Resume question about topics discussed on resume

[jshinevar]

I apologize in advance if I missed a post about this already, I assure you I did look.

I am writing my resume for leaving the Navy, and I am looking to become an RO someday.  I have been reading books on writing resumes and they are recommending a section on computer skills and a section of keywords.  I was wondering if that is something that is looked for in this field.  I have the computer skills, so that isn't a problem, but the keywords portion is for avoiding electronic filtering of resumes.  Is this something that is OK to put on the resume or should I forget that for right now?

Thanks for your help.

James

[UncaBuffalo]

I have been reading books on writing resumes and they are recommending...a section of keywords.  ....the keywords portion is for avoiding electronic filtering of resumes.  Is this something that is OK to put on the resume or should I forget that for right now?

Thanks for your help.

James

I handle this two seperate ways:

1.  If I'm sure that the resume will go straight to the hiring manager, I don't use any keywords.

2.  If there's any chance it will be screened, I 'cut' the entire job description from the posting and 'paste' it in my resume.  Any items I can't back up with experience get deleted.  Then I juggle the remaining keywords until they are in a pleasing format.  I figure it's a balancing act...getting past the screener vs. annoying the hiring manager with a cumbersome resume.  If a seperate 'keyword' section is becoming the norm, that will help avoid the 'cumbersome' issue...and minimize edit time.




NOTE:  Some posters on NukeWorker have previously stated that HR depts at nuclear sites do not use screeners.  This is NOT true, as I recently had proven to me (to my dismay).  Even though I had all the right words & tricky phrases, my resume got roundfiled by a screener.  I had to have a friend light a fire under the HR people to get it re-screened...it passed and I got the job.  The HR lady's response..."Oh, I was screening these late at night and missed the pertinent information."  If I'd had it in a 'keywords' section, she might have found it.  (It was clearly delineated in two places on the resume, but...what can you do?)


modified for clarity

[Higgs]

Good advice.

Have you gone to taps yet? The one useful part for me was resume writing. The problem I have with most books is that they seem to teach resumes for non technical non energy businesses, but it has been a while since I looked at one so maybe they are getting better.

If you would like someone to review your resume, feel free to pm me when you have one ready.

[jshinevar]

Thank you very much for your help, I would love to have someone critique it for me.  I haven't completed the references portion and didn't put in a keywords section yet.  I was kind of waiting to get advice on that.  To answer your question, I have not yet attended TAPS.  I'm just over a year out of getting out.  I'm hoping that maybe I can get accepted into a RO position and I will apply for an early out for education then.  Who knows, we'll see.

Thanks again for all your help.

James

[jams723]

Thank you very much for your help, I would love to have someone critique it for me.  I haven't completed the references portion and didn't put in a keywords section yet.  I was kind of waiting to get advice on that.  To answer your question, I have not yet attended TAPS.  I'm just over a year out of getting out.  I'm hoping that maybe I can get accepted into a RO position and I will apply for an early out for education then.  Who knows, we'll see.

Thanks again for all your help.

James

Instant RO is not common, although I have seen it.  Look also at non licensed operator positions as that is the normal progression path to an RO position.

[Higgs]

Thank you very much for your help, I would love to have someone critique it for me.  I haven't completed the references portion and didn't put in a keywords section yet.  I was kind of waiting to get advice on that.  To answer your question, I have not yet attended TAPS.  I'm just over a year out of getting out.  I'm hoping that maybe I can get accepted into a RO position and I will apply for an early out for education then.  Who knows, we'll see.

Thanks again for all your help.

James

Well there are specific qualifications you have to meet to be a "direct RO." And like Jams said, it isn't common or likely. Your best bet is going to be NLO. Don't bank on any early out or whatever it is you are thinking. No one is going to offer you a position this far out. They might get interested at 6 months out but they aren't going to put money up for you until you are 3 months or less from EAOS, in general.

Justin

[jshinevar]

Just out of curiosity, how abnormal is it to directly to RO?  What types of people normally get that kind of an offer?  I've been reading through these forums and I have read a lot about people trying for instant SRO positions and those being few and far between, I just figured with my experience I would be able to pull an RO position.  If they don't have any RO positions would they offer me an NLO position if they were hiring?  I just want to make sure I am not selling myself short in my job search.  If I can get the RO position I definitely want that.

[DDMurray]

Direct RO is relatively new.  In fact, it was added to my utliity's career path in the past 6 months or so and I don't know of anyone at my plant who has been hired as a direct-RO.

[Higgs]

Just out of curiosity, how abnormal is it to directly to RO?  What types of people normally get that kind of an offer?  I've been reading through these forums and I have read a lot about people trying for instant SRO positions and those being few and far between, I just figured with my experience I would be able to pull an RO position.  If they don't have any RO positions would they offer me an NLO position if they were hiring?  I just want to make sure I am not selling myself short in my job search.  If I can get the RO position I definitely want that.

I just took a quick glance at your resume, and you are selling yourself way short. You will be qualified for direct SRO. 2 sub tours each being qualified EWS? You need to be looking at direct SRO jobs.

I have 2 resume's in front of yours, so thankfully we have some time.., because yours needs an overhaul. We'll get it there though, no worries.

Justin

[jshinevar]

I really appreciate the look at the resume.  I've never really written one before, so I'm sure it could use a lot of help.  Do a lot of places offer a direct SRO route?  From the way I was reading on the forums here, it seemed like those jobs were few and far between.  I mean, if that is a possibility, then I would jump on that.

[Higgs]

They're not any more rare than anything else. It is all just a matter of timing. You may simply need to broaden your area requirements.

Justin

[jshinevar]

That is easier said than done when a fiance/baby's mother is involved.  I would be happy to move... she wouldn't.  That is why I am going to fight, kick and scream to get into Millstone.

[Higgs]

Understood. Along with that, NLO might be a better choice to start off with considering your young family. When your kid is more grown, then tackle class. You will have to turn off your life, more or less, for 18 months to go into a class. Just some food for thought that you and your wife should discuss.

Justin

[Gamma Glue]

Vogtle 3 & 4 are only hiring direct SRO and RO, as of right now.

[Higgs]

He has over a year left. And vogtle underpays.

[Gamma Glue]

They will still be hiring in a year, still got 3 or 4 more classes to hire. Getting paid more then when I was in the navy and sitting in a cubicle with my own phone, computer and laptop studying all day..... doesn't sound like underpaid to me. Coming from an operating plant, though, it is less pay.

[HydroDave63]

Plus ye cain't beat that fried chicken lunch!

On-topic: NLO is a safer way to go. Some utilities, in the unlikely event one fails out of instant RO, may exercise the probation clause. NLO takes more time, plus one actually learns the plant, not just flash-bulb the notes for the next exam.

[Higgs]

They will still be hiring in a year, still got 3 or 4 more classes to hire. Getting paid more then when I was in the navy and sitting in a cubicle with my own phone, computer and laptop studying all day..... doesn't sound like underpaid to me. Coming from an operating plant, though, it is less pay.

Exactly, they don't want to pay for experience. They'd rather hire someone out of the Navy that doesn't know any better. In any case, he really wants Millstone, although getting his foot in the door anywhere would be good, but he has personal reasons for his choice.

[MacGyver]

Thank you very much for your help, I would love to have someone critique it for me.  I haven't completed the references portion and didn't put in a keywords section yet.  I was kind of waiting to get advice on that.  To answer your question, I have not yet attended TAPS.  I'm just over a year out of getting out.  I'm hoping that maybe I can get accepted into a RO position and I will apply for an early out for education then.  Who knows, we'll see.

Thanks again for all your help.

James

I apologize in advance if I missed a post about this already, I assure you I did look.

I am writing my resume for leaving the Navy, and I am looking to become an RO someday.  I have been reading books on writing resumes and they are recommending a section on computer skills and a section of keywords.  I was wondering if that is something that is looked for in this field.  I have the computer skills, so that isn't a problem, but the keywords portion is for avoiding electronic filtering of resumes.  Is this something that is OK to put on the resume or should I forget that for right now?

Thanks for your help.

James

Well let me give you some friendly advice. 

Choice 1
If they are looking for Instant RO's (and that is a big if they need that position to be filled off the street), then realize you will be in over your head.  You may qualify for Instant RO (ACAD 10-001) but you are not remotely ready for the training or job.  Realize that if you fail while on probation the result will be termination.

Or

Choice 2
If you really want to be an RO "someday" (sic) then go the Non-Licensed Operator route first.  Once, you learn the plant (at a leisurely pace) and are off probation then go to License Class.  It will happen really fast anyway (re: getting into License Class).  This is the correct path and the chances of success are realistic with your background (i.e. ex-navy nuke).

Do yourself a huge favor and stop looking at Instant RO.  I know of a company that has hired a large number of Instant RO's (i.e. This is a new option for the Utilities and the first of their kind are just starting to get their site time as we speak).  And, the operators at that company expect 100% failures.  I have met a few of them and they do not have a clue what they got themselves into.  Not a clue.  <SIGH>

The choice is yours.  Choose your path carefully. 

I recommend you start as a NLO/AUO/etc and move up when it is available (e.g. depending on the Utility (and if you have college) ~ 0.5 to 1 year after completion of NLO). 

[Higgs]

Oh and by the way, I know you mentioned you didn't want to "sell yourself short," so I just want to be clear..., NLO is above any Navy person so becoming an NLO is not beneath a Navy person, contrary to what a lot of Navy people seem to think. When I said you were selling yourself short, that was simply meant in so far as what you were qualified to interview for.

justin

PS Any by any navy person I mean your typical 6-14 year and outer.

[jshinevar]

If they offer a NLO/AO position to me, I will jump on that.  I pretty much would take anything Millstone offers me.  I know that I can work as hard as I need to move up the ladder.  That has gotten me as far as it has, so I'm sure it will work for me when I get out of the Navy.  If I submit a resume for an RO or SRO position, would they look to offer me a NLO type position if one was available?  Or would they just file it in the round bin and move on?

[DDMurray]

If they offer a NLO/AO position to me, I will jump on that.  I pretty much would take anything Millstone offers me.  I know that I can work as hard as I need to move up the ladder.  That has gotten me as far as it has, so I'm sure it will work for me when I get out of the Navy.  If I submit a resume for an RO or SRO position, would they look to offer me a NLO type position if one was available?  Or would they just file it in the round bin and move on?

I submitted an on-line application/resume to Millstone.  They e-mailed me and called for me to take the POSS.  Once I passed that they invited me for an interview for an AO position.  At the interview, I told them I preferred SRO.  They invited me for a second interview where I toured the plant and met the OPs MGR.  They told me they would offer me an SRO position.  The offer took over a month.  I ultimately accepted a different job offer.  It was not an easy decision.

[CT-Mike]

PM Sent.

[Ebeo1]

When I got out of the navy I talked to a head hunter and sent them a rough description of my job and my NEC from that they wrote me a resume.  They also have connections with companies interested in x-nuke personnel companies that I wouldn't even had thought would be.  I interviewed with some of the them and it was a good experience of course I get a job elsewhere being a reactor operator.

I would recommend finding a head hunter get them to refurbish your resume and see what else they have available for you.  I gather from reading the previous post your pretty well set on a specific location but I don't think it would hurt to see if there is anything else interesting is out there.     

[jshinevar]

I have been in contact with Bradley Morris.  I'm not quite sure what to expect from them, but since I am looking to stay in the area I am hoping they can set me up with some job interviews here.  However, Millstone is my dream job, so I am going to keep trying for that.