I've been looking at a lot of resumes lately as we try to grow our development team. Many of the senior developer candidates that I see have numerous positions on their resumes with countless technologies littered all over the resume.
My immediate impression of these resumes is that these candidates are smart and technically very sharp. Phone calls and interviews have shown me that these candidates generally fit the immediate first impression; they are smart and technically very sharp.
In contrast, my resume looks much more simplistic. I've worked for two companies since I've graduated from college. I was at my first company for nine years and I've been at my current company for seven years. My resume isn't littered with myriad technologies, but I have had to transition my primary technology stack several times over my career.
Looking at the senior candidates has had me thinking about the stark contrast between some of their resumes and my own. As I sorted through the emotional reaction of feeling woefully inadequate, I started to realize that the two very different resumes represent two very different value propositions. Neither of them is better or worse than the other; they are just different.
For ease of discussion, let's call the resume listing numerous positions and varied technologies as the tech resume. The resume with fewer positions but for longer time periods we'll call the business resume. (NOTE: I'm bad at naming things. These names don't represent anything other than a convenient short-hand for referring to them.)
The tech resume seem to represent an injection of specific technological expertise. Programmers with this kind of resume can bring a broad perspective and expertise in specific technologies that may be needed at certain points in time. The most successful technologist with this kind of resume communicates well and can transfer his knowledge to others.
To me, the business resume represents a team player and someone who is trying to be a part of something bigger than oneself. This person generally focuses on culture, team work, and the development of people.
I wonder what the long-term career paths are for these two people?
