| Death of the Biodata |
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This article- DEATH of THE BIODATA is written by Anil Mahajan, a renowned resume writer in India and Middle East and working on the board of Talent Hunt Pvt. Ltd. He is running a website by the name of http://www.CVSurgeon.com.
It is pertinent to note that Mr. Mahajan has pioneered the entire concept of Resume writing in India and is considered an authority in Resume Development in the Indian subcontinent and middle East.
Since the time I left my job and started a placement consultancy, a lot of water has flown under the various Yamuna bridges. I never felt the need for a resume and, at best, I used to give my bio-data (Resume ? what’s that? ) to companies and consultants.
So what’s the difference?
A Bio-data is just like historical data with maybe, or maybe not, a passport size photograph and absolutely nothing else. What was most important yesterday? The man who is going to interview you (how well you knew him or his Chachiji’s behnoi for instance), and how much he thought you were from a decent family (bhadralok - I suppose!). The biodata was also normally carried along for the interview.
The biodata contains information in a set parameter — your name, father’s name, nationality, father’s occupation, date of birth, followed by details of your education in a set tabular form. This table is followed by proofs of your lineage from a decent family elaborating on what your mother is doing and what your brothers, sisters and their spouses are doing or have done, if they have studied in or teaching in Welhams School or St. Stephens College, blah blah... well, that was important yesterday. Today, Competition has set-in in the job market and the biodata is passe’. Today, a resume has become a necessity for getting the job.
A resume is a marketing document intended to sell you in the job market, and is designed specifically to highlight your skill-sets for a particular job / career. It is sad that candidates still spin out a bio-data and send it to companies or consultants under the new title of resume. It is all the stinking old bio-data minus emphasis on family lineage. All the rest is the same... the same tables, the same historical data. Nobody reads it and it is simply thrown into the dustbin. Just put yourself in the position of a HRD head of a company that releases an ad for the position of, let’s say, Manager-Accounts. You (as HRD head) get as many as 20,000 applications from candidates all over India. You conduct a first scan and around 95% resumes find the graveyard of the dustbin. And mind you, they are all Bio-datas under the garb of resume. The applicant blames God. Or, if he is less God fearing, the theory of probability, when, all along, the fault is his own.
Should you write your own resume? Well that is a million dollar question.
You admire Amitabh Bachhan for his dialogues in Sholay; you still remember Shah Rukh Khan for his great dialogues in Baazigar. But they never wrote their dialogues. Though they are great actors, everything is outsourced to professional scriptwriters or dialogue writers like Salim-Javed etc. Do you go for a haircut with scissors in your hand and cut your own hair? How silly! But isn’t that what you actually do as far as your resume is concerned? If you care a damn for a good resume and your dream job, your dream job cares a damn for you (I think it’s Newton’s Third law — For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction). In today’s environment, it is very much a good investment to get a professional resume writer to plan out your resume. Of course, in case you do not come across any sound professional resume writer, visit our website www.CVSurgeon.com and other websites to pick up the tips for writing a great winning resume.
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| How About A Treasure Hunt? We Got A Doozy - Nov 26, 2004 12:30 IST |
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Have you ever wondered, was this all by chance? Have you wanted to look for artifacts of a lost civilazation? Have you dreamed of finding the Titanic? Was there and underground civilization on this planet? Could we be part of an experiment from worlds unknown to us?
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| With LadyBySide, by Your Side, Anything is Possible. - Nov 26, 2004 12:27 IST |
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In the modern dating world, every little detail matters. The overcrowded dating scene is filled with women who are looking for that special someone. Sometimes it seems as if getting seen is a hopeless battle. Fortunately, a revolutionary new service is here to assist you in being noticed. Ladybyside.com offers the discerning gentleman a little something extra to help him stand out from the crowd.
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| Project Management Course - Laugh and Learn With Clickertainment (TM) - Nov 26, 2004 12:26 IST |
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Freedom Studio has launched a new feature called Clickables on it’s project management course portal, aimed at both entertaining and educating current and future managers.
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| Relax, Indulge and Spoile Yourself Rotten - Nov 26, 2004 12:25 IST |
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Offering handmade bath and body products from bath salts to sugar scrubs, Spoiled Rotten Bath and Body seeks the quality-conscious customer. According to Spoiled Rotten Bath and Body’s owner, Kellee Taylor-Smith, “What makes our products different is that we only use the highest quality, natural ingredients, like shea butter, almond oil and Balinese sea salts. Each and every product is handmade fresh for each order with an attention to detail that can’t be found in mass produced bath and body products. You won’t find our products packed with preservatives, sitting in hot, dusty warehouses waiting for distribution.”
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| New Resourse - Talk About It-Divorce, Conversation - Nov 26, 2004 12:21 IST |
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Divorce can be one of life’s most painful experiences. Just ask anyone who’s been through it. During these difficult times, children are often the ones who are hurt most.
Social Workers, Guardian Ad Litems, Family Therapists, Mediators, Teachers, Youth Ministers, Support Group Facilitators, Divorce Group Leaders, Divorce Educators, Court Appointed Special Advocates,Judges, Attorneys and Custody Evaluators are just some of the professionals who are finding Talk About It - Divorce conversation cards a useful resource when working with children and their parents.
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| Holistic Junction Announces What is Wealth Winners and New Poetry Challenge beginning 11/21/04 - Nov 26, 2004 12:21 IST |
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Fellow Poets
Holistic Junction is excited to cordially invite you to our Poetry Challenge Forum! Each week, we will offer a new literary venture in which you may participate!
Our Current Poetry Challenge will begin on Sunday, November 21st, 2004. Winners will be announced the following Saturday, November 27th, 2004.
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| The Palace Spa in Port St. Lucie Have Become One of the Fastest - Nov 26, 2004 12:20 IST |
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Mike and Michele Lubeck know how to treat their guests like royalty. In just under three years, the owners of the Palace Spa in Port St. Lucie have become one of the fastest growing and most highly-recommended spas in the entire country. There’s a very simple reason behind the success of the Palace Spa – each guest is treated with the utmost respect and grace, and whether it’s a Half-Day Harmony package, a romantic couple’s massage, or a lunchtime chair massage and pedicure, you’re sure to leave the Palace feeling completely de-stressed and rejuvenated.
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| Speed Cameras Are The Enemy - Nov 26, 2004 12:18 IST |
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SCATE: Speed Cameras Are The Enemy
Britain’s most notorious vandal is on the rampage. Who is Dr Glue and why is he destroying speed cameras across Britain? Read SCATE, the new novel from Tom J Sandy, to discover the reason for his fury.
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| 15 Seconds To Ultimate Performance With Al Secunda, The 15-Second Coach - Nov 26, 2004 12:16 IST |
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You can do anything in 15 seconds. Not really, but you can at least begin doing anything. And we all know, the most difficult part of doing anything is to begin it. This impactful presentation and coaching session offers a foolproof way of breaking through procrastination so that you can develop a healthier and more productive, passionate, and balanced lifestyle—in and out of the workplace. 15 Seconds to Ultimate Performance is based on the principles found in Al Secunda’s book, The 15 Second Principle.
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| 20/20 Institute Named Official LASIK Provider for Colorado Avalanche - Nov 26, 2004 12:13 IST |
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Mike Kurowski, Vice President of Corporate Sales stated Kroenke Sports Enterprises aligns with top performers. We are thrilled to have 20/20 Institute as part of the Colorado Avalanche family.
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| Prospector Completes Option of Beowawe Properties in Battle - Nov 26, 2004 12:9 IST |
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Prospector (“PRR”) (TSX-V:PRR) is pleased to announce that the TSE Venture Exchange has accepted documentation for filing regarding the option agreement with Alpha Oil Inc.(“Alpha Oil”) as previously announced in March 8, 2004 and July 19, 2004 News Releases. This agreement gives Prospector the right to acquire a 100% interest in the Beowawe property, comprising approximately 2,500 acres, in northeastern Nevada along the Battle Mountain – Eureka Trend.
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| MusicBizAdvice.com’s “This Month In Music History” - Nov 26, 2004 12:6 IST |
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MusicBizAdvice.com announced a mutual promotion arrangement this week that puts its popular monthly “This Month in Music History” feature on display at the Hard Rock Café Surfers Paradise.
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| Birth Order Was Early Indicator of the Outcome of the Presidential - Nov 26, 2004 12:5 IST |
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In a press release dated February 13 of this year, Dr. Kevin Leman predicted that Senator John Kerry may not have what it takes to win the presidency, for no other reason that that Kerry is a second-born “middle” child.
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| Gingerbread LittleVersity Holds Hop-A-Thon to Benefit Muscular Dystrophy - Nov 26, 2004 12:3 IST |
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Gingerbread LittleVersity, a childcare facility, will be holding a Hop-A-Thon at the Uptown Gingerbread LittleVersity location on November 30, 2004. The proceeds will be donated to Muscular Dystrophy research. Members of the community may sponsor a child by pledging per hop, or by giving a flat donation.
“The Hop-A-Thon will be an extremely fun event to come watch and support,” says Kelli Ketner, General Manager of Gingerbread LittleVersity. “It gives the children something fun to do, and it also teaches them the importance of giving to the community.”
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| Steven C. Mynsberge Appointed to Editorial Advisory Board - Nov 26, 2004 11:58 IST |
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“To keep our readers ahead of the curve, we focus on providing cutting edge information to healthcare management, as well as those involved in the facilities and design/construction side of the business, said Shannon Powers-Jones, editor of Healthcare Building Ideas. Industry experts like Steven Mynsberge and the 10 other members of our Editorial Advisory Board provide us with valuable insights into the industry that further enhance the magazine’s overall content.
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| Jim Tobin Named To Make-A-Wish Foundation® Public Relations Committee - Nov 26, 2004 11:56 IST |
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Jim Tobin, Partner at Brogan & Partners Convergence Marketing, has been named to the Public Relations Committee of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Eastern North Carolina. As a member of the committee, Tobin will advise the organization regarding all public relations activities, including submitting news releases, developing the newsletter, maintaining media relationships, developing marketing materials, crisis communication, and coordinating special events.
“I am honored to serve on this committee and look forward to supporting such a prestigious organization as the Make-A-Wish Foundation®,” said Tobin.
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| Qwizdom Interactive Voting System Shortlisted for Coveted BETT Award - Nov 26, 2004 11:53 IST |
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Qwizdom is proud to announce that it has been short listed for one of the most sought after awards in the UK education industry: the BETT Award 2005 in the category of Secondary Hardware.
The Qwizdom interactive Classroom Response System had stiff competition to reach this stage of the process as the BETT Awards have become the benchmark for educational Information Communications Technology (ICT) product development.
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| Raising Eyebrows to Raise Funds - Nov 26, 2004 11:52 IST |
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On a frigid, foggy Saturday morning perched on a hillside in Marin county, Steve Braun is huddled on the ground covering his two year old son Milo, while one of the other twelve men sporting nothing but pink, fuzzy, Santa hats is jumping up and down, covering his naked body with a blanket, in order to stay warm. The 2005 Pink Ribbon Men™ of Marin “calendar boys” are ready for their final group shot. They are shamelessly dropping their drawers in spite of the cold to help raise awareness and funds to support breast cancer education, research and patient services.
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| Alcoa Foundation Provides Grant to Native American Organization - Nov 26, 2004 11:48 IST |
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Grant funds will be used by the Arizona Native American Business Development Center, a department of the National Center, to assist Indian entrepreneurs in Arizona with their business development needs. According to Ken Robbins, President of the National Center “we provide an array of business assistance to our Indian clients such as writing business plans, feasibility studies, as well as helping them put together loan applications for start-up or expansion of their businesses. Last year, with just over $2 million in funding, we were able to secure $670 million in contracts and financing for Native American businesses. We are very grateful to companies like Alcoa who see the value of working with the Indian Community.”
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| Homebuilder YCH Communities L.L.C. Reports Dramatic November Sales of Green Valley (Fairfield) Homes; Release of 17 Homes - Nov 26, 2004 11:47 IST |
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In what is generally regarded as a slow home sale month, residential developer and builder YCH Communities L.L.C. experienced a dramatic first-phase sell-out of 17 homes in its new Green Valley Ranch development in Fairfield (California) on Saturday, November 6, 2004. The first set of 10 homes - 5 in The Classics and 5 in The Estates - were released at 10:20 a.m.; by 11:15 a.m., the homes were sold out, and the homebuilder released 7 more: 4 in The Classics and 3 in The Estates. The additional 7 homes were sold by 1:30 p.m., Saturday afternoon.
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