position applying for: QA Tester my pros: 1. Currently an IT Student 2. Have worked in a professional environment for ten months. 3. Know programming 4. Have HS diploma my cons: 1. No experience 2. Currently a student (no BA as of yet) I know my "pros" may not look like much, but i think have the upper hand on those guys that are applying with the whole "dude, i play games all day dude" attitude. Here it is. What do you guys think? What are the probabilities of me getting an interview here? I am not sure about the cover letter because it is longer than usual, but I don't know what to cut off from it. On the other hand, I think the letter does a good job at letting the company know that I can do this job pretty well. I also try to keep the whole "i love video games" thing on the low, and emphasize more on my work ethic, etc., etc., I think the resume is pretty concise though. Its one page long, and gets straight to the point. Here is my cover letter: ( I will format it accordingly with Address and all that, just need to know about the content) Dear Sir/Madam, Your job posting for Quality Assurance Testers indicated skills and responsibilities I am confident and excited of taking up. I am currently an Information Technology student (UMUC) with cross-functional knowledge of Advanced Programming as well as Basic Networking. My academic exposure includes modest but developing knowledge of Java and C++ Programming, Video Game Development, in addition to implementing JSP and Web Architectures for web applications. Steady practices in programming and dealing with coding errors have provided me the aptitude to systematically improve processes by eliminating defects in coding. This has enabled a data-driven, systematic approach to problem solving. With an initial introductory training, I will efficiently be able to analyze video games and document software defects as part of the dynamic quality control process associated with video game development. In addition to my educational background, from July 2007 to April 2008, I had worked a total of ten months in a recruitment agency where I was the only one responsible for providing technical support and handling IT positions. Further more, many of my responsibilities very much resembles the responsibilities present in Quality Assurance Testing. Details of this position are enclosed in my resume. Prior to working in this recruitment firm, I had worked for Blockbuster Videos for eight months as a Customer Service Representative. The primary relevance between this position and your job posting is the fact that I was known as “the video game guy.” I had the benefit of renting games for free, and I had proven knowledge of most games in my store. The latter brings me to my passion for software entertainment in general. I have utilized modest amount of free time playing different types of role-playing games repeatedly. Further more, I encompass exceptional understanding of the quality characteristics of a game that bring out the interests in a fellow hard-core gamer as well as the casual gamer. My love of completing everything in the vast universes of these Role-Playing games and playing even further, has given me the patience to grind through the same game, and in many cases, the same level/area, for several hours at a stretch; a trait that is very important in video game testing. While my love of video games may be an added advantage, the primary characteristics I know will enable me to excel in this position include a strong work ethic, great related skills for the position, and concise writing. I am not afraid to ask questions or make suggestions and I constantly learn, adapt, and apply any knowledge that comes across my path. The reason I am applying for this position is because I have a strong desire to work in the Software Entertainment industry. The primary objective is to be part of a project where my input, creative and/or technical, will be sought after and implemented according to what I feel would make for an excellent game. Additionally, my work experience in your organization would provide me hands-on experience for the first time, in not only software entertainment, but also an IT environment in general. If selected, I can guarantee an employee who will possess the motivation, the passion, the aptitude and the work ethic needed to stand out in this position. I would welcome an opportunity to meet you to discuss my qualifications and candidacy in further detail. Thank you for your time and consideration. I will follow up with you on [Date]. With Regards, Andre Bandyopadhyay Here is a link to the resume: http://www.sendspace.com/file/xzmny7

Your resume is a trainwreck. If I'm hiring a QA tester for twelve bucks an hour I'm not going to go hunting for a magnifying glass to find out whether he is "familiar" with the ColecoVision. I don't care that he's "good with seniors". The fact that he boasts of ability in "quick IP conceptualization" does not fill me with confidence, nor does the fact that he warezed a copy of Cubase. You've spent an ungodly amount of words trying to convince me that... what? You're an awesome guy who likes video games? I don't care! What I'm looking for is professionalism and ability. Your resume is a gigantic argument against professionalism, and a weak one against ability.

Quote:Original post by EdR
Sneftel's got it right.

1) I'm guessing English isn't your first language?

lol. that was harsh...

but i get the point. Which is why I made this thread. To get some input from people who know better than I do.

I got some good info. from another forum, and am currently in the works of re-doing my resume and cover letter.

If I could get some more feedback on my cover letter that would be great.

the main problem is that I don't really have any relevant qualifications for this job. The only thing that comes close is that I am a programmer.

Although, I can safely say that many of the PC games that I play tend to start hating my computer, and many times, I have narrowed down the problems by using a systematic process of elimination. While not directly in coding, I have helped my games by finding the source of the problem and deleting it, or changing specific configuration settings etc.

Quote:Original post by drodude301
the main problem is that I don't really have any relevant qualifications for this job. The only thing that comes close is that I am a programmer.

If you don't have any qualifications, you don't have any qualifications. You're not going to hide that truth no matter how much spam you put on your resume. QA is an entry-level job... you don't need to have already been a QA tester. But you do need to not piss off the interviewer.