I couldn’t agree more that experience is more important than certifications and degrees. Recently, I volunteered at a local organization to develop a PHP/Javascript web-based application, but the “bosses” gave it to a programmer who had had several degrees and a pile certifications — even though most of his experience was in Java/.net — and I was only supposed to help ensure it had the correct functionality and operated smoothly for the end users.

However, I ended up spending my time cringing every few minutes and having to walk the programmer through some very basic programming concepts. In the end, the project took several months and ended up being mediocre at best, and all the issues I tried to help him prevent flooded to the forefront when it went live.
The same project should have been finished in a fraction of that time and most of the issues would have been solved if the bosses chose experience over degrees.

Oh an as an aside, for all the English majors and Grammar Nazis in the world, thank you for not spelling it resume.

I was hired, not because I have an MCSE (I don’t!) or a Computer Science degree from University of Maryland (again, I don’t even have a degree), but because I understood the company, the technology and the platform – all very critical for my job.

It is not so easy going to college, studying your ass off not to mention spending a lot of money on student loans (unless you have rich parents or scholarships) and to know that your resume is going to be laughed at by some person who chose not to take the time to earn his degree. You have a lot of hard working people who are single parents, work full time and yet try and get that degree so they can make a better life for their family. Not all of us land that perfect job where education doesn’t make a bit of difference. Most of us never get that break because of not having a degree to show people that we did our time in the educational system.

You can have the working knowledge, study a company and know their technology and platform, but that doesn’t mean you are more qualified and I can tell you from first hand experience, an employer will hire someone who has a degree over someone who doesn’t unless the job requirements are flexible in that area.

One person’s opinion on a resume doesn’t mean I (or anyone else) should revamp my resume just so you (and some of the other posters) won’t pass it around the office to make fun of. That is just immature and stupid and any company who acts like that should be added to the “I will never apply to these places” list.

I’m with you on the useless paper proving nothing about one’s ability or intelligence. I face this prejudice all the time because I don’t have (nor do I intend to ever get) a PMP (Project Management Professional certification). I have a track record of over 800 projects successfully delivered beyond my clients’ expectations. That alone should tell someone I KNOW what I am doing. And for those who just don’t get it and are afraid to interview because I don’t have a PMP after my name… well, I probably wouldn’t want to work with you anyway. Some minds are just too small to be worth my time.

I’ve seen a lot of bad resumes in my time but, thankfully, no clouds or perfumed paper! You have my sympathies on that score!

Linda M. Lopeke
http://www.smartstartcoach.com

Our CIO is unduly impressed with paper to such a degree (rimshot) that he’s crippled our IT department with losers who can’t plan their way out of a paper sack and have work ethics that’re only slightly better than Paris Hilton’s. These folks spend more time mapping out their next career move than they think about what work has to be done before their next Starbucks latte break.

Real-world experience matters only to those of us who’re beyond Gen-X and actually in the trenches doing the day-to-day, keep-the-organization-running tasks.

1. Do not use colored paper with clouds printed on it. Just don’t do it.

2. Spell your name correctly. Trust me on this. Same with your contact info — make sure it’s correct.

3. As Aaron mentioned above, make sure your resume is relevant to the job you’re applying for. A cool, edgy resume is great if you’re applying for a design position, not so great if you’re applying for a business-side position. You don’t want to appear flaky and strange. Designers = Strange. Business Manager = Stable, money guy.

4. Please, for the love of God, do not SCENT your resume with something that smells like a gas station bathroom and say “That’s the smell of money” in your cover letter. THAT, O Applicant, is the sound of your resume being tossed out of a third-story window so we can get away from the stench.

5. Nobody cares where you went to elementary school.

Thanks