[TriLUG] looking for resume writer/improver

Alan Porter porter at trilug.org
Sun Jan 23 22:47:58 EST 2011


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> It's my *opinion* that the best thing to do is create a solid
> "foundation" for finding a job: a resume ... that YOU believe in,
> a good network of contacts who can support you, and good belief
> that if you throw enough darts at the dart board you will
> eventually hit your mark.


One lesson I learned through the IEEE Embedded Systems SIG, and
again through TriLUG...

If you give a presentation to a technical group, suddenly, everyone
in the group knows your name, what you do for a living, a little
bit about your technical skills and aptitudes, and your ability to
communicate.  And you *must* know your stuff, right?  After all,
you were the speaker!

In 2004, I wrote a short article in Dr Dobbs Journal called
"Multi-tasking on the Cheap".  Later, I gave a talk to the local
IEEE Embedded group on that topic.  Soon, people were calling me
by name at the IEEE meetings, and I really was not sure if I knew
these people or not.  I got good at calling people "hey, man".
Later, I gave a talk about the TMIO oven and embedded Linux.
Again, lots of folks seemed to know me.

I have given a few talks at TriLUG and found the same thing.  The
TMIO oven talk in 2008, last month's RAID/LVM talk, and a handful
of "quickies": BackupPC, SheevaPlug, encrypted filesystems.  After
a while, the LUG gets the (somewhat dubious) impression that I
might know what I am talking about.

Being an organizer has the same effect.  Every month, either I or
one of the other steering committee people stands up in the front
of the group and makes announcements, introduces the speaker and
offers pizza.  Next thing you know, everyone knows our names (even
if we struggle to remember theirs).

Eventually, when you're looking for a new job, being a known member
of the technical community goes a long way towards getting you in
the door.  You have a LUG full of people who will vouch for you --
maybe not fully -- but enough to get you in the door.

At least... that's my plan... all of you people who I can't remember
are going to find me a dream job... right?  Isn't that how it works?
What's your name again?


Alan "whats-his-face" Porter
That Crazy Oven Guy™
Pretends To Know RAID, But Doesn't™
Too Cheap To Multi-task™







.

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