key selection criterea

[teffania]

I really want a job that's advertised at the uni I work at at the moment. The jobis for a business analyst, but it's really a low level job as far as I can tell - liase with IT services to select new software, make it work properly, train staff in new software, do everyday program maitenance, write/find and adapt user manuals (probably down to

Comments

[bar_barra]

Of course you could do this job! Good luck with it all.

[_sabik_]

A few comments... not sure whether they'd make it better or worse, but I guess consider them...

* unpaid -> volunteer (probably sounds better)

* Seems to hesitate between "society" and "organisation", even within one sentence ("... organisations with small operating budgets ... bankrupt the society").

* 2000 items is rather a small database, and (if I'm placing it correctly) the consequences of fault or outage are minimal; perhaps emphasize it more as a learning opportunity taken rather than an achievement in itself?

* The text seems relatively long for what it's saying. Knowledge of basic SQL is buried at the end of a fourth paragraph where nobody will see it.

Finally, if there's a business analyst who knows you and knows you can do a job like this, I suspect the more effective way would be to directly get you one :-)

η

[teffania]

Good suggestions. I'll be doing some editing.

2000 people, each with dozens of records tied to them. (Which is a much bigger number than the databases I hope to be working with). But if you read it that way, then using the number is probably silly.

Well spotted about the SQL- it is deliberately buried. I don't want to be asked any technical questions about it, as my sql knowledge is extremely basic. More I have enough familiarity to happily apply a suggested patch command, than can actually use any commands. But I figure not being scared away by it completely has gotta count for something, and being able to apply a patch or import a fresh copy of the database has gotta count for something. maybe.

Finally, I'd love it if a business analyst did. But the ones i mix with are likely to have BA jobs that require programming.

Just my two cents

[anonymous]

This paragraph sticks out in my mind
"I have a degree in arts and an honours degree in science, which while not directly relating to business analysis, have taught me very valuable skills in analysis and documentation."

It was the word "not" that caught my eye. I scanned your entry like I have done in the past when choosing applicants to interview.
I think it more emphasis what you haven't got and it doesn't state that those skills from arts and science are transferable. To my mind it does not link the skills you have to the job you are applying for and it downplays what you do have.

I would put something more like a polished version of
I have a degree in Arts and a honours degree in Science. My work in these degrees has taught me very valuable skills in analysis and documentation. I will be (or am?) able to apply these skills successfully to business analysis.

If you can add examples to back that up it would be better.

Sharon N.

Re: Just my two cents

[teffania]

lovely wording, thanks!

[anonymous]

I think at some point in the interview the fact that this experience is from a society devoted to re-enactment and research of the medieval and renaissance periods is going to come up. So maybe be upfront about that?

--
pfh has very little experience applying for jobs

[teffania]

It's a uni job, so I expect the selection panel to find the sca more intriguing than "too wierd". I'm planning on having the sca (or at least medieval reenactment) mentioned in the resume that's attached to the key selection criterea, but I just wanted them to read a bit in business terms first. I'm hoping that will get them in the right mindset before they find out what it really is.

I've noticed recruiters flip right past any resume section labelled "voluntary" without even reading it, but if I get to talk to them about the contents of those sections, their jaws drop at the scope of the work.

[polly_jl_morgan]

Hi Tiff,

Good luck with this. A couple of quick comments- when you are discussing your volunteer work, maybe some numbers would be good. e.g. describe a typical event you have run - (how many people attended, what sort of coordination work was involved, if the budget was significant maybe put in a rough figure for it). Emphasize that you excel in working as part of a team.
I agree with Paul's comments about mentioning the SCA - I reckon be more upfront about what it is - describe it as a Historical society or something with X thousand members.

cheers

Polly

[teffania]

"typical" (read best achievements) events will be listed in the resume. I'm reworking it now re your suggestion to add more figures and budgets. Although I don't think anything under $5000 in budget is worth mentioning.