Subj : Re: How much should I charge for fixed-price software contract? To : comp.lang.java.programmer,comp.lang.lisp,comp.programming From : David Date : Tue Aug 16 2005 12:45 pm Hi Robert, I noticed your resumes don't include an indication of expertise in the various categories you provide. I went over to your web resume last night and tried to check out your languages and C++. There was no info or C++ category. ...I know you are in the process of a rewrite. The resumes you posted last night list languages, OSes, and so on, but no indication of experience. When looking for someone's resume I'll start with a few simple buzzwords like language but I'd really like to see an indication of the level you are at in them. That might help to some degree. Obviously you also want to list references to items you would like to use. I've dropped a couple of terms from my resume because they were unrelated on my resume, but commonly related terms when headhunters looked at it. I kept getting inquiries for job with languages on an operating system that I did not prefer. Yes a different resume might use those terms again, but it is unlikely that even big blue would consider them useful again. The relatively simple text resumes posted last night could be improved a bit and at least give you a chance at getting an inquiry. Sending any of your large resume references is both overkill and an excuse for a prospective employer to never have the need to talk to you. The resume is there to introduce yourself, your talents, and get their interest to actually start a dialog. It can be all encompassing, but rarely does that serve both your purpose and theirs. I've left the resumes intact below. Good luck, David On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 05:35:05 UTC, rem642b@Yahoo.Com (Robert Maas, see http://tinyurl.com/uh3t) wrote: > > From: Ulrich Hobelmann > > you should have made more noise. Maybe you find it irritating. > > Maybe you despise that kind of people. But nobody cares. They got a > > job, and you didn't. It's about priorities. > > Please give me advice: After I have already FAXed my resume to a given > employment agency, how long should I wait before I FAX them another > copy? > > > I'd like to question how well these resumes are tailored, and how > > well they're presented. > > OK, you be the judge. Here is a resume I sent in response to a job ad > on May 26: > > Robert Elton Maas, Sunnyvale, CA > Voice: 408-749-0453 > Internet electronic-mail: rem642b@Yahoo.Com > > EDUCATION: > Mathematics major at University of Santa Clara, Bachelor of Science > degree > > ACADEMIC/INTELLECTUAL HONORS, PROFESSIONAL LICENSES, AND PUBLISHED WORKS: > - Among top five (in whole United States) in William Lowell Putnam > undergraduate mathematics competition > - Report on nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation published > - Report on English-language programming for robot published > > PROGRAMMED IN THESE LANGUAGES: > - Java (on 3 platforms) > - C (on 4 platforms) C++ (on 2 platforms) > - Visual Basic > - Fortran (on 5 platforms) > - Lisp (on 5 platforms) > - Assembly/machine language on 7 different CPUs > > Platforms (programming environments) include: Macintosh, Unix+CGI, MS-Windows, > RedHat Linux > > MAJOR PROGRAMMING PROJECTS: > - Computer-assisted instruction for Calculus > - Laying out text mixed with mathematical formulas for printing or > display > - Information retrieval and indexing, including linked-text frames > - Packet-based client/server telecommunications, including handling > interrupts from I/O devices > - Effective algorithm for flashcard drill > > ADDITIONAL SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS/ACTIVITIES/EXPERTISE/EXPERIENCE: > - Wrote software to use SAX parser in Java/J2EE to convert XML to SQL > for update to relational database. > - Wrote software to build&update tables in relational database using JDBC/SQL. > - Used ANT to maintain compiled versions of J2EE applications as source edited. > - Wrote white-box unit-testing at all levels of software modules from > single lines of code to full application use-cases. > - HTTP, HTML, CGI. > - Used JCreator to build Java projects. > > Here's another customized resume I sent for a different job ad on Jun1.15: > > Robert Elton Maas, Sunnyvale, CA > Voice: 408-749-0453 > Internet electronic-mail: rem642b@Yahoo.Com > > EDUCATION: > Mathematics major at University of Santa Clara, Bachelor of Science > degree > > ACADEMIC/INTELLECTUAL HONORS, PROFESSIONAL LICENSES, AND PUBLISHED WORKS: > - Among top five nationwide in William Lowell Putnam undergraduate > mathematics competition > - Report on nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation published > - Report on English-language programming for robot published > - Toplevel meta-index to the Internet (including Usenet and Bitnet) > published electronically and available via HTTP/WWW > > PROGRAMMED IN THESE LANGUAGES: > - Java (on 3 platforms), including: applets, JDBC/ODBC, JSP, J2EE servlets, > XML parsing (SAX), JavaDoc > - JavaScript, including calls to Java packages > - C (on 4 platforms) C++ (on 2 platforms) > - Visual Basic > - Fortran (on 5 platforms) > - Lisp (on 5 platforms) > - Assembly/machine language on 7 different CPUs > * Platforms (programming environments) include: Unix+CGI, > Macintosh (systems 6.0.3, 6.0.5, 6.0.7, 7.5.5), MS-Windows, RedHat Linux > > MAJOR PROGRAMMING PROJECTS: > - Computer-assisted instruction for Calculus > - Laying out text mixed with mathematical formulas for printing or > display > - Information retrieval and indexing, including linked-text frames > - Packet-based client/server telecommunications, including handling > interrupts from I/O devices > - Effective algorithm for flashcard drill > > OTHER SKILLS/EXPERIENCE/EXPERTISE: > - HTML, SQL/databases (MicroSoft Access, CloudScape), WebServer applications > > ONLINE (Web-accessible) DEMOS: > - Unix+CGI: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/demos.html > - Applet: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/Lab7a.class > - JavaDoc: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/JavaDoc/Blab2/index-all.html > - JavaScript: http://www.geocities.com/rem642b/JavaScript/js1.html > - Multi-CGI-language education: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/HelloPlus/hellos.html > - XML parsing (SAX): http://members.tripod.com/~MaasInfo/New/2005.6.12a.zip > > Here's another tailored resume I sent to another job ad on the same day: > > Robert Elton Maas, Sunnyvale, CA > Voice: 408-749-0453 > Internet electronic-mail: rem642b@Yahoo.Com > > EDUCATION: > Mathematics major at University of Santa Clara, Bachelor of Science > degree > > ACADEMIC/INTELLECTUAL HONORS, PROFESSIONAL LICENSES, AND PUBLISHED WORKS: > - Among top five nationwide in William Lowell Putnam undergraduate > mathematics competition > - Report on nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation published > - Report on English-language programming for robot published > - Toplevel meta-index to the Internet (including Usenet and Bitnet) > published electronically and available via HTTP/WWW > > PROGRAMMED IN THESE LANGUAGES: > - Java (on 3 platforms), including: applets, JDBC/ODBC, JSP, J2EE servlets, > XML parsing (SAX), JavaDoc > - JavaScript, including calls to Java packages > - C (on 4 platforms) C++ (on 2 platforms) > - Visual Basic > - Fortran (on 5 platforms) > - Lisp (on 5 platforms) > - Assembly/machine language on 7 different CPUs > * Platforms (programming environments) include: Unix+CGI, > Macintosh (systems 6.0.3, 6.0.5, 6.0.7, 7.5.5), MS-Windows, RedHat Linux > > MAJOR PROGRAMMING PROJECTS: > - Computer-assisted instruction for Calculus > - Laying out text mixed with mathematical formulas for printing or > display > - Information retrieval and indexing, including linked-text frames > - Packet-based client/server telecommunications, including handling > interrupts from I/O devices > - Effective algorithm for flashcard drill > > OTHER SKILLS/EXPERIENCE/EXPERTISE: > - UML, API documentation of my own modules via JavaDoc > - proficient at rapid protyping&development&deployment via TDD > (Test-Driven Development based on unit-testing at all levels) > - developed major application which explored multiple data sources to > collect the best information, and consolidated it into database > > ONLINE (Web-accessible) DEMOS: > - Unix+CGI: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/demos.html > - Applet: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/Lab7a.class > - JavaDoc: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/JavaDoc/Blab2/index-all.html > - JavaScript: http://www.geocities.com/rem642b/JavaScript/js1.html > - Multi-CGI-language education: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/HelloPlus/hellos.html > - XML parsing (SAX): http://members.tripod.com/~MaasInfo/New/2005.6.12a.zip > > Here's another custom version I sent to yet another job ad the same day: > > Robert Elton Maas, Sunnyvale, CA > Voice: 408-749-0453 > Internet electronic-mail: rem642b@Yahoo.Com > > EDUCATION: > Mathematics major at University of Santa Clara, Bachelor of Science > degree > Computer-programming classes at De Anza college, Cupertino, CA > > ACADEMIC/INTELLECTUAL HONORS, PROFESSIONAL LICENSES, AND PUBLISHED WORKS: > - First place in University of Santa Clara High School Mathematics > contest for three years > - Undergraduate mathematics research project at University of Santa > Clara for five summers > - Among top five (in whole United States) in William Lowell Putnam > undergraduate mathematics competition > - Abstract on differential algebra published in Notices of the AMS > - Passed California civil service exam for Programmer/Analyst I > - Report on nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation published > - Report on English-language programming for robot published > - Passed Mensa exam, achieving top 1% on BOTH tests, whereas achieving > top 2% on EITHER test is sufficient to qualify for Mensa > - Toplevel meta-index to the Internet (including Usenet and Bitnet) > published electronically and available via HTTP/WWW > - Passed federal civil service exam for Writing & Public Info > > PROGRAMMED IN THESE LANGUAGES: > - Java (on 3 platforms), including: applets, JDBC/ODBC, JSP, J2EE servlets, > XML parsing (SAX), GUI (AWT & swing), JavaDoc > - JavaScript, including calls to methods in Java classes > - C (on 4 platforms) C++ (on 2 platforms) > - Visual Basic > - Fortran (on 5 platforms) > - Lisp (on 5 platforms) > - Assembly/machine language on 7 different CPUs > * Platforms (programming environments) include: Unix+CGI, Macintosh, > MS-Windows, RedHat Linux > > MAJOR PROGRAMMING PROJECTS: > - Computer-assisted instruction for Calculus > - Laying out text mixed with mathematical formulas for printing or > display > - Information retrieval and indexing, including linked-text frames > - Packet-based client/server telecommunications, including handling > interrupts from I/O devices > - Effective algorithm for flashcard drill > > OTHER SKILLS/EXPERIENCE/EXPERTISE: > - Client/server applications (with both developed together by same person, > and with client written to adapt to an existing server previously > developed by somebody else and publicly available) > - Well-documented code, and separate user/API documentation > > ONLINE (Web-accessible) DEMOS: > - Unix+CGI: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/demos.html > - Applet: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/Lab7a.class > - JavaDoc: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/JavaDoc/Blab2/index-all.html > - JavaScript: http://www.geocities.com/rem642b/JavaScript/js1.html > - Multi-CGI-language education: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/HelloPlus/hellos.html > - XML parsing (SAX): http://members.tripod.com/~MaasInfo/New/2005.6.12a.zip > > Finally here's a customized version I sent for yet another job on Jul.06: > > Robert Elton Maas, Sunnyvale, CA > Voice: 408-749-0453 > Internet electronic-mail: rem642b@Yahoo.Com > > EMPLOYMENT OBJECTIVE: Developing Web-accessible serverside appliations, > for RDBS (Relational DataBase System) access and other business utilities > > EDUCATION: > Mathematics major at University of Santa Clara, Bach. of Science degree > Computer-programming classes at De Anza college, Cupertino, CA > > ACADEMIC/INTELLECTUAL HONORS, PROFESSIONAL LICENSES, AND PUBLISHED WORKS: > - Top five nationwide in William Lowell Putnam > undergraduate mathematics competition > - Passed Mensa exam, achieving top 1% on BOTH tests, whereas achieving > top 2% on EITHER test is sufficient to qualify for Mensa > - Toplevel meta-index to the Internet (including Usenet and Bitnet) > published electronically and available via HTTP/WWW > - Passed federal civil service exam for Writing & Public Info > > PROGRAMMED IN THESE LANGUAGES: > - Java (on 3 platforms), including: applets, JDBC/ODBC, JSP, J2EE servlets, > XML parsing (SAX), GUI (AWT & swing), JavaDoc, CGI > - JavaScript, including calls to methods in Java classes > - C (on 4 platforms, includig CGI) C++ (on 2 platforms, includig CGI) > - Visual Basic > - Fortran (on 5 platforms) > - Lisp (on 5 platforms, includig CGI) > - Assembly/machine language on 7 different CPUs > - Shell scripts (on Unix/Linux, including CGI interfaces) > * Platforms (programming environments) include: Unix+CGI, Macintosh, > MicrosoftWindows+MicrosoftACCESS, RedHatLinux+CloudScape > > MAJOR PROGRAMMING PROJECTS: > - Computer-assisted instruction for Calculus > - Laying out text mixed with mathematical formulas for printing or > display > - Information retrieval and indexing, including linked-text frames > - Packet-based client/server telecommunications, including handling > interrupts from I/O devices > - Effective algorithm for flashcard drill > - Data compression > - Generating custom large prime numbers for cryptographic use > - Manipulating vectors to discover closest linear relationships > - Researching & organizing & publishing tutorial WebPages > - Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) research to identify organic molecules > > ONLINE (Web-accessible) DEMOS: > - Unix+CGI: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/demos.html > - Applet: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/Lab7a.class > - JavaDoc: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/JavaDoc/Blab2/index-all.html > - JavaScript: http://www.geocities.com/rem642b/JavaScript/js1.html > - Multi-CGI-language tutorials: http://www.rawbw.com/~rem/HelloPlus/hellos.html > - XML parsing (SAX): http://members.tripod.com/~MaasInfo/New/2005.6.12a.zip > > Notice how they're all based on that same starting resume but I removed > different items in each and put in special stuff in each to better fit > the job from among the experience I have but which is relevant to only > a few jobs? > > > .doc isn't cool, but if it's what everybody wants, you should get > > used to it. > > I don't have any money to pay for MicroSoft Word for Macintosh, so > that's not an option for me here. > > > For word processing you can get OpenOffice for free > > I have only 17 megabytes of unused space on my Macintosh hard disk. > How much space does the Macintosh version of OpenOffice need? .