
Wouldn't honest be assumed? Could it be the person who vacated the position was less than honest? Of course in responding, you don't list honest as one of your best traits. Not only is it disingenuous, but honesty is assumed in applicants. Instead, use an example of what you've done that could be considered an honest act. Something like: Developed a method for HR to maintain their own documents that was inaccessible to those in IT. Here's another one. This was buried in a 950 word job description:... is looking for experienced Business Development Managers. We are a fast growing company, will reach 100 employees capacity soon. Looking for an enthusiastic, energetic and honest BDM who will share our vision and help us to go to the next big step.
Composure: Is cool under pressure; does not become defensive or irritated when times are tough; is considered mature; can be counted on to hold things together during tough times; can handle stress; is not knocked off balance by the unexpected; doesn't show frustration when resisted or blocked; is a settling influence in a crisis.You might skip over that, thinking it's not as important as implementing SharePoint. But it's in the job description for a reason. Try to elegantly combine the SharePoint implementation and the rough patches that you coolly overcame. And another:
Excellent communication skills. Willing to put ideas out in the open without fear of being wrong, and to stand up for ideas you believe in. Open debate and discussion is strongly encouraged on the team. Strong analytic and design capabilities. Ability to think about and decompose a problem into simpler parts. Demonstrated preference for simple, cohesive, decoupled, and practical solutions.Again, they're stressing skills that have nothing to do with IT. Clearly they're looking for a courageous, imaginative, intellectually secure person. How do you demonstrate you're the one? If they want out-of-the-box thinking, give it to them. Include a paragraph demonstrating those skills in your cover letter. There's no science to this, and I've only discussed soft skills. There are many ways to imaginatively weave your unique skills into your resume, but first you must understand what the hiring manager is looking for. So don't skip over what may at first appear to be fluff. First pubished January 29, 2010.