Read the second line: “Willing to work in Actionscript 3.0, C#/ASP.Net on RIA development.”

The keywords being “Willing to work in”. I love that because I can’t tell you how often I used to apply for contracting jobs and leave skills off the resume because I didn’t want people to know I had them, lest they might try to give me a whole project for that program. I hated doing it because if needed I am able to work in certain programs, but on a daily basis I don’t WANT to or I’m just not interested in getting good enough to do a whole project.

Being required to do what you aren’t good at is a huge problem in the technology field where many employees want to to do everything from designing and developing the web site to playing printer/copier/fax machine repair guy to powperpoint template maker… and by the way, if you could take out the office trash on Thursdays that means we can fire the janitor. Why? At best they can’t see the difference in the quality of the work when they hire the right person for a job versus when they have you do it, and at worst they are just plain cheap.

In case your wondering what skills often didn’t make the cut… Authorware because it is so outdated and Photoshop if I thought they would actually try to make me design something.

Next time I need to send a resume, or especially if I am posting on Monster, I’m putting everything in the skills bucket and using my “Willing to work in” phrase just like this guy. It’s no gaurantee the recruiters won’t call you for jobs you don’t want, but it might help.