Tips for writing Resumes

After we released on December 15th . We have been actively looking for smart people to join iStream. I have been looking through a lot of resumes and have seen both the extremes. Our linkedIn advertisement was clicked by more than 500 people. And to shortlist them just based on their resumes was a painful task.  The quality of the resume writing didnt help in easing the pain.  So here are some of the points which would make your resume more attractive :-

• Keep it short :- Ideally I would expect the resume to have max of 2 pages.  Write precise points, just one liners on your projects and your previous work experience. If you want to write essays then I have only one thing to say :-

• Skill set :- Please write your strong skills first or indicate under a bracket your skill level in that skill. Also don’t  lie about your skill set. This is what we use for filtering, if we need Java guys, we want guys who know Java and not someone saw solved a bug in his roomates java project while he was furiously masturbating.  I have seen lot of people write JavaScript in their skillset and when I ask them to write a basic alert hello world program they are like :-

• Style of the document :- I prefer text version of the document with no styling. But since people want to highlight their achievements etc. I would suggest to use to a very basic template and no CAPS, no 48 point text. Please keep it decent, I am not expecting a latex generated pdf
• Important things first :-  Objective, Education, Experience and skill set should be the first four. This is what we look for while scanning your resumes.

I thought all these so called tips were common sense. But apparently not,  I have seen only few ( <30 ) resumes abiding all the above four points.

PS: We are hiring mail to maruti [at] istream.com with your resume.

How I ended up at a startup

This post was long due.  Lack of free time kept postponing this post.

I left  Yahoo! on August 19th. Why ? Out of many I think pay, environment and freedom were the major reasons. But the work was great, I loved what I did. I started doing UI development last December out of my own interest. I should thank Ramkumar, my manager at that time to allow me to start doing UI. After 3 big projects in which I was mostly involved in UI. I had gained enough experience to call myself a Intermediate UI developer.

I was approached by two startups ( well more than three, I didnt care about the others). Both these startups wanted to do nearly the same thing, both were funded, both were starting from scratch .   I gave interviews for both.  I could immediately feel the difference between a Google/Yahoo interview and the interviews at these startups. These guys meant business,  they were very specific about your code, about your knowledge in your respective field and your thinking ability. More importantly, whether I would be valuable in whatever they were trying to achieve.

After getting offers from both, I had to decide on one. I decided to join iStream . I thought there was immense potential in Indian Content and was bewildered that no-one was tapping this market already.

At iStream, I was given the responsibility of the whole website UI and was also appointed as an interface to two of our third-party clients.  For me this was huge, I have never done a whole website before leave alone doing it all alone.

When I started work at iStream I realised that I was not only doing UI but helping out in a lot of the other tasks. I was also involved in the design of each and every module of the website. I always wanted to do a lot of Software Design, because I  felt that is the most creative part of Software Development. If your design is perfect, coding is just a manual job !.

Mondays didn’t feel like Mondays anymore, I was excited to reach the target, target to finish the website. Deadlines made us miss weekends, we were working without a break. Working more than 12-14 hours a day. A small team of 7  engineers were at full strength only in October, that made some of us work even more before they joined in. It was a great experience to work with like minded people to achieve a single goal. The best part being everybody was pushing equally hard, be it the freshers or the Co-founders or the team leads. Everyone were giving their best.

The amount of knowledge I have gained in these 3 months must have been more than I did in 2 years at Yahoo! and 4 months at Google combined ! To give an example, I knew only YUI before joining iStream, now I am more familiar with jQuery than YUI.  These 3 months have brought in lot of discipline in my work. I have gained the ability to finish a lot of work in 3-4 concentrated hours.

I was very nervous about the shift I took 3 months back, but in hindsight I think I took the right step. And I encourage others to take it up, especially if you are just starting in the industry.

I would like to end the post with a quote from my President of Engineering “You dont own any module. Your users endup owning you”

PS: If you are looking for a job, send a mail to me maruti [at] istream.com

PS2: Checkout the site already http://www.istream.com

The escape

It was pretty hard to imagine that he has just finished an interstate bikeride. Cause  few months ago, he didnt even know how to drive one.  Lapping just 4000 kms on bangalore roads gave him enough confidence to burn the rubber on NH7. Confidence ? His peers termed it stupidity, madness and a dozen other synonyms.

Completing the tedious journey, gave him even more confidence on his machine. Though his machine, failed him twice on the return journey. NH7 didn’t seem to like her and punctured her twice. After driving 6000 odd kilometers, zooming past vehicles in the traffic, challenging the dreadful bangalore traffic, definitely instilled enough confidence in him  to coin himself as the King of the road. If not the king, maybe one of the many princes. With skill came arrogance, and nature took its course. He became arrogant, inpatient and bossy on the road. Cursing the snail paced drivers and pedestrians on his way. He wanted the whole road for himself, taking his machine to the limits excited him. Little did he know that this arrogance had turned into stupidity and madness.

His group of friends wanted to watch the latest Hrithik flick. Tickets were booked, the sunday evening was very inviting to go out. His friends decided to take an auto and there was no question about his companion for the small journey. Midway they realized that they may be late for food also one of his friends had forgotten her  specs back home. It was a challenge to go back get the glasses and come back in time.  He was always up for challenges, especially when he was with his machine. He was back home in a flash. Time was running out and the traffic had thickened.

He had to zoom past a lot of vehicles, irritating them on his course. It was scary but he trusted his batmobile. He saw that few 100 meters in front of him was free of traffic, he pressed the accelerator to the maximum. Then out of nowhere, a big van wanted to take a U-turn from the opposite side of the road, he wanted to stop looking at him. One thought on both of their minds, “to let the other pass or to go ahead”.  Both of them were greedy. Both of them pressed the accelerator. It was too late for him to realize that his machine couldn’t go fast enough to get past the van without crashing into it.

It was natural of him to press the brakes. But sadly,  his batmobile couldn’t stop in that short distance. He watched as his batmobile skid and hit the van almost horizontally. And during this short time he kept questioning himself  ”What went wrong?”. The last thing he remembered was his helmet protected head hitting the van. He woke up in the hospital with an unbearable pain in his head. The male nurses told him that he had a seizure right after the accident, and advised him to cool down and take rest. He had no memory of the seizure or the trip to the hospital.  The atmosphere in the hospital was not helping his present state, nor were the three letters “ICU” written on the door.  The arrogant prince of the road had turned into a scared fool.

Two weeks later, it broke his heart to see his batmobile shattered. He drove her to a service center to get her fixed. And a month later, and after a  lot of “I told you so”‘s  he could drive his batmobile again. There were no scars on the bike, but there was a permanent one etched in his memory. For the first time he let other vehicles pass, and saw other arrogant princes of the road zoom past him. He wanted to join them, but he didn’t want to hurt himself or his batmobile.  Maybe he had learnt his lesson,  he knew his accident could have been fatal, he knew there are others who loved him a lot and he couldn’t put all that on stake.

He is still fond of his machine, still exercises it to its maximum but only wiser to do it on empty roads and with safety.

PS: I completed 16000 kms about a week back

Death

My blog is averaging 40-45 hits per day. I remember the days, when I was among top growing tech blogs in wordpress also the day I got 1.5k visits in a day.

These days I get into this  loop:-  ”Get an Idea to blog” -> “Write some crap” -> “Think it is better to post as a FB/twitter status” -> back to square one

So, I guess I have to give up on my blog. Though I want to write a lot on YUI, Liverpool, and other stuff in general. I am not finding time to do that, also Blog as a medium has started to suck. No offense, fellow bloggers

Adios

Summing up 2010

1. What did you do in 2010 that you had never done before?
Interstate Bike ride ( 1200+ kms to and fro )

Went to a Dance bar

Well lots of things in Gokarna, which i can’t list here

Smoked up from a hookah

First big house party

Sleeping on terrace

2. Did you keep your new years resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

What a load of crap

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, I have two new cousins and one bhanja. Fuck, my family needs to do better family planning

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Nope .

5. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

This was an eventful year difficult to pick one

6. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My first interstate bike trip
Taking up big responsibilities in my team.

7. What was your biggest failure?

Couldn’t go to my school reunion even though I was in hyderabad.

8. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Corn my heel. Let me rephrase, fucking corn on my heel.

9. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Love of my life and friends in bang/hyd

10. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

LOL, i don’t remember any

11. Where did most of your money go?
Food. Check my latest reviews of restaurants

12. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My trip to Gokarna

13. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Kiss you thru the phone – Soulja Boy Tell em

14. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Its always a steep climb uphill

15. What do you wish you had done more of?
Trips outside bangalore

16. What do you wish you had done less of?
Eating. I am getting fucking fat already

17. Most memorable moments
Re-occuring question

18. Did you fall in love in 2010?

You mean again ?

19. How many one night stands?

0. Commited bandha hoon

20. What was your favorite TV program?
That 70s show!

21. What was the best book you read?

Not a book worm.

22. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Its a tie between Queen and Trance Music esp. Infected Mushroom

23. What did you want and get?I

Everything

24. What did you want and not get?

Nothing

25. What was your favorite film of this year?

Inception

26. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 22, the birthday was a blast

27. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If my girlfriend had a twin sister, and she liked me too

28. What kept you sane?

Nothing,  I  am insane

29. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

Bros before hoes

30. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

We are the champions  ( from We are the champions – Queen )

PS: Taken from Himank’s Blog , who took it from Sunshine’s Blog .

PS2: I think my blog will hit 3 lakh hits at new years

Mr. Beans

Tried out a new coffee place in Koramangala. The interior was totally unique, it was just like a Big villa with sofas and glass tables everywhere.

We ordered Green apple soda and Choclate Anaconda for drinks.

And Veg. cheese Pasta.

The green apple soda was okayish, but choclate anaconda was superb. The pasta was made in Indian style – full of spices, just the way I like . Hookas were also available. The  villa ambience , the sofas and the slow music makes this place an ideal place to chill out.

Address:- Near BDA Complex, Kormangala, Bangalore.

Food :- 3.5 / 5

Ambience :- 5 /5

Service :- 3 /5

Value for money :- 4.5 /5

Casa Piccola

European food in Bangalore is both tasty and costly.  An average meal at any euro restaurant can cost around 300-500 bucks.  But this euro restaurant is both affordable and tasty. The average meal here will cost you around 200 bucks. The ambience is pretty laid back , the perfect place to chill out :-

They have a separate section which list their specialties. And from last few visits here, their specialties section turned out to be the best. We orderded Chicken Lasagna and  pasta.

The service was quick. The food was delicious. The ambience was just right for a lazy sunday afternoon.

Address:- Near Jyothi Nivas College, Kormangala, Bangalore.

Food :- 5 / 5

Ambience :- 3.5 /5 ( Not good for all types of occasions )

Service :- 4.5 /5

Value for money :- 4.5/5

Do check this place out, much better than its costly alternatives namely friends, fiorano etc.

PS: Ordered 3 chicken biryanis for tonite  :) Pk is back to bangalore

Kiwi Kiss

I am trying out lots of new places in and around Kormangala from the past one year. And Since I go out atleast 5 times a week, I thought of writing quick reviews about these places. I am starting off with a new place I tried today, Kiwi Kiss.

Address:- 80ft Road, 8th block , opp. Post Office, Kormangala

This place is basically a Fro-yo place. They boast of providing ‘The real frozen Yogurt”.  I am not a big fan of Yogurt, but my girlfriend is. The menu is pretty simple , they offer fro-yos, parfait , waffles and fruit bowl. Its pretty comfortable to checkout places when you have a bike, parked my beauty outside.

The ambience was really nice, Check out the interior :-

The place is pretty new, and we had reached there around 10. This should explain why the place looks empty . Anyhoo, We tried waffles with 3 fruit toppings ( Blueberry, Strawberry and of-course Kiwi ).

And yes, It was delicious. The place is not that expensive, its actually cheaper than Baskin robbins. Loved the place, the service and the food.

Food :- 5 / 5

Ambience :- 4.5 /5

Service :- 5/5

Value for money :- 3.5/5

PS: Have to buy a better camera

PS1: This is my 150th post

Girls

No , this is not a post on the lines of Girls written by Mr. Blogger UG2k5, Himank.

and I don’t plan on to write sequels too. Neither do I plan to turn into a poet

This post is basically are quotes from  Eminem’s ( Em ) different views on girls from his latest album “Recovery”.

All those who don’t like rap/hip-pop treat these as poems.

Song :- Space Bound

We touch I feel a rush
We clutch it isnt much
But its enough to make me wonder whats in store for us
It’s lust its torcherous
You must be a socerous cause you just
Did the impossible
Gained my trust dont play games it’ll be dangerous
If you fuck me over
Cause if I get burnt imma show you what its like to hurt
Cause I been treated like dirt before ya
And love is evil
Spell it backwards ill show ya

Full lyrics

Song:- 25 to life

Look at how I dress fucking baggy sweats, go to work a mess
Always in a rush to get back to you I ain’t heard you yet
Not even once say you appreciate me I deserve respect
Ive done my best to give you nothing less than perfectness
And I know that if I end this I’ll no longer have nothing left
But you keep treating me like a staircase it’s time to fucking step
And I wont be coming back so don’t hold your fucking breath

Full lyrics

Song:- Seduction

Seduction, seduce
Ain’t nobody who’s as good at what I do
Cause one minute she loves you, the next she don’t
She’s been stolen from you

She sitting there gettin liquored up at the bar.
She say’s it’s quicker to count the things that ain’t wrong with you than to count the things that are.
There’s a seven disc cd changer in her car, and I’m in every single slot, and you’re not. Aww.
I’m the logo on the dallas cowboy helmet.
Full lyrics

Song:- Love the way you lie

I can’t tell you what it really is
I can only tell you what it feels like
And right now it’s a steel knife in my windpipe
I can’t breathe but I still fight all I can fight
As long as the wrong feels right it’s like I’m in flight
High off of love, drunk from my hate,
It’s like I’m huffing paint and I love it the more I suffer, I suffocate
And right before I’m about to drown, she resuscitates me
She fucking hates me and I love it.
Wait! Where you going? I’m leaving you
No you ain’t. Come back we’re running right back.
Here we go again
It’s so insane cus when its going good its going great.
I’m superman with the wind at his back
She’s Lois Lane but when it’s bad it’s awful, I feel so ashamed I snapped
Who’s that dude? I don’t even know his name
I laid hands on her, I’ll never stoop so low again
I guess I don’t know my own strength

Full lyrics

Song:- So bad

This is literally so bad that I just have just give you the link .

Song :- No Love

It’s a little too late to say that you’re sorry now
You kicked me when I was down
Fuck what you say, just (don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me no more)
That’s right bitch: and I don’t need you, don’t want to see you
Bitch you get (no love)
You show me nothing but hate
You ran me into the ground
But what comes around goes around
I don’t need you (don’t hurt me)
You (don’t hurt me no more)
That’s right, and I don’t need you, don’t want to see you
You get (no love)
Bitch you get (no love)
And I don’t need you
Get em

Different relationships, different stages of a relationship, different types of girls, different types of views. Did Em cover them all ? Pretty much

PS: I am just quoting stuff, and my views might be different from what is written over here.

I’m Only Sleeping

DISCLAIMER:- This is one of those What-is-life-psycho-bullshit-posts, so yes you have been warned.

I always like to have lots of short-term goals and very few long-term goals.And probably of this approach in most of the cases, the long-term goals just feel small after you have achieved some short-term goals. For an example: When I joined college, I just wanted to land in any job after my four years. Short terms goals varied from having a participating in topcoder to getting a course project published in a conference. At end of third year, I just felt that getting into any job is such a compromise.

The second problem I always faced was that my goals were divided into two big chunks, i.e  career ( acad/professional) , personal ( health/relationships ).  And finding a balance between them is really difficult. Its even more difficult if you see people excelling in career or  personal stuff. Pushing you harder and harder to excel in both, and which usually ends up screwing up both.

So whats the use if you got your dream job, and have to leave your 2-3 month relationship behind which were the best 2-3 months of your life ? Whats the use of celebrating an anniversary, when you are under-performing than the rest of your colleagues.

The balance between both is really important. Setting very high aims in any of them, could effect your other side and in end screw you.  That is why I never believe in “Aim for the moon,even if you miss , you will fall among the stars” philosophy.

Get a job which you love,  try to find a partner with whom every second is a bliss. And if you have got both, then its time to just sleep.

I would like to quote few lines from the Song “I’m Only sleeping” by Beatles. Which btw, is one of my favorite Beatles song.

Everybody seems to think I’m lazy
I don’t mind, I think they’re crazy
Running everywhere at such a speed
Till they find, there’s no need

PS: Thanking Himank for introducing me to Beatles

PS1: Thanking her to make my life worth living.

PS2: This is not a HOWTO guide of living life,  its just a food for thought

PS3: After re-reading the whole post, I have no idea what I wrote and no I was not smoking crack.