21st Challenge No. 26

Compose the perfect dot-com r

Published September 11, 1999 4:00PM (EDT)

Assembling and disseminating a killer résumé, online or on paper, has never been easier. And employers are more eager than ever to find the next warm body to plant in an empty cubicle. It seems that your next dream job is only a few tantalizing keystrokes away.

And yet the résumé remains a unique literary form, where the author's credibility is always suspect and the intended reader is whipped between belief and suspicion. Are the applicants honestly representing their experience, just fudging a bit or out-and-out lying?

In this Challenge, we'll posit that this week's well-funded start-up company is desperately seeking a CEO/savior -- and that you want the job.

Readers are invited to submit one (and only one!) extremely impressive paragraph from an applicant's résumé. In up to 50 words, list a prior employer, job title, duties and achievements. Or write a statement of objectives, other interests or any other common résumé element.

We'll select the best submissions -- and assemble them into one full résumé, giving credit to the authors who survive the cut. Then, let the interviews begin!

R U L E S

Send your submissions to salon21st@salon.com. Please include your full name and an accurate e-mail address so we can contact you if you're a winner. By submitting your entry you give Salon Technology permission to publish it. Deadline for entries is Sept. 20, 1999.

P R I Z E S

The winning response will receive a copy of Salon Technology senior correspondent Andrew Leonard's book, "Bots: The Origin of New Species."

In two weeks we'll publish a winner and some selected entries -- then start over a couple weeks after that with a whole new challenge.


By Charlie Varon

Charlie Varon is a humorist and playwright. His works include "Ralph Nader Is Missing" and "Rush Limbaugh in Night School."

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By Jim Rosenau

Jim Rosenau is a writer, editor and software designer in Berkeley, Calif. Jim and Charlie are also co-founders of the citizens group Californians for Earthquake Prevention and partners in Mockingbird Media, which offers a full line of comic services.

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