What is the name of the company? Software QA/Test Engineer, Resume

   ROB DAVIS, P.E.

Q38: What is the name of the company?

The short answer is, I know, some of my resumes do not contain full details, but I need to stick to this, even when sometimes recruiters in need of sales leads complain they can't go further without full details. I keep a full resume for actual interviews.

The long answer is, company names are competitive information. If you're reading this, chances are you're a recruiter with a small or medium size contract service firm. Moreover, chances are, your firm has a list of 10 or 15 important customers. How would you feel if I asked you for the names of YOUR 10 most recent, most important customers, including the names of their best hiring managers?

My resumes do get me interviews even without the use of full company names on my resumes.

Company names on my resumes tend to be counterproductive because they tend to limit my opportunities, and therefore putting company names on my resumes is not in my best interest. Why? Because many recruiters concentrate on IBM, Research Triangle Park, AND ignore dozens of other opportunities, if they see that IBM, Research Triangle Park is on my resume.

Putting company names on resumes is dangerous; because the names can backfire on me easily, and therefore putting names on my resume is not in my best interest. Corporate clients are known to do "vanity searches". They search the web periodically, and look for documents that mention their company names. If you're an employee or contractor, and are searching for a better job or contract, is it a good idea to let your employers know that you're looking? Sometimes the answer is "yes", but most of the time the answer is "no".

Putting company names on resumes can make me a victim of a resume identity theft, and therefore putting company names on my resumes is not in my best interest. Resume identity theft? Yes... identical resumes show up at client sites where only the names of candidates have been changed. The dates, work history, and experience remain the same.

Resume identity theft is even more widespread than many people are aware. However, unfortunately, no one seems to care. What's more, on Monster, Dice, and a few other job boards, job postings are now being used to steal identities from people. Monster alerted users to this last month.

Therefore, when I send out my resume, I generalize the name of the company, and say something like "Fortune 500 Electric Utility Company", instead of naming the specific organization.

I feel that my client list is confidential, and will only reveal them to another client, not a recruiter. I'm generally suspicious when a telemarketer pumps me for "more specific information".

Please do not be like the telemarketer who called me last week. He claimed he was a recruiter. He had nothing specific, pumped me for specific information, and kept me on the phone for what felt like hours. Later he called me at work, too; after I had made it clear to him many times that, "I do not want to be called at work".

Trust is an earned asset. Trust is not something that is just given. When an unknown telemarketer calls you, and when he's just "fishing", is it a good idea to trust him blindly, and give him competitive information? Is it a good idea to give him the names of your most important customers that he can use and abuse? I don't think so.

If you're a real recruiter, DEFINITELY call me if something comes available for contract. I'm pleased that you are considering my help for employment opportunities with you; and would like to thank you for your interest in me, and the work that I do.

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