Resume tips from experience

Last week in OURAeSI club, there were 3+ messages related to job requirement... I hope everyone has seen them and appropriate candidates must have forwarded their resumes by now. But I was wondering how many of them had done it in the right way? I mean what was your checklist before you shot that email carrying your resume for the requirement listed?

 

Please do let me know in the comments.

 

Although I haven't sent my resume for a year now, but a year back, when I did, I had this 4 point checklist before I sent my resume to any job requirement.

 

Is the resume latest?

Do I have the cover letter?

Do my resume match the requirement or needs little adjustments?

Do I know anything about the company I am applying?

 

Let me elaborate on these points a little bit more. Is my resume the latest is the first thing I checked. Most of the time, it never was. I had to scour my resume back from the sent folders of my email account. Or from the my documents folder where it stayed unattended. Sure it always got updated. The areas which got modified were the dates of previous work experience. I quantified my work experience as 1.5 year (meaning 1 year 6 months), that changed as I progressed month wise. So I needed to include that and give my latest experience figures!  While in NAL, the skills section also got updated to highlight the skills I have picked up since my last resume update. And same thing happened to Project listing. Sometimes skills and projects not needed in for the current requirements were trimmed and re-adjusted.

 

"Do I have a cover letter?" was the second thought. To this I will emphasize from experience, I know that my all resumes that went with a cover letter brought me a response!! There was not a single instance that my resume with a cover letter didn't get me a call for the interview. I think having cover letter is must.

 

You can't put everything on your resume and you can't use fancy colors or highlight your resume too much for the risk of looking unprofessional, here cover letter comes handy and useful. A cover letter is one place where you can highlight the specific areas that you want your recruiter to see when they look at your resume. It serves as a good introduction to your resume! So never let a resume go by without a good cover letter accompanying it!

 

While in NAL, i did various kind of work, some of the work came under design like design of mixed flow compressor, some came under software development where I developed VB applications to do various design calculations and other got into the category of analysis, where using analysis packages to get result was the main responsibility. So having worked on varied kind of work, I had this standard resume, where I listed all my work, major, minor, design related, analysis related and software development related and Every time I had to send a resume, I used to adjust my projects to the requirements, plucking projects and its description from this master standard project-only resume.

 

Sometimes one project covered and overlapped many different categories. Like I had this project "design of mixed flow centrifugal compressor impeller”; now this had design and during the project I have to develop a VB application to design the compressor. So this project encompassed 2 categories. And having a standard projects-only resume solved my problem. When I said I needed to modify my resume for the appropriate requirement, I meant pushing the project related to the requirement up in the list and including more details to it. Removing the once that were irrelevant, trimming some which do not add much value. This way the resume had the consistency and I was at peace that I haven’t missed any project.

 

Sometimes, if the requirement was of design nature then the design projects were pushed up and I hightled the points on this project. Even in the skills section of the resume, the skills related to design got highlighted and were emphasized.  Sometime when I knew my work experience directly matched with the requirement; then I made sure that I highlighted the project in my cover letter as well.

 

Knowing the company I was applying for! Be sure to know what the requirement is and then use Google to search for the company you are applying for. It’s after this that you should craft your cover letter and update your resume. Your cover letter and resume should reflect that you know about the company you are applying for and are aware of the requirements!!

 

A resume cannot guarantee you a job offer, but a great resume introduced with a good cover letter can help you get an interview.

 

For more info on how to craft a resume see this excellent link

http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_write_a_resume

 

I am sure you will add your tips in the comments that I might have missed. So feel free to comment!!

 

What are your AeSI eureka and rude shock subjects?

Today I was asking myself what were the best exams in my AeSI tenure? Which exams I was very confident and I did well and got out well. Knowing AeSI , you won't be surprised that the list can’t be long so here's my short list of the subjects which I felt of clearing 100% while getting out of the exam hall and did so. I call them Eureka subjects!!

 

• Thermodynamics
• Strength of material
• Workshop technology
• Propulsion 3
• Aerodyanamiocs-1
• Mathematics -iii
• Mechanics of fluid

 

That’s it. Honestly I didn't expect the list to make it to number 7!!! Let me tell you that these were not the only subjects that I felt I will pass when I came out of the exams hall. There were many times when I had these feeling that I will pass but these were the subjects in which my confidence of passing and AeSI's confidence in me coincided and I cleared the subjects!!!

 

 

What about the other way round? Now let me list out of the subjects that I was absolutely sure of passing and AeSI gave me the rude shock!!!

 

• Principles of flight (not one time but twice, giving me a teasing 47 and 49 marks respectively )

 

• VMD - this is the biggest shock aesi ever gave me. Expecting 80 and got measly 38!! Even to this day I can't figure how? Even a re-checking request didn't swell the marks above 38, but surely gobbled my dad's 100 bucks that I sent for rechecking!!

 

• Workshop technology - when I gave it the first time. Anyways this was my second exam of the AeSI that I gave. And incidentally this was the first tremor of aesi in my life J

 

 

 

That's it! In the other exams I could ascertain the failures to my mistakes and in some case I am not sure but I give AeSI benefit of doubt!!

 

The subject in which I did most blunders were Mathematics -II its the subject of blunders for me. I intend to write something about this in future post,.

 

Anyway do let me know what were your eureka subjects and rude-shock subjects during your term in AeSI. Would love to know!!

 

 

Suggestions for AeSI improvement - highlights of aesi's enews

Ok ok I know that PDF didn't get published. As i post most of my entries via email. That PDF didn't go through the blogger platform and you weren't able to see the document. So here's the link for the 2 specific articles that I wanted to point your attention.

 

http://sukhbinder.singh.googlepages.com/7_aesi_enewssept07.pdf

 

The articles are from Air Cmde Raghubir Singh (Retd) FAeSI- 732 and Dr G Madhavan Nair President Aeronautical Society of India.

 

Both of them deal with the improvement of aesi for the betterment of the students!

 

The articles assumed significance because of the fact that while in the AGM in cochin Air Cmde Raghubir Singh  gave a presentation which has really awaken other members on the plight of the students and everyone there did talked about improving it for the students. And there were questions raised towards Mr. Bhaita to answer. If you were there you could have seen how uncomfortable Mr bhaita became while answering.

 

So this articles getting published in enews is one step showing that people are listening and they haven't forgotten about us. So friends, this AGM lets us prepare our case strong and give a presentation telling the story from our (the student) side.

 

I know many of you might be thinking that this is bullshit and this will never work out, but let me tell you, if it doesn't work out its because of  you people who betray us. It’s because of you, who can't stand by your fellow aesians! So if you can't contribute positively and can't stand with us, I say you have no right to have a negative opinion about it!

 

Anyway here's the highlight of articles

 

• The question papers should be set from the syllabus-taking into account the depth possible based on the coverage.

 

• The syllabus while remaining on the elite IIT pattern should also take into account all India university syllabi –without diluting the our standards..

 

• Practical training, experiments & testing should form part of AMAeSI syllabus. Perhaps 50% marks can be catered for these.

 

• Project work, seminars & internal assessment under the accredited guides can be included

 

• Further rationalization of question paper setting so that good student can pass the examinations. Still out of syllabus questions continue to be set in our examinations.

 

• The question papers should be such that it tests the students for knowledge as per the syllabus & not the lack of it by post- graduate level questions

 

• It should be borne in mind that the students opting for AMAeSI, are either in service or students mostly in the 50-65% PCM marks bracket at 10+2 level. Without lowering our standards, the question papers must be such that these can be answered & does not result in dismal pass percentage

 

• The question paper setting, answer book checking & moderation should be in rotation at the institutions or by the Fellows of the AeSI.

 

• Model answers by the paper setters & marking system should available.

 

• It would be quite advantageous if subjects having greater coverage & depth are spread over a longer periods for better comprehension. For example subjects like Applied Maths-I, Introduction to Aeronautics can be telescoped over at least one year period.

 

How to write a successful resume ?

A strong resume can give you the edge on any upcoming career opportunity. Mahalo, the hand-edited search engine, offers a great how-to for building your resume for entry-level position seekers or seasoned professionals.

 

Yes a resume cannot guarantee you a job offer, but a great resume will help you get an interview. So spending the time to make your resume is a good investment of time!

 

Some of the advice that I liked

 

• Try to avoid using tables.
• Use spaces instead of tabs to separate sections.
• Also avoid italics, underlining and shadowed text.
• Use easy-to-read fonts and a clear design to make your resume more appealing
• Your resume should highlight why you are qualified for the position you're applying for. Remove extraneous information. Do not detail every job experience you have had if it does not relate to the job you're pursuing.
• Do not use "I" or "me"; the reader already knows the resume is about your accomplishments.

 

For more click this link http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_write_a_resume

 

Must read for all AeSI people

A quick update……..

 

This is the first time I have seen some good stuff in enews related to the student’s side of AeSI!!

 

Please do read the PDF document attached!!! The fruits of what has happened in AGM are beginning to show and hope this year’s AGM with Mr Bhowmick’s initiative; we can put our views and concerns!!

 

Don’t forget to read the document!!!

 

How important is the field and department before your choose your training?

 

In response to my previous post ( http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/2007/08/three-things-you-must-give-thought.html ) Mr. Gaju Korde has pointed me to another important point that I missed. Here is what he said...

 

"The field or the department. One should think a while before joining whether this is the field where I see myself in say next few years. I have seen people going to each and every place where somebody is interested in hiring trainees and join there just because they got there!. Please do not do that. It is this experience which will prove beneficial in your professional career ahead so choose it wisely!!"

 

Mr. Gaju Korde has raised a right point regarding the importance of field and department before deciding on your training mission!! Be absolutely sure where you see yourself in the next few years, before your clutch on any training offer! See what’s appropriate for your chosen filed. If you are an Avionics guys then going into training in propulsion related lab won't help you much. Yes you will have the luxury to write "6 or 1 year experience in such and such ". But ask yourself is it relevant experience that matches your academic and chosen stream!!  May be the electrical lab where they use lab-view, and test avionics instruments would be more correct choice for an avionics guys!!

 

Also when you set your mind on getting a training, set two goals in your mind that you will come out of this one year or 6 months latter, with more knowledge and skills than your have entered. Promise yourself that you will cultivate yours skills as well as deliver quality, professional work to your mentor while you are under him!!

 

 

These two pledges if you can make to yourself and keep them in your mind, nothing can stop you from shining like a star!!

 

 

Thank you Mr. Gaju Korde for pointing out the important point, hope to hear more from you!!

 

AGM draft agenda - demand your rights !!!

I don’t know if you read Mr.  Shiladitya Bhowmick’s email. But her I am posting it here in myaesi blog so that who read this instead of the group mails can come forward and be a part of the discussuion.

 

I must appreaciate the efforts of Mr.  Shiladitya and I think it’s the right time now for getting a draft a document and make consolidated effort to present student’s view at the AeSI AGM!!

 

So people, come on. Come forward with your suggestions and views!! Its your future that they are playing with!!

 

 Shiladitya Bhowmick wrote :

 

Hello Everyone,

                 Hope all of are doing great in life and work!! This time AGM will be at Chennai in December. I am writing this letter to the group to discuss few of the serious issues relating AESI's administrative procedures. I had been following Mr. Sukhbinder's & some other mails and I highly appreciate their concern for AESI.

  

   As the subject of the mail tells half of the story. But I would like to elaborate it with some case studies. There is no proper feedback from Delhi HO regarding any matters..Aeronautical Society of India is supposed to be the professional guardian of all the student members..but things which are happening at the back stage ..no one knows!!

  

  POINT 1: One of the Graduate got training in Air India (UNPAID) and had been working there since last 15 months on an UNPAID basis and still  he hasn't been able to get a suitable job in civil aviation coz every airlines is asking for experience. MR.R.C.GOYAL calls up Air India office now and then and tells them to terminate his training as i believe AESI has made "the so-called " rules of not giving training for more than a year.

  It's not even that some one else is waiting in Queue for Air-India training...its not even that AESI has to give stipend for the candidate..its not even that Air-India is having any problem with his training..Then can Mr.Goyal give us a proper justification of his actions and trying to stop him to make a career out of his own efforts!!

  Mr.Thulasidas is the new President of AESI and he must be aware of all the whereabouts of AESI .. Is it believable that a single opening hasn't come to an AESIian in 15 months in Air-India and the guy hasn't been eligible to apply in Air-India..but this is fact!!

  Of what I have heard ,there were 20-25 Grads. last year..I would be very keen to know how many Grads.has been assisted by AESI post their degree to get a Job/Training!!!

  

  POINT 2: A GRADUATE called up Delhi HO to terminate his training at HAL ,Hyd as he got admission in MIT,Mr.Goyal tells him "WHY HAVE YOU CALLED ME?? "

  Whom are we suppossed to call ....If Mr.Goyal is so bored / disinterested in holding the secretary position of AESI , why is he taking this pain for AESI!!

  there are numerous people who are very efficient to take care of the proceedings.There had been numerous incidents like this where he behaved in a very rude manner and i don't have to tell that as i believe every1 must have experienced/experiencing that in their AESI period!

  

  POINT 3: Why is there no proper response/feedback from Delhi HO...I would like to mention Mr.sukhbinder's mail regarding this...every year they put the pass from each center and why this year its a cumulative way....If someone asks for any answer,Mr.Goyal would say ,this decision is by the Governing Council...!!any small matter is discussed in The Governing Council Meeting..So wil he kindly tell us who is part of the Governing body and who are taking these decisions or is he the Governing Body himself and taking decisions ??

  

  POINT 4:Another GRAD called up HO regarding his training after his degree.See the response they give from there --"AREE YAAR..TUJHE BHI LINE BHI LAGA DUNGA !! "

  another Grad calls up  Mr. goyal to re- confirm the urgent letter he has sent to HO regarding admission in MIT .He says-"What u want me to do? TO GO TO POST  OFFICE AND COLLECT IT FOR U??"

   

  Is this what AESI all about..?? All AeSI guys had been working very hard to finish their degree and after all this what he get to hear is this!! Aren't they making fun of it and is this a kind of behaviour AESI officials are supposed to do with a Member of AESI..!! Student community make AESI and so who has given them the authority to behave and tamper the image of AESI..!!

  

  POINT 5: Why  are AESI students restricted from getting a normal entry  into IITs,MIT?? Every1 knows what has happened this time regarding admission at  MIT,Anna Univ.(Just to let guys know that most of the national level semninar at MIT is sponsored by AESI )My question is why AESI guys has to struggle in every sphere just to convince people that AESI is a VALID degree.Wouldn't the situation been better if AESI "GOVERNING COUNCIL" takes some actions regarding this!

  

  POINT 6: AESI hands a Life Membership card with Sig. of Mr.Goyal after completion of degree.it is supposed to be meant to attend any meeting of AESI...etc.There are instances where the guy was restricted from getting into the AESI International Seminar as they believe he is not a member of AESI.We would like to request AESI not to take the pain of making the CARD which is for no good !!!

  

  POINT 7:As far as i know,Mr.Goyal is not attending any AGM since few years..is he too afraid to face the students or what??

  

  SUGGESTIONS:

  *All alumni of AESI should come up for the cause and make a council (in co-operation with AESI) which would look for the future growth of student members after their AESI degree.In this regard ,I would like to thank Mr.Bishnujee SIngh,Mr.Raghubir Singh,and numerous others for their unconditional efforts they are doing silently for the betterment of AESI Students.

  

  *All Grad. members should have the right to know the proceeding of AESI..how much revenue is been collected..how much is spent on officials..and how much for betterment of AESI..

  I would like to throw some light on a very interesting figure Mr.Sukhbinder put few months back..that 75% - 80% of AESI revenue comes from the Students and only 9% is spent on Stipend ..where is the rest of the revenue ??

  

  THIS LETTER IS JUST A DRAFT VERSION..I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FEEDBACK /RESPONSE  FROM ALL THE AVENUES OF AESI COMMUNITY --ALUMNI'S ..STUDENT MEMBERS..IMMEDIATE GRADS...

  

  PUT UP ALL YOUR FEEDBACKS/SUGGESTIONS AND THEN WE CAN MAKE AN INTEGRATED VERSION OF THIS  AND THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED DURING THIS AGM.

  NOW AESI modified syllabus has come with the backing of AICTE and there are more students making their membership but as far as i see...with the continuing trend in the administration....things doesnt look much encouraging..all the youngsters after their +2 might not know all this & getting enrolled with high expectations & hopes are heading to a Dead-End...!!

 

How-to articles every weekend

A quick little reminder. From this weekend on I am beginning a weekend how-to series on this blog, so check back soon, where I will be posting my first weekend how to article.

 

 

My main purpose of the page is to kick start you people (the visitors of the blog) on things that we as aero engineer need or do. I will be delving into my NAL experience and will come up with how to lessons that are relevant, helpful and informative!

 

Make sure you check back and if you have any suggestion or any how-to idea, do write in your comments.

 

I am basically propulsion guy, but I will try to include aesi aerodynamics as well as avionics stuff from time to time.

 

Three things you must give a thought before you embark on your training mission!!

I have already written about this topic earlier post but I am rewriting it again to emphasize on all the 3 points!!

 

 

Time:

Time is the most important parameter! Training in a organization, be it NAL, GTRE, or any other is not a part time work. It’s a commitment of your time. Its a two way process, you learn there and they get some work done. So first thing one should consider while thinking of training is how much time you have? Will my studies suffer? If you have subjects to study, i don't recommend training, because whatever you may think at first, it always hinders latter. So give it a serious thought while embarking on these lines. 

 

Motivation:

Motivation comes second, if software is all you want to learn during training then you better go to so many institutes that are cropping up. They will take some money but you will have the flexibility of time and you will learn more professionally. In my experience in NAL and GTRE, you have to do all the learning by yourself. Coming for work experience as motivation, then its OK! But be prepared to do mundane works, and do some work that you thought are not for you to do. It’s not always that you are going to sit under AC with computer, sometimes pushing a cart of junk, sometime, just sitting in the library, re-reading something for your boss, or searching Google for an obscure dealers name are some of the work that you will regularly come across.

 

Boss:

Yes your boss, the one under whom you will be working, the person who will be assigning you work is the third important factor that you need to look into. It’s an external factor but if your boss is a workaholic, you will benefit. If he is lazy you will dwindle. Training always happens when you are new in your career and getting a good mentor at this stage is great way to leap frog in your chosen field. So before you embark on the training, just like your friends choose your boss carefully! It really makes a difference.

 

Well these three things should come before you enter the training program!!!! More next time.... please leave in your comments!!!

 

Previous post link: http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/2006/01/3-things-that-you-must-have-before-you.html

 

Three things I've learned in NAL - revisited

For those you, who might not know, after AeSI, I did training in NAL under Dr. Ramamurthy and during that time I wrote many blog entries though my reliance mobile phone. This is one of those….

 

This might be my first entry or a rarest entry on my experience in NAL. Well the three things are work hard; no work is small and be a delivery boy. That is, deliver what is expected of you. Come to an organization like this and you will realize the importance of aesi. You'll realize how it has lifted you without your knowing.

 

...You'll realize the truth when someone says "Gadhe ko ghora banati hai aesi" Don't want to say that AeSI's way is right but after coming and hearing by your own ears, you see the truth in word that Mr. Bishnujee uses for aesi graduates. Specialist! Yes it’s true. Maybe seeing the results and facing uncertain exams don't inspire this feeling, but trust me; once you are in this side of the river you will definitely see my point. Anyway hope here's wishing that the reforms aesi is doing now do bear fruits and do make one feel proud of your degree while doing it.

 

Well this was my post in the http://my-aesi.blogspot.com in January 2006. As you will notice the post is not complete. Since at that time I had reliance phone and I used it to send my posts via its mobile internet and it never allowed more than 160 character, so while sending posts with breaks, the flow broke and I missed out the points. So i thought of revisiting the topic.

 

As mentioned earlier, working hard, do all work required of you and being a delivery boy was what I learnt from NAL. I have touched about the realization of the knowledge that i gathered during AeSI only after coming to NAL. But I missed out the delivery boy stuff.

 

Well by that I meant. When you are given a task, deliver the result not an excuse. As my previous mentor in NAL used to say, "Give me results not excuses!"  Push yourself here in your training days and you will reap rich rewards!  Whenever we mentioned that we don't this software, he always chided us “You are young, learn it and deliver!!" So NAL made cemented the delivery in me. 

 

So folks if you are doing training at any of the institution, be diligent and make the most of the time you are there. Sometimes the tasks assigned to you might look un-engineer type, mundane and plain simple, but remember AeSI might have given you the aero skills and knowledge but the social, writing and other skills you will develop here in your training working among real people, real work and in real world!!

 

Please share your experience in comments!!!

 

To read the original post click these links

 

http://my-aesi.blogspot.com\2006\01\three-things-ive-learned-in-nal-part.html

http://my-aesi.blogspot.com\2006\01\three-things-ive-learned-in-nal-part_17.html

http://my-aesi.blogspot.com\2006\01\three-things-ive-learned-in-nal.html