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IBM Deep Computing
Ed Panel – Part 1 - The Resume & Cover Letter
Rocky ’06 Dec 1, 2006
Kirk E Jordan
Deep Computing
Systems & Technology Group
kjordan@us.ibm.com
Copyright 2006 – IBM Corporation
© 2002 IBM Corporation
IBM Systems & Technology Group
Outline
 Brief background
 Consideration in the Resume
 Formula for Accomplishments
 The Cover Letter – how to tell them more specific to the position
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Deep Computing
© 2006 IBM Corporation
IBM Systems & Technology Group
Brief History - Why should pay attention to me?
Professor - SUNY Oswego, Math Dept (Adjunct - Rutgers, CS Dept.) -- 10 Offers – finish
grad school - turned down interviews
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Taught math & cs courses, Conducted research - numerics & asymptotics
Faculty Research Grant & DOE Tech Exchange Sabbatical- Argonne National -Sabbatical solely based on resume
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Developed simulation techniques for melting problems
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Parallel Computing Characterization & Performance
Exxon R&E - Staff Mathematician -- 7 Offers - Considering new academic positions but
went on interview – always go to interview unless you know you won’t leave current
position
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R & D of numerical techniques for engineering and scientific problems
Thinking Machines - Computational Science Advisor -- 6 Offers – 2yrs to Life in Houston
–one without providing any info
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R & D on numerical algorithms for math library, Comp Sci Advisor to Marketing
Kendall Square Research - Senior Computational Scientist – 7 Offers - Let go – had offer
before could get books boxed (not right)
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Developed new visualization package, conducted benchmarks
IBM - Emerging Solutions Exec, Deep Computing (Currently – stints in IBM Corp Univ.
Relations, IBM Healthcare & Life Sciences) – 6 Offers – Company folding – inside IBM 8
Offers of positions – a few outside offers – one unsolicited
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Provide expertise for and overseeing development of applications on IBM’s advanced architectures high performance computing (HPC) - modeling & simulation, and provide leadership in high-end
computing and simulation in such areas as systems biology, medical and diagnostic imaging, and highend visualization.
Deep Computing
© 2006 IBM Corporation
IBM Systems & Technology Group
Considerations in the Resume
 Nobody (has time to) reads –
– Eyes drawn to center of page – use filler for first few lines
– Make lists of facts – Education i.e. have Ph.D.
 Specify positions but tell WHAT YOU DID
 List publications, talks, references etc on separate pages as addendum
Identifier – name
Summary:
Experienced technical leader …
Filler:
Educations, Machine languages etc
Experience: IBM Strategic Growth Business/Deep Computing, Systems and Technology
Group IBM CORPORATION, Cambridge, MA (2004- )
Emerging Solutions Executive
Investigate, formulate, develop and assist in the mapping of applications to IBM’s advanced
computer architectures creating new solutions for IBM and its customers. Provide an applications
technical expertise and perspective to the Deep Computing organization.
• Led application affinity studies for IBM’s Blue Gene and Cell Processor based systems, identifying
those application areas most appropriate for these systems as part of the IBM portfolio of systems.
• Created and led several tutorial and porting workshops for IBM’s Blue Gene machine in the areas
of life sciences, computational physics and computational mathematics.
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Deep Computing
© 2006 IBM Corporation
IBM Systems & Technology Group
Formula for Accomplishments
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Formulate accomplishments as
1. A problems that someone has
2. Your contribution
3. A quantifiable result – make precise i.e. don’t use multiple of 5’s
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Use this formula in Letter and/or resume
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May imply the problem
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Be specific about what you did
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Use numbers
The cover letter can provide specific accomplishments pertinent to the
particular position not on the resume
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Write the cover letter for position pursuing
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Letter can be a couple of pages long
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Cram a lot into the letter
Post interview or thank you letter
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Can be modified cover letter based on things you learned while interviewing
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Same format as cover letter
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Opportunity to correct any miss impression
Deep Computing
© 2006 IBM Corporation
IBM Systems & Technology Group
Cover Letter
Statement of something pertinent to the Position:
I continue to collaborate on and deliver a client/server based network centric interactive parallel visualization tool. I
incorporated it into numerous parallel applications, demonstrating high performance computing with interactive visualization
and application steering over common network media even with thousands of miles separating the high performance
computer and the graphics workstation. I have demonstrated this work numerous times including at Supercomputing'96
where TICAM's SP was used to show one of the Center for Subsurface Modeling’s reservoir simulations in the CRPC Booth
at Pittsburgh.
Why you are perfect for the position:
The position of XXX for YYY may require my experience in computational mathematics, high performance computing, and
networking, high-end visualization, heterogeneous computing and massively parallel computing. Your committee may be
interested in a few things I have accomplished.
Opportunity to list accomplishment specific to the position:
Connected group working on high-resolution and high-content displays with Department of Energy and collaborated on
white paper requested by Department of Energy managers.
Results: Department of Energy awarded company .5M$ award in “Pathforward” funding to accelerate delivery of product
with more funds for early delivery of additional display as company’s first customer.
Worked with numerous institutions to prepare Federal Funding Agencies proposals, have written letters in support of the most
worthy over the past several years and where appropriate participated in Funding Agency site visits.
Results: In last 4 years, where site visit would be required 86% made final round and had visit, 43% of all the proposals were
awarded ranging in funds from 95K$ to 1.2M$.
Summary closing:
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Deep Computing
© 2006 IBM Corporation