A brief introduction to GIS and how it can be applied.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
GIS Resume Writing
As a GIS Student, I try to find strategies on how to promote and market myself more to GIS employers. One of the key strategies I've learned was to keep my resume simple and to the point.
For a long time I had a difficulty getting attention from GIS employers. Having the experience to work as a GIS Analyst, GIS Technician and GIS Research assistant, I was confident that I would be recognized in the GIS industry. However, never in my mind did it occur that my resume was simply too long and cluttered with information. Like any job seeker, I wanted to convince employers that my experience, knowledge and skills make me the best candidate for the job. My two page resume contained detailed information on my past GIS work experience, GIS projects, education and volunteer experience. However, I realized that for most GIS employers this was simply too long and boring to read.
Even for GIS positions, employers often receive hundreds of applications. As a result, employers will roughly spend 30 to 40 seconds per appliction. Therefore, the two page resumes often find themselves in the garbage. Currently, I am taking a course called GIS As a Profession. In this course I learned some key principles on how to make my resume more marketable and noticeable to GIS employers.
Some key principles I learned for creating a more attractive resume:
1. Keep your resume to one page!!!
2. Highlight your qualifications! (relevant qualifications for the job)
3. List your GIS work experience before your Education.
4. Limited work experience? Consider writing a skills based resume.
5. Use action words in your resume such as: developed, organized...
6. Have a section where you outline your computer/technical skills.
7. In the body of your resume: keep points general and to the point.
8. Make your resume as relevant as possible to the job.
9. Have a GIS Professional or GIS Manager look over your resume.
10.Do not include "References Upon Request".
I will discuss in more detail about resume writing.
Here is a great website to get you started on your resume.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/631/01/
For a long time I had a difficulty getting attention from GIS employers. Having the experience to work as a GIS Analyst, GIS Technician and GIS Research assistant, I was confident that I would be recognized in the GIS industry. However, never in my mind did it occur that my resume was simply too long and cluttered with information. Like any job seeker, I wanted to convince employers that my experience, knowledge and skills make me the best candidate for the job. My two page resume contained detailed information on my past GIS work experience, GIS projects, education and volunteer experience. However, I realized that for most GIS employers this was simply too long and boring to read.
Even for GIS positions, employers often receive hundreds of applications. As a result, employers will roughly spend 30 to 40 seconds per appliction. Therefore, the two page resumes often find themselves in the garbage. Currently, I am taking a course called GIS As a Profession. In this course I learned some key principles on how to make my resume more marketable and noticeable to GIS employers.
Some key principles I learned for creating a more attractive resume:
1. Keep your resume to one page!!!
2. Highlight your qualifications! (relevant qualifications for the job)
3. List your GIS work experience before your Education.
4. Limited work experience? Consider writing a skills based resume.
5. Use action words in your resume such as: developed, organized...
6. Have a section where you outline your computer/technical skills.
7. In the body of your resume: keep points general and to the point.
8. Make your resume as relevant as possible to the job.
9. Have a GIS Professional or GIS Manager look over your resume.
10.Do not include "References Upon Request".
I will discuss in more detail about resume writing.
Here is a great website to get you started on your resume.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/631/01/
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