Don’t be getting too high…

[Lamont29]

My recent experience while applying to some high-level jobs have taught me a few things. I wish that ‘envy’ did not play a role in hiring decisions – but it does of course. On several occasions, my resume suggested that I was more qualified than the person interviewing me. On a couple other occasions, I felt like a psychologist, listening to the complaints of senior people who should have been interviewing me for a job. Frustrated by their own lack of apparent certification accomplishments, they find a way to disqualify me for an opportunity. Just yesterday, an HR manager called me fuming that the person who should have been calling me in for a technical interview refused to even meet with me – now how odd is that?

Lucky for me, I still have more opportunities, and better yet, firm offers on the table that I am mulling. I have better luck as a contractor, but it would have been nice to have something more certain and close to home.

I have now learned to go onto Linkedin.com and research key businesses and their hiring managers. I tried “dumbing-down” my resume. I suspect that I will get more call-ins, albeit less hits. It’s just an experiment. I will give it a month or so and report back what I find.

[RRMaillet]

I find your anecdotes to be interesting and somewhat reflective of my current situation. I report to a manager that started his Post-Secondary when I began my IT career (now on my 14th year). He is a DBA and I would never reproach his data analysis capabilities...he is very good at what he does!

In the past, he and I would virtually be running the department together. I've worked in the Financial industry for 6 years in Infrastructure and Manufacturing for 3 years supporting the entire user base. I've seen a bit and bring that over so we can use some "big business" approaches to our ~120 users.

In the last year that I was studying for, and now obtained my, CISSP and I've started noticing that he's become a little more...reserved about bringing me into the loop for decisions and setting direction. I'm becoming a little worried that he may be feeling intimidated. I do plan on having a social and broaching the subject to make sure he understands I'm not in the business of undercutting.

Great post and looking forward to read more from you!

Robert Maillet

CCNA, A+, MCITP, Associate (ISC)2

[Baechle]

Robert,

Do you invoke the CISSP when you're making a point on security or engineering in a discussion - especially if you're loosing an argument?  Did you request any other assignments or a raise?

Sincerely,

Eric B.

[RRMaillet]

Hi Baechle!

No. I don't want my CISSP to become, or be viewed as, a sledgehammer that trumps all else.

As for requesting another assignment...all IT work is done in a team of 3 people: me, my manager and our junior DBA. There really isn't anywhere internally to go. My wife said that she thinks they're worried I may be looking to leave. I'm not exactly running for the exit and my stance has always been that I'll entertain potential valuable opportunities but I am happy where I am.

As for the raise part...I haven't asked for one. I know our company's review is coming up but again, my purpose is not to use my CISSP as a sledge. I am not exactly being compensated well compared to others of my experience level but, from the "intangibles" (people, culture, the work) I'm content!

Regards

Robert Maillet

[MDCole9761]

Thank you Lamont for posting this- it's an interesting insight that I hadn't considered!  I'm currently applying to/interviewing for new opportunities (I'm in a small organization with no where to go internally and am also looking to relocated to Central Florida) and have been trying to highlight my certifications, education and accomplishments due to sometime ridiculously high expectations on most job postings.  I had never considered the fact that there may be some hiring managers that will be intimidated by it all and refuse my application.  Granted it's probably a small percentage, but still it's an interesting experiment and I'm curious to see your results!

It does remind me about some resume advice I had been given in the past- your resume isn't meant to get you the job, just the interview (where you can dazzle them with your background, accomplishments, certs, etc.).  I know my resume is probably too "loaded" and needs to be lighter (I have a hard time keeping it to just two pages).  You've definitely given me something to think about! 

[Baechle]

Robert, (@RRMaillet)

What about the certification of your manager and coworker(s)? Have they been studying for or have they taken any certification tests?  Did you all study together?

I recall back in my first IT job, I was doing IT Audit with two coworkers and we carpooled.  Both of them were technologists, and I was from security (read that as loss prevention - like security guard type security).  They were both talking about failing the CompTIA A+.  That was the first I heard of it... so I went out and studied and passed in like a week, both exams on the same day.  The next time they brought it up, one was asking if the other was going to take it again, and both were belittling the test as beneath them.  I offered to help them study - still didn't tell them I passed the test.  They started laughing and mocking me... that's when I told them I had passed.  I wasn't really in the "in crowd" anyway because I wasn't from "IT".  But I wasn't even invited to go to lunch with them anymore after I told them I passed the test.  And that was just the A+.

So, when did you pass the test?  Did you ask one of them to do your endorsement?

[Baechle]

Lamont,

I’ve been getting offered quite a few positions through LinkedIn – But I’ve had the opposite experience.  The folks contacting me are looking at my experience and expanding it well beyond what I can do.  I’ve had to explain to HR many times that when I say “this” (CISSP) in my resume it doesn’t mean “that” (Application Developer) and yet the hiring managers still want to interview me.  Still odd though.

Eric B.

[Lamont29]

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@MDCole9761wrote:

Thank you Lamont for posting this- it's an interesting insight that I hadn't considered! 

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I am happy to hear it when my advice can be of help to someone. Just play it backwards when you see something that can help someone else. Thanks.

[Lamont29]

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@Baechlewrote:

Lamont,

I’ve been getting offered quite a few positions through LinkedIn – But I’ve had the opposite experience.  The folks contacting me are looking at my experience and expanding it well beyond what I can do.  I’ve had to explain to HR many times that when I say “this” (CISSP) in my resume it doesn’t mean “that” (Application Developer) and yet the hiring managers still want to interview me.  Still odd though.

Eric B.

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Yeah, I've touched on that in an earlier post. Where I thought I were interviewing for a GOV,RISK,COMP position and by the time I got deep into the conversation, it became apparent that the needs were MCSE, RCHE and CCNP. Yeah, we have to train and advise them of their needs too.

[suigeneris25]

One thing that stuck out at me about your post is where you said the managers were complaining about their problems.  This is a good thing.

I've been to a professional career counselor and he put it like this, when you go to a doctor, who has the problem?  You.  Who does most of the talking?  You.

Likewise, when you are at a job interview, who has the problem?  They do, they have a need to fill.  So if they are doing a lot of complaining about how things are not going right, I would see this as a huge opportunity to highlight how I can solve the problems and so they should hire me.

That's my 2¢.

David Leonard

Associate of (ISC)², CEH, Security+, et al.