve was my "Languages" Section. I know Java and C, but a lot of the resumes I saw had like 7 or 8 languages. So I signed up for a 1 unit online Winter Break course with Professor Staley (see LinkedIn group "Staley Survivors"). I'll work my ass off learning Ruby over break. I also just finished reading half of a book on Python. The most straightforward language I've seen yet. I'm also trying to learn Objective C-2.0 . So that would be 5 languages if I could become competent in the additions. Hopefully I can take a class on something else like PHP or something over Spring break.

I also realized I have very little job experience even though I feel I know a lot of what is necessary. I am very good with computer hardware but haven't had formal training even though I was selling custom built computers in high school. I was thinking that an A+ certification would probably help me out, but thats $1700...and I don't really want to work with hardware after I graduate. I'm also great with people, but I have nothing to prove that as far as jobs goes on my resume. So I told "Computer Courage", a company in Berkeley, that I would work for them for free next summer in exchange for training and something to put on my resume. I think they'll pay me though. Got an interview on Wed. I think it's a done deal already though based on what the guy was saying.

Joined IEEE, ACM, and the Video Gaming Development Club so that I could be up to date with what's going on in the field. It also helps out the resume. Subscribed to Computer World Magazine and should be getting some IEEE subscriptions weekly.

Created a LinkedIn account because I read that a high percentage of company's are now searching your name on google and some social networking sites to filter through job applicants now. I don't really have anything bad on my facebook/twitter profiles, but it never hurts to have a positive outcome to people searching your name does it? That's another reason I'm writing this blog. I'd like to be able to look back and say to myself this is what you've done for the past two years and look how much you learned, but at the same time it would be nice if I could get something else positive out of it as well.

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