Your Alternate Resume

I already do have an alternative resume. It's my blog. Recruiters and HR people usually end up on it and many have written me personally to comment on something I wrote long ago. It works just like you describe but it is more descriptive of my true self than some quirks or characteristics. People remember me, but not because I passingly mentioned that I was training for an ultramarathon but because I wrote a 4 page blog entry sharing my experience as a first-time runner.

Also, there could be legal ramifications for companies who read things like skin color on alt. resumes. A hiring manager would rather not know your race or age till after they've selected or dropped your resume for the phone interview round.

While certainly candid, I think that these examples fall down flat as they don't stimulate discussion. I think if you want to be memorable, just write a short section called "Ask Me About" at the end of your (1 sided!) resume. For example, 1. I submitted a patent application for a consumer electronics product that was rejected. or 2. I am very curious about new webapps and keenly participate in beta programmes. Either of these are very easy for an interviewer to ask about and I find much more useful than "President of University Chess Society" type info.

This is akin to "not taking yourself too seriously" and through empirical data I would say that it works.

Exposing yourself has always been part of the process of making a connection and building trust.

That logo needs to be in png format. That's me, looking for the details all the time.

http://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=edw519 is my alternate resume. I share it with all prospective customers and employers. This accomplishes several things:

- It demonstrates my passion for programming, whether or not it's work related.

- It gives them a chance to get to know me a little better through stuff that would never be found on a resume.

- It shows that I'm not bashful when it comes to sharing what I've learned.

- It (hopefully) demonstrates that I'm willing to listen and learn from others.

- It (hopefully) demonstrates that I've accumulated at least a little wisdom over the years.

- They may actually find a comment I've made about an issue near and dear to them. This may give me an extra boost.

- It keeps me honest and encourages me to "play nice". I always have to consider what a prospective customer would think before I hit "add comment".

I don't think our IT department would go for it.