FAQs and Resumes
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Q34: How often do you check your messages?
A: As to e-mail, I check my messages several times a day, usually every day, Monday through Friday.
Comment 1: Call 425-765-9015. Leave me a message. Include your EXTENSION number, and I will call your extension, talk to you, leave you a detailed message, or respond to your question, usually within 24 hours, Monday through Friday.
Comment 2: When you call my number, 425-765-9015, please say so, if your call is urgent. If you do not say your call is urgent, I may not return your call for a few hours or days, if I'm experiencing a high call volume.
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Q35: Do you have your resume in _______ format?
A: I do have (QA) resumes in just about every format. Ask me, if you need an unusual document format. In the meantime, why don't you use my resumes in Word, Text, HTML, and Rich Text formats?
Comment 1: My (QA) resumes are black and white for best print quality, easily scanned by agents and contract firms, loaded with enough buzzwords to trigger keyword database search engines, detailed enough to impress clients, say it all in as few pages as possible, and can be downloaded or printed FREE, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, wherever and whenever it might be convenient to you, the RECRUITER.
Comment 2: If you need any of my (QA) resumes, please contact me, leave me a message, tell me what your e-mail address is, and I will make sure you get the (QA) resume.
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Q36: Is this your most current resume?
A: Yes, it is. My (QA) resume is available in three different formats for download from my main page. The (QA) resumes that are currently there are the latest and greatest. There are no updates available. They're current up through today.
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Q37: Do you have a shorter resume?
A: I am flexible. I do have long resumes. AND short resumes, too. If the short ones are not short enough for you, feel free to download and shorten them.
Comment 1: Recruiters generally want (QA) resumes that are about 2 to 3 pages long. Please don't tell me you need a 1-page resume. My experience is that -- if a recruiting agency is telling me my short (QA) resume is not short enough -- the agency is usually uninformed. I used to have a one-page (QA) resume but it did not sell very well with technical managers. What did I do? I had to add to it enough details to make a prospective client feel that (s)he knew the extent of my capabilities. In other words, I had to make it about 3 pages long, and THEN it started selling, because most technical managers wanted "meat" from the "get-go", and not one page of fluff.
Comment 2: This is a controversial subject, and opinions differ. From my 10+ years of experience I have learned that I need to have a (QA) resume with enough detail to make a prospective client feel that (s)he knows the extent of my capabilities. A good format is to provide a statement of the task, the role I played, and the tools I used, including the environment, and platform. I do not avoid using the names of companies, applications, areas supported, and software products, and do not worry about the length of this (QA) resume. It has been my experience that ALL of this information is of interest to the Project Manager / Lead looking for help.
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Q38: What is the name of the company?
A: I know, some of my (QA) resumes do not contain full details, but I need to stick to this, even when sometimes recruiters in need of sales leads complain that they can't go further without full details. I keep a full resume for actual interviews.
Comment 1: Company names are competitive information. If you're reading this, chances are you're a recruiter with a small or medium size contract service firm. Moreover, chances are, your firm has a list of 10 or 15 important customers. How would you feel if I asked you for the names of YOUR 10 most recent, most important customers, including the names of their best hiring managers?
Comment 2: My (QA) resumes do get me interviews even without the use of full company names on my (QA) resumes.
Comment 3: Company names on my (QA) resumes tend to be counterproductive because they tend to limit my opportunities, and therefore putting company names on my resumes is not in my best interest. Why? Because many recruiters concentrate on IBM, Research Triangle Park, AND ignore dozens of other opportunities, if they see that IBM, Research Triangle Park is on my (QA) resume.
Comment 4: Putting company names on resumes is dangerous; because the names can backfire on me easily, and therefore putting names on my resume is not in my best interest. Corporate clients are known to do "vanity searches". They search the web periodically, and look for documents that mention their company names. If you're an employee or contractor, and are searching for a better job or contract, is it a good idea to let your employers know that you're looking? Sometimes the answer is "yes", but most of the time the answer is "no".
Comment 5: Putting company names on (QA) resumes can make me a victim of a resume identity theft, and therefore putting company names on my resumes is not in my best interest. Resume identity theft? Yes... identical (QA) resumes show up at client sites where only the names of candidates have been changed. The dates, work history, and experience remain the same. Resume identity theft is even more widespread than many people are aware. However, unfortunately, no one seems to care. What's more, on Monster, Dice, and a few other job boards, job postings are now being used to steal identities from people. Monster alerted users to this last month. Therefore, when I send out my (QA) resume, I generalize the name of the company, and say something like "Fortune 500 Electric Utility Company", instead of naming the specific organization.
Comment 6: I feel that my client list is confidential, and will only reveal them to another client, not a recruiter. I'm generally suspicious when a telemarketer pumps me for "more specific information".
Comment 7: Please do not be like the telemarketer who called me last week. He claimed he was a recruiter. He had nothing specific, pumped me for specific information, and kept me on the phone for what felt like hours. Later he called me at work, too; after I had made it clear to him many times that, "I do not want to be called at work".
Comment 8: Trust is an earned asset. Trust is not something that is just given. When an unknown telemarketer calls you, and when he's just "fishing", is it a good idea to trust him blindly, and give him competitive information? Is it a good idea to give him the names of your most important customers that he can use and abuse? I don't think so.
Comment 9: If you're a real recruiter, DEFINITELY call me if something comes available for contract. I'm pleased that you are considering my help for employment opportunities with you; and would like to thank you for your interest in me, and the work that I do.
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Q39: Are you OK with a background check?
A: Is the paper work, and the risks of identity theft, gossip, hearsay evidence, false evidence, and the time and money consumed in dealing with gumshoes and gossipmongers worth the prize, when the vast majority of jobs require no background investigation?
Comment 1: If you do not trust me, why should I trust you?
Comment 2: If you do not trust me, then there is something wrong with you, and you should not be representing me!
Comment 3: Many background checks are ILLEGAL. My HR contact tells me, it is illegal for an employer to ask you to fill out "background check" forms (with social security number, date of birth, etc.) before you have had a client interview. To prescreen, using background check information is illegal, because it could allow a recruiting agency to use protected information to deny some contractors the opportunity of employment (based on income, criminal history, marital status, etc.)
Comment 4: Identity theft is on the rise. Taking advantage of job seekers' desire to please potential employers, identity thieves ask for all sorts of personal information: your name, birth date, credit information -- all the things they need to steal your identity and spend your money. The FBI says, if you encounter a request for your personal, financial, or identity information, such as Social Security number, or other identifiers, exercise extreme caution, AND report any suspicious activity. Monster.com says, "Protect your personal information by never providing social security account numbers to prospective employers."
Comment 5: The following true story demonstrates why submitting yourself to a background check is UNWISE: "It was just the job lead Jim needed: a marketing manager position with Arthur Gallagher, a leading international insurance broker. And only days after Jim responded to the job posting on Monster.com, a human resources director sent along a promising e-mail. We’re interested in you, the note said. The salary is negotiable, the clients are big. In fact, the clients are so valuable and sensitive that you’ll have to submit to a background check as part of the interview process. Eager for work, Jim complied — and sent off just about every key to his digital identity, including his age, height, weight, Social Security number, bank account numbers, even his mother’s maiden name. It was all just an elaborate identity theft scam designed to prey on the most vulnerable potential victims — the increasing ranks of the unemployed." ('Online Job Listing and ID Theft Scam' by Bob Sullivan, MSNBC, November 4, 2002)
Comment 6: Life is too short to engage in anything illegal. I'm not a criminal, have never been a criminal, and never going to be a criminal. If I'm touched by crime, I'm a victim, not the perpetrator. I'm a registered and licensed professional engineer. My association of professional engineers would start disciplinary action against me, and cancel my license, if I was a criminal. Based on these four reasons, I believe, any request for any so called "background check" is a bit of an insult.
Comment 7: I'm licensed to practice engineering, just like dentists are licensed to practice dentistry. If you don't trust your dentist, do you put him through the humiliation of a background investigation? Of course you don't!
Comment 8: Of governments, gumshoes, and gossipmongers, I prefer the government. Therefore, if there is a requirement for a wide-scope investigation, then I prefer the government whose investigation leads to "security clearance". Why am I saying this? Because a full background check by a gumshoe covers every aspect of an individual's life, much like the government's investigation covers every aspect of one's life for a government security clearance. The big difference is, however, a gumshoe cannot give me clearance. Additionally, a gumshoe cannot assure me my personal data won't end up in India, or, alternatively, in the hands of criminals!
Comment 9: Giving your "OK" to a gumshoe, to do a "background check" on you, is unwise. Why am I saying this? Because gumshoes often deal in gossip, and hearsay, and false evidence that can and will damage your reputation, AND stay with you for up to 7 years, unless you want to sue and spend 4 years and $8,000. Take the case of James Millstone, the assistant managing editor of the St. Louis Post. A gumshoe gathered some damaging information on Millstone because of an interview with one of his neighbors. The report stated he was a hippie with a beard and long hair, could be a drug user, and failed to discipline his kids. Because of this report, his credit was almost ruined, and his car insurance was almost cancelled. When he learned about the false credit report, he sued, and eventually won, but only after spending 4 years and $8,000. In his case, the false report was based on one single neighbor who didn't like Millstone, and had been feuding with his kids.
Comment 10: End clients tend to be GOOD people. However, in some locations, there are end clients that are 'unusual' and 'unreasonable'. They're unusual and unreasonable because they believe they can make you work in an environment that is contrary to your best interests. Pay attention to little red flags, e.g. mandatory background checks, mandatory badging in at 8:00 a.m. or earlier, "proprietary" hardware tools, "proprietary" software tools, or "proprietary" software languages. If you want to maintain your marketable skills, avoid 'unusual' and 'unreasonable' end clients!
Comment 11: Clients sometimes use on-site agencies with monopolistic powers. In my experience, these monopolists are not as good as the end clients they represent.
Comment 12: Don't be like the on-site recruiting agency that wanted to do a "criminal background check" on me. They automatically assumed I was "guilty" until proven innocent. Why the suspiciousness? Probably because they were negative people who looked inside themselves and saw a couple of con men. Do you want to deal with negative people, con men, or anyone else who do not trust you? Of course you don't!
Comment 13: Don't be like con men. Con men tend to be sneaky; taking advantage of job seekers' desire to please potential employers! They use trickery, deception, lies, and false promises to get all sorts of personal information: my full name, birth date, signature, and other identifiers -- all the things they need to steal my identity. Do you want to deal with identity thiefs? Of course you don't!Comment 14: Trust is a slow process that good recruiters build up over the years. Trust is not something you give to the first unknown, unlicensed, unidentified, self-appointed investigator who is able to say, "I have a job for you, what is your social security number?" What is your drivers license number?" What is your residence address?" What is your birth date?" The self-appointed investigator will NOT get you a contract, but he will waste your valuable time, energy, attitude, and enthusiasm. He will also make you lose references. He can also make you a victim of identity theft. He will make contractors and recruiters run around in circles, without any contract or compensation.
- Don't be like the recruiter who commited fraud when he wrongfully and dishonestly failed to disclose to me a requirement for a background investigation. This particular requirement was an unusual one, and he should have disclosed it to me at the time we submitted the resume.
- Don't be like the recruiter (same recruiter) who made a statement he knew was false. He said, "Other than W-2 and I-9 forms, there will be nothing else that you will have to sign." He made this statement he knew was false, in order to deceive me and to entice me to release to him my social security number, date of birth, and other proprietary information. Contrary to what he said, one day later he sent me a big bundle of blank forms, for my signature, for HIS and for HIS benefit only.
- Don't be like the recruiter (same recruiter) who made a statement he knew was false. He said, "I'm sending you a contract", but he failed to deliver it to me. He was eager to collect MY signature, but HE signed nothing. He completely avoided the signing of all forms. Without his signature there was no tangible contract, there was no tangible offer. The offer he made was only a verbal offer.
- Don't be like the recruiter (same recruiter) who made a statement he knew was false. He said, "The client wants a criminal background check." A couple of days later he pressured me to sign a form that would have authorized not a "criminal background check" but a "wide-scope background investigation". Please notice, there is a big-big difference between a simple, 5-minute criminal background check, and a complex, wide-scope investigation of unlimited scope and duration that can stretch anywhere from 5 days to 15 years. The latter can and will include all gossip, hearsay evidence, and false evidence.
- Don't be like the recruiter (same recruiter) who tricked me to sign away my rights when he said, "Sign this form and send it back to me!" It was a boilerplate legal form from a gumshoe that would have subjected me to a wide-scope investigation of unlimited scope and duration, where the gumshoe would have included gossip, hearsay and false evidence, and, all these would have remained on my record for 7 years.
- Don't be like the on-site recruiter who misled me when she said, "We need to do a credit check on you." The truth was, there was no reason to check my credit because I was NOT hired as a bank teller, credit manager, accountant, or multi-million dollar project manager. If there was any need for checking anyone's credit, then it was the credit of the end client and the recruiting agency, because they would handle my money. They would owe me up to $100,000, in paychecks.
- Don't be like the on-site recruiter (same recruiter) who mislead me when she said, "We need to check your driving record." The truth was, there was no reason to check my driving record because I was NOT hired as a truck driver, forklift driver, or school bus driver.
- Don't be like the recruiter (same recruiter) who mislead me when he said, "This paperwork comes from the client." The truth was, all paperwork came from him and his firm's verification company only.
- Don't be like the recruiter (same recruiter) who misled me when he said, "This requirement for a wide-scope investigation came from the client." The truth was, the request came from him and his verification company only.
- Don't be like the recruiter (same recruiter) who treated me Unfairly. An initial piece of paper from his firm said, "Our firm agrees to deal fairly and in good faith with the contractor", but then he wanted me to sign one additional document that would have required a 2-week notice from me, but ZERO notice from his firm. Was that fair or unfair? Of course, it was unfair!
- Don't be like the recruiter (same recruiter) who wanted me to spend my own money to travel to a physically distant site of an out of state client, when, as we can see from items 1 through 9, he had no integrity; his word was not gold. He worked and acted like a con man. Would you invest any money with a con man?
- Don't be like the recruiter (same recruiter) who asked me to lend to his firm my own money (to do the required drug screen). However, as we can see from items 1 through 9, he had no integrity; his word was not gold. We can see he worked and acted like a con man. Would you lend money to a con man?
- Don't be like the recruiter (same recruiter) who applied tremendous pressure on me. Why the pressure? Probably because if one is under pressure, one has no time to read or digest anything. This way he was able to make me sign and fax to him forms I would have not have signed under normal circumstances. How did he do it? For one, he called me every day, and every hour, sometimes every five minutes. Two, he left for me a large number of voice and e-mail messages. Three, he made a big effort to get from me promises, fax messages, and all sorts of personal information. Four, just like a con man, he kept giving me artificial deadlines. He wanted me to make a decision the same day, and print, and sign, find a fax machine, and do all of this before the close of the business day. WHY WAS THE RUSH? I was already stressed and did not need to make a decision right then and there. I could afford to take a day or two to make a decision. Legitimate recruiters would have known this and would have been willing to wait for my decision.
- How do you deal with untrustworthy and dishonest recruiters? In these real life examples, in items 1 through 13, the desire to earn extra money made a recruiter commit fraud. With all frauds, the problem is that eventually they're found out, and both clients and contractors tend to bail, once the fraud is discovered.
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Q40: When are you available to interview with a client?
A: After 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time. (After 3:00 p.m., Pacific Time).
Comment 1: On most weekdays I can be interviewed after 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. If you call earlier than 12:00 p.m. EST, I may not be able to answer the call. In my experience, most project managers / software test leads are able to set up a specific time after 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Comment 2: We need to set up a SPECIFIC time. For example: 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (4:00 p.m., Pacific Time).
Comment 3: I need to know, in advance, the exact time of the client's call because I want to be ready, at my best, want to prevent scheduling conflicts, and want to ensure the client's call is answered.
Comment 4: Please don't forget to TELL ME when a prospective client will call. I need to know, in advance, the exact time of the client's call. I need to know this in order to prevent A) scheduling conflicts, and B) calls that are not received. Please don't be like the recruiter who set up a telephone interview for yesterday morning, but could NOT tell me the TIME of the client's call. Did he expect me to sit by the telephone for two full hours when I had to go back to work AND had a long list of things to do after 12:00 p.m.?
Comment 5: To set up a specific time, you need to SELL the manager on the time of the appointment you want. For example, you need to ask the manager, "How about 12:00 noon, or would 12:30 be better for you?"
Comment 6: For clients my best number is 425-765-9015. For recruiters my best number is also 425-765-9015.
Comment 7: I must have an INTERVIEW as part of the initial contact with the client. If the client won't talk with me, and won't do a phone interview as part of the process, then I'm not interested in that position. Why should we have a client interview as part of the process? Because client interviews are very useful. They reduce the risk of accepting new positions. Minor misunderstandings can be prevented. That's why I say I must have a client INTERVIEW as part of the process.
Comment 8: I do all interviews outside the workplace. Please don't be like a recruiter who wanted me to do a client phone interview at WORK, at the expense of my most recent client. Why? Because it wouldn't be fair to my most recent client to A) use their hours for my personal gain, or B) cut back on my lunch hour, and decrease my effectiveness for the rest of the day. After all, they don't pay me to discuss non-company business on company time. That would be unethical. My main concern is unplanned telephone conversations that go on, and on, for what seems like forever, at the expense of my most recent client.
Comment 9: I do monitor my incoming calls during the day, EVERY DAY, between 8:00 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time. During the day, I also have unscheduled meetings, visitors dropping in without an appointment, distractions, and little, or no privacy. Despite all of this, I do answer my calls most of the time.
Comment 10: When I'm presented to a client, I don't talk about rate (if this is a contract, and if this is one of your concerns), but I do give you feedback, usually the same day. Similarly, I expect notification from you, as to the outcome of the presentation, after a phone interview.
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Q41: Can I present your resume to a client?
A: Call (or e-mail) me, and get my permission FIRST. I require contract staffing firms, agencies, and in-house recruiters to obtain my permission FIRST, on a client-by-client, and contract-by-contract basis, BEFORE presenting my (QA) resume to any client.
Comment 1: These (QA) resumes and FAQs are provided to enable you to determine possible matches with your or your clients' needs. Possession of this information does not constitute authority to present it to a client or to act as my agent in any other way. I need to know where my (QA) resumes are.
Comment 2: Can you put my (QA) resume on your web site or letterhead, for prospective clients or visitors? No, you cannot. Possession of my (QA) resume does not constitute authority to act as my agent. Call me, and ask my permission first, on a client-by-client, and contract-by-contract basis.
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Q42: How can I contact you?
A: Give me a call or send me e-mail.
Be specific: Do disclose the job description when you're asking me, "Are you interested in working at Microsoft?" If you don't or won't, or if you have too many fears, you should not be representing me. Be specific! Do disclose the client company when you say "this is for a direct client of mine in Virginia". If you don't or won't, or if you have too many fears, you should not be representing me. Be specific! Do disclose the job description when you say "this is for an engineer like you". If you don't or won't, or if you have too many fears, you should not be representing me. Your secret is safe with me. Every day, including Sundays, I get many job descriptions from all states and locations, but the great majority of them are NOT even close to the perfect glove fit! However, if yours is a reasonably good match, I will contact you!
- Telephone: 425-765-9015
- Voice mail: 425-765-9015
- Web site: http://www.robdavispe.com
- Web site: http://www.softwaretestengineer.com
- Keywords (A-Z): Click here.
- Availability: Click here.
- Resume: Click here.
- Additional (QA) resumes: Click here.
- FAQ: Click here.
- I prefer communication via e-mail.
E-mail me: My preferred contact is e-mail, if you need to notify me about a possible contract, "perm" work, or interview with a client. If you REALLY want my attention quickly, send me e-mail.
Get my OK: I require contract staffing firms, agencies, and in-house recruiters to always get my OK before submitting my resume to any opportunity.
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Comments:
"Rob, You have a strong background, no doubt."
Melanie S., Technical Recruiter
"Rob, I took a moment to go look at your web site and it's extremely helpful! I'd love to help you explore these contracting positions. Once again I just wanted to let you know that I'm very interested in speaking with you."
Doug E., Technical Recruiter
"Hi Rob, I've just seen your resume and admire that your resume contains all details, that's great."
V.T., Covansys Corporation
"Hi Rob, As I have read through your website I can see that you are a thorough, intelligent and professional person."
Jeffrey S., Senior Engineering Recruiter
"Rob, I like your FAQs and the comments... Your PD section was most interesting - you are the first person in my 12 year career at doing this that actually gets how PD works..."
Steve R., Technical Recruiter
"Rob, I enjoyed speaking with you this morning, and I visited your web site -- very impressive! I will let you know as soon as I get feedback on your submit. Thanks, and I look forward to the possibility of working with you in the very near future. Have a great weekend."
Scott W., Technical Recruiter
"Rob, I stayed in the office late tonight because I greatly enjoyed reading your FAQs. I have only five months experience in this business and am horrified by the way some candidates have been treated by recruiting agencies. Thanks for the education."
Patty K., Technical Recruiter
"Rob, I ran across your resume... and was very impressed by your qualifications."
Michael K, Technical Recruiter
"Rob, I get all excited when I see a truly good resume..."
Patria H., Senior Technical Recruiter
"Howdy Rob! Your qualifications are extremely impressive, almost to the point of intimidating! Ha-ha. Which, is something I savor."
Chad D., Software Engineer
"Hi Rob, I just wanted to say that I'm sure you don't have any problems finding work due to the professional appearance of your web-page. It's excellent." Laura B., Software Validation Engineer, Scotland, UK
"Hello Rob, I reviewed your resume on-line and was very impressed."
Gwen R., Recruiter
"Dr. Davis, Good morning. I am a retired military man who spent 20 years with the Marine Corps. I am in awe of your website."
Jimmy R., Software Tester
"Rob, You have a strong background, no doubt."
Melanie S., Technical Recruiter
"Good Afternoon, your Curriculum looks really Pro."
Bernardo A., Recruiter, Brazil
"Hi Rob, I want to be your Net friend... can we be?"
Geetanjali G, Software Tester, India
"Rob, I had a closer look at your website and have to pay you a major compliment, it is great. I loved your insight and FAQs. You are definitely a very emotionally mature professional. Thank you and all the very best...you've got a fabulous presentation."
Carol B., Technical Recruiter
"Hi, Rob Davis: Your resume is quite impressive. Best regards and good luck!"
Bob G., Recruiter
"I read your FAQ sheet with great interest! I really appreciate your professionalism in that regard."
Barbara M., Recruiter
"Rob, I got your resume and it looks good... Your education and experience is excellent."
Patrick B., Recruiter
"Rob, It was a pleasure speaking with you this afternoon. This looks to be a good fit and I look forward to working with you..."
Neal C., Account Manager
"Hello Mr. Davis, I had a quick look at your site, and it appears you've been doing the contracting thing long enough to have stepped on most of the land mines. To tell the truth, I wish I'd seen your site/FAQs about 3-4 years ago when I was doing more contracting-oriented work. Adopting your methods probably would have saved me a *lot* of aggravation."
Jim W., Web Applications Developer
"Rob, Your web site is very thorough and well-organized."
Rob O., Technical Recruiter
"Hello and thank you for the resume. I'd like to congratulate you on the most organized and informative resume / FAQs I have ever seen! It's about time someone got it right. I love it!!"
Ryan N., Branch Manager
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Feedback
Last modified on 5/5/2008.
Rob is a registered and licensed professional engineer.
http://www.robdavispe.com | http://www.softwaretestengineer.com
