RE: FN-FORUM: Qualifications

date posted 21st March 2006 19:32

Well I wouldn't put a degree in Chemistry on there - cos I haven't got a
clue about it.

But a 1 year old CCNA or MCSE etc is nothing - just a bit of padding - if
they ask me about data engineering, I know it back to front - but I'm not
prepared to sit down and memorise cisco command line rubbish just to get a
certificate.

My work history is solid and it would always catch the eye before
qualifications. I always used to re-write my CV on a job by job basis as
well - the opening paragraph needs to describe you as the person they need.
It's all a game isn't it - a game of nerve - try it. Maybe I am just lucky,
but no - I have never been caught. But then I have always gone to companies
to sell my niche knowledge which is digital video engineering - and to be
honest they employ me because they need that skill because no-one there has
it ... so who is going to catch you out??

Last warning though ... and this is the one I didn't learn until it was too
late and I was already self-employed - and that is 'Diplomacy'.

I had an interview once with Baxall in Manchester and the Director was
starting to show cracks on the technical side so he bought in his
'specialist'. This guy had been bluffing his position for a year or two as
their top techie - he asked me to describe wavelet compression to him - and
I did - and we argued - and he got embarrassed. I was trying to show him up,
which I did (because I hate people who won't just say - 'I don't know' and
then learn) ... whereas I should have bit my tongue instead.

Now I have learned that you let it go but let him know that you know he's
talking out of his arse but that no-one else needs to know ... if you know
what I mean - that's the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

So what's your story Dom? Are you against lying on CVs or are you generally
interested in all approaches? Are you at the 'start' of your career or the
end??




Subject: Re: FN-FORUM: Qualifications



And then what? Do you say "by the way, that bit of the CV is a bare-faced
lie" or do you let it sit there and hope you never get found out?