What about "Desmond Lee Jones"? Too much like John Lee Hooker?
also, since you're into digital arts (which i assume is not finger-painting), perhaps you could include a link to your website in your electronic application, and even list an URL in your contact info along with your email address.
AngryCorvair wrote: What about "Desmond Lee Jones"? Too much like John Lee Hooker? also, since you're into digital arts (which i assume is not finger-painting), perhaps you could include a link to your website in your electronic application, and even list an URL in your contact info along with your email address.
URL to your website, with a picture of you.
Actually it would be cool to do a study where you send equal amounts of resumes with your real pic as well as ones with the image of gentleman of color who is way hotter than you that you clipped out of mags you have laying around the john. Report back on percentage of hits for each. Do an article on it. Get published. Add to resume as proof of whiteness!
z31maniac wrote:poopshovel wrote: None. Then again, I'm not crying about how I'm poor and jobless, or all the LEGIT E36 M3 that could have 'held me back' in life. But my last name is "White" so I guess it's all sunshine and goddamned lollipops for me, right?Sometimes I seriously wonder if you honestly don't get the point, or if you are just trolling for the fun of it.
If I understand correctly, the "point" was "My name is Desmond, which is a "black" name, and rich white people don't hire black people, because rich white people are racists."
Did I miss something?
poopshovel wrote: If I understand correctly, the "point" was "My name is Desmond, which is a "black" name, and rich white people don't hire black people, because rich white people are racists." Did I miss something?
I didn't really get that vibe, but...
I totally though "african american" the moment I heard that name. I don't think I've EVER met anyone named Desmond.
I don't think it is your name.
Part of my past job was reviewing resumes and being part of a hiring team. I learned how to read through what people write about themselves very quickly, in fact somewhat ruthlessly. I had to review about 200 resumes per week, and we never interviewed more than 3-4 people per month.
You lost me in your first paragraph of this thread (before ever mentioning your name).
I'm not being critical, but maybe I can share a little view into how someone reviewing your resume is going to think. Try to be a little forgiving- this may not sound too nice...
The first read flag for me: Why the heck did it take this guy 7 years to finish a bachelors degree?
Second issue: "Busting ass in an internship". Couldn't have been busting too much ass, if it took him 7 years to finish a bachelor's degree. Plus, complaining about "busting ass in an internship" honestly sounds like someone who doesn't understand the rigors of the real world, and is whining.
Third issue: This guy thinks his resume is gonna land him a job. Oh boy...
Fourth issue: I sure hope it didn't really take him a year to get out only 30 resumes. That is less than a week's work.
Fifth issue: "Vastly less qualified candidates..." Thinks pretty highly of himself, doesn't he?
Sixth issue: Does he really think LinkedIn is any indication of anything whatsoever?? Surely he is kidding...
Seventh: "Cum Laude, Dean's Honors..." Oh boy, here comes the bragging...
Eighth: "Stellar references..." Why the heck are they only on his resume? If they are so stellar, why can't he ask them directly for a job lead or referral?
Ninth: "Well designed..." How would he know this? Has he reviewed hundreds of resumes, or sought the counsel of a professional, or is this his own humble opinion, that he learned in a classroom somewhere?
Tenth: "I'm the perfect candidate". Humble too. How the heck would he know what I need, or anyone else??
And then the kicker. "Desmond" Seriously? Is this guy really gonna throw the race card? I'm not sure I can take any more...
(speculation...) You have not said a word about it, but judging by your general approach and your verbose nature, I bet your resume is 2 pages long. You may have even attached those "stellar references" as a third page. If I'm right, it's not a resume. It's a death warrant. No 24 year old has earned 2 pages worth of resume. None.
If I was looking to hire a journalism major, I'd LOVE to hire an African American, especially if he had a cool British name like "Desmond". It's serious market-share clout.
So I did you a favor, and Googled you (more than I would have done at this point if you were an actual candidate). Your LinkedIn page showed up. That's good. Well, no wait a minute... You don't have a single job experience that has anything whatsoever to do with journalism. That's REALLY, REALLY bad. Plus, it actually says you are "seeking an entry-level position in account management, public relations or social media content creation". Why would anyone interview you for a journalist job??
There is no way I'd call you in for an interview.
Honestly, the problem you are encountering has absolutely nothing to do with your name.
It's a cool name. Stick with it. But start to market yourself from the hiring person's perspective.
A couple of tips:
Say everything you have to say in half as many words. Better yet, a third.
Clean up your LinkedIn page. No one cares what classes you took. Have something there that indicates why you want to pursue journalism, and why you would be great at it, and passionate about it.
Assume the person on the other side of the desk knows more about you than you do.
Be preemptive. Since I can find all this crap about you, make sure you find a creative way to package it BEFORE I find it.
Try to take a confident, but much more humble approach.
A journalism BA is nothing really to brag about. Even with honors.
I should have been able to easily find great writing of yours- a blog, a website, something fun and creative to read on your LinkedIn, etc.
Love 'ya man. Just trying to help. Hope you have some great opportunities really soon!
I work in HR and have spent plenty of time on both sides of the hiring process. There is an art and science to finding work. I have been meaning to set up website or blog to share what I know.
I will address the name issue later. Let me throw a few statistics into mix that will help everyone who is looking for a job. 70% of hiring is done through personal and professional connections. The majority of these jobs are never advertised. 20% of jobs are filled by ads on job boards and Craigslist. 10% of jobs are filled through company websites.
80% of people job seekers focus on the 20% of the jobs that are advertised. Focus your time building connections (aka Networking). Who you know will get an opportunity, what you will determine how far you take it. Like it or not, you have to build both connections and capability.
Here's a much more succinct response...
If you love journalism and have this cool British-y "black" sounding name, then why not apply for a position at a minority publication?
Swank Force One wrote: I'm 28 and have 3 pages of resume. I attribute this to NOT having a degree.
I wouldn't read it.
SVreX wrote:Swank Force One wrote: I'm 28 and have 3 pages of resume. I attribute this to NOT having a degree.I wouldn't read it.
It's much harder and takes a GREAT deal more effort to write a tight 1 page resume than a 3 page one.
I'm 52 and have a 2 page resume which is extremely well written. (but I have a "complete" draft that I edit from that is 12 pages long)
When I was only 28, I had a 3 page one too. 
In reply to Swank Force One:
You didn't get those jobs because of your resume.
Report back when you are 52.
SVreX wrote: Here's a much more succinct response... If you love journalism and have this cool British-y "black" sounding name, then why not apply for a position at a minority publication?
Okay, in case you missed my last post of the last page on this thread...there are a few core mistakes with that assumption. Journalism degree =/= print journalist, strategic communication and advertising/public relations is part of the journalism curriculum. I'm not trying to be a print journalist, my training is on the advertising/public relations side.
In reply to SlickDizzy:
Read my longer post referencing your LinkedIn, and work on your advertising/ public relations.
No core mistake. The point was if in fact the name is a negative to some people (which I think is a completely false assumption), it is a positive to others. Use it to your advantage.
Post your résumé up here. I'm inclined to agree with SVreX. One of the reasons I got interviewed for my first job was because I had a concise,one page résumé. The guy that became my boss said, "I'm tired of seeing these kids that haven't done anything with three page résumés."
I wouldnt have thought twice about the name. Other than a brief flash to that guy from Lost.
You are applying for internships, or did i read wrong? It would seem odd to me to get a resume from a graduating senior for an internship. At that point I would want someone full time, or not at all. Push the grad date back a semester and I might actually look at it.
Lots of other good advice, especially a way to easily explain time gaps in employment or schooling.
Desmond,
Your resume is simply marketing collateral/sales literature. It is not a job application. It has one purpose and that is to get an interview.
From you original post, I have questions and suggestions.
Does your resume have you complete address? If so, take it off. No employer needs to exactly where you live until they doing a background check or are sending an offer letter. They only need to know how to contact you. For the last ten years my resume has had my name, my phone number,email address and the city where I live. No one has ever asked for an address until we were well into the interview process.
Put your only expected (or actual) graduation date from college. If your resume has a college start date, take it off. It is irrelevant to whether you can do the work an employer needs done. Do you have you high school graduation listed? If so take it off. You have demonstrated academic competence by finishing college. This is another thing they only need to know when doing a background check before making an offer.
Does you resume have your newly earned degree or your work experience list first? As a new college grad you are selling your education and the things you learned. Work history should be there but unless you are going for the same type of work, don't lead with it. For people with a few years of work experience in a field you lead with work history.
Racism exists. Float a few resumes around with Lee Jones on the top and see what happens. If it gets you interest and interviews, then leave it. You can introduce yourself as Desmond at the interview.
That's what I have for now.
Perhaps Desmond Jones should apply to the NAACP to see what happens. If they don't have a position for an educated black male, no-one does.
Tha ks for posting it made my head explode.
Drop the crayola bs. I got a resume with color from a guy who worked for binney and smith, that was appropriate. Yours, not so much.
About me section... total fail. Tell me what you have DONE that is relevant not what you might think people might want to know about you, like on a first date.
This is your chance to sell, and there isnt much.
That looks way too busy to me, but I'm a scientist. Maybe that is good for your field. After your personal info, I'd do education first, then work experience. I'd add a skills section at the bottom. Try to keep the bulleted points short. Cut out the references. I would also use more professional formatting.
SlickDizzy wrote:Paul_VR6 wrote: Drop the crayola bs. I got a resume with color from a guy who worked for binney and smith, that was appropriate. Yours, not so much.Again, I think that may be an industry thing. I am competing with resumes largely similar to my own, it's called an "identity system" and you tend to get quizzed about it during interviews. Everybody has their color palette and design schtick.
I agree with Paul. I'd look at your résumé for a few seconds and move on. Use something like arial font without color.
SvRex, going to pick on some things here. What was your past job? How big a company, and in what industry?
Taking 7 years to finish a degree might be a red flag--was it 7 years with a full time job? Or 7 years drinking beer? (I don't know, but it shouldn't immediately be a red flag).
Sounds like he doesn't want the resume to get him a job; he just wants it to get him an interview (which is its job--it is Desmond's job to get the job).
Also, LinkedIn is definitely an indicator of a lot. I know that my company (the biggest and arguably the best) has hired at least 3 people in the past 2 years in the 2 departments I've been in based on Linkedin (headhunted them).
In the past 1.5 years, I have had 4 interviews. Got 2 of the jobs, and am waiting on the results from the 4th. Every single interview asked about specific classes that I took. 2 of them asked about the professor. Probably a much different situation since 4/8 interviewers went to the same school that I did, and 1 even had the same major, and another with a similar minor. But yes, they do care about the specific classes.
SVreX wrote: I don't think it is your name. Part of my past job was reviewing resumes and being part of a hiring team. I learned how to read through what people write about themselves very quickly, in fact somewhat ruthlessly. I had to review about 200 resumes per week, and we never interviewed more than 3-4 people per month. The first read flag for me: Why the heck did it take this guy 7 years to finish a bachelors degree? Third issue: This guy thinks his resume is gonna land him a job. Oh boy... Sixth issue: Does he really think LinkedIn is any indication of anything whatsoever?? Surely he is kidding... - Clean up your LinkedIn page. No one cares what classes you took. Have something there that indicates why you want to pursue journalism, and why you would be great at it, and passionate about it.
SlickDizzy wrote:SVreX wrote: I'm not being critical, but maybe I can share a little view into how someone reviewing your resume is going to think. Try to be a little forgiving- this may not sound too nice...Okay, but you are making a few incorrect assumptions which I will correct.The first read flag for me: Why the heck did it take this guy 7 years to finish a bachelors degree?Actually only took me four, but I did it in two stints of two years.Second issue: "Busting ass in an internship". Couldn't have been busting too much ass, if it took him 7 years to finish a bachelor's degree. Plus, complaining about "busting ass in an internship" honestly sounds like someone who doesn't understand the rigors of the real world, and is whining. Third issue: This guy thinks his resume is gonna land him a job. Oh boy... Fourth issue: I sure hope it didn't really take him a year to get out only 30 resumes. That is less than a week's work.The whole point of this topic is that I am busting ass TO GET an internship. I quit my full time job last fall to go all-in towards this and I have been applying for every opportunity that fits my field, which happens to have been about 30 in my metro area.Fifth issue: "Vastly less qualified candidates..." Thinks pretty highly of himself, doesn't he?This IS a rant thread, but we are talking kids that presented horrible work on a regular basis in a few cases.Seventh: "Cum Laude, Dean's Honors..." Oh boy, here comes the bragging...So academic honors are meaningless? Great, I'll never mention them again.Eighth: "Stellar references..." Why the heck are they only on his resume? If they are so stellar, why can't he ask them directly for a job lead or referral?Times are tight, jobs aren't just getting handed out to those who ask, but I'm sure trying.Ninth: "Well designed..." How would he know this? Has he reviewed hundreds of resumes, or sought the counsel of a professional, or is this his own humble opinion, that he learned in a classroom somewhere?I get good feedback at portfolio review nights with industry people?(speculation...) You have not said a word about it, but judging by your general approach and your verbose nature, I bet your resume is 2 pages long. You may have even attached those "stellar references" as a third page. If I'm right, it's not a resume. It's a death warrant. No 24 year old has earned 2 pages worth of resume. None.Actually it's only one page, and always has been.So I did you a favor, and Googled you (more than I would have done at this point if you were an actual candidate). Your LinkedIn page showed up. That's good. Well, no wait a minute... You don't have a single job experience that has anything whatsoever to do with journalism. That's REALLY, REALLY bad. Plus, it actually says you are "seeking an entry-level position in account management, public relations or social media content creation". Why would anyone interview you for a journalist job??Another totally false assumption here. Advertising and Public Relations work is taught in the Journalism school at most colleges, man! It's considered an area of focus. A B.A. in Journalism does not indicate "newspaper/magazine writer" exclusively. I'm NOT looking for a job as a journalist. I want to find a job in account management, social media or writer at an advertising agency or PR firm, which is what my education has revolved around. And guess why I don't have any experience doing that? Because I can't land a dang internship in the field to save my life! Start to see my conundrum here? I do get the gist of most of your advice and I do appreciate it, but I feel like there are a few fundamental misunderstandings there.
This post just popped up. Missed it earlier.
I was not trying to be accurate. I was showing you how an HR person would read your comments. No need to correct me- use it to your advantage.
For example, I don't really care what the explanation is for taking 7 years. I'm proud of you for making the effort. Completely NOT the point. The point is, an HR person WILL question it, and you SHOULD address it. Don't say "7 years". Say, "My degree took additional effort to achieve because I was holding down 2 jobs to support my sick grandmother" (or whatever).
BTW- kudos on the 1 page resume- excellent. Kudos also on the portfolio review.
There is no way there have been only 30 related opportunities in the metro Milwaukee area. There's a million and a half people there (excluding online opportunities). You've gotta branch out more. Look beyond postings online.
Academic honors are important. Presentation is MUCH MORE important. It's not what you said, it's how you said it.
I've said this before, and gotten in trouble for it, but I still believe it. If you are looking for an internship, consider volunteering. It's a good way to open doors.
You are working hard to defend yourself on the LinkedIn thing. It doesn't matter whether you are looking for a journalist job or not, or whether I was incorrect in my assumptions. The point was, your LinkedIn page doesn't reflect what you are looking for in a job, and HR people will make assumptions. Fix it. And take off the list of classes you took in school. That only highlights your lack of experience. If you'd like to see a good LinkedIn page, look me up. I get a LOT of attention and positive feedback.
Your description of what you are looking for looks desperate and vague. Probably because you are a bit desperate (I get it). Focus it. Nail down what you are REALLY looking for (passionately). If it means you miss an opportunity for something less than "perfect", that's OK. You are really only looking for that one HR person who says, "Holy crap, this guy is a PERFECT fit".
Regarding the previous jobs...I understand the conundrum. But you need to package the previous experience in the best way you can to highlight the ways in which it promotes what you are looking for. Talk about what you accomplished, not what you did.
And yes, it's your rant. You are welcome to rant as much as you want, but my nature (and others) is to try to help. If you just want us to listen, I guess we can do that.
SlickDizzy wrote:Paul_VR6 wrote: Drop the crayola bs. I got a resume with color from a guy who worked for binney and smith, that was appropriate. Yours, not so much.Again, I think that may be an industry thing. I am competing with resumes largely similar to my own, it's called an "identity system" and you tend to get quizzed about it during interviews. Everybody has their color palette and design schtick. For instance, here is a competitor: http://191asilverman.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/silvermanresumew.jpg
I'll admit- I know nothing about your industry.
But I am missing how this person is a competitor. Ms. Silverman appears to be a graphic designer, with a solid resume in that field. For that, the graphics are appropriate (even if I personally find the colors abhorrent).
Your graphics are hard to read. I'm not here to criticize your resume, but my instincts agree with what others have said.
Clean works.
BTW- your copy is pretty good. But I wouldn't read it, because it looks busy and "cutsie", and I am looking for professionals.
I like what Type Q said.
In reply to mtn:
Senior management for a small chemical company. We saw resumes from scientists, production workers, engineers, clerical, management, mechanics, logistics, salespeople, marketing specialists, truck drivers, whatever.
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