Hypothetical situation: You're the founder/CEO of a start up, you're rapidly growing and now you're looking for an employee to fill a customer development role. As it`s an important role, what are you looking for on a resume of the ideal applicant? I am sure there is no cookie cutter answer to this question, so I am searching for skill/trait generalizations.
A cover letter that shows enthusiasm and excitement about our company. We cast a wide net and do a screening interview for most of the applicants who seem qualified. (Our screening process weeds out 80% of the candidates.) If you're weak on our specific technology stack, a good cover letter may push you over the edge and get you an interview.
Remember: the resumé only gets you an interview, the interview will get you the job.
Previous experience is usually most important. If you don't have it, volunteer to be a community leader somewhere (a forum?)
Short of experience, list things you've taught yourself (not necessarily computer related - did you teach yourself physics in your spare time? how to play the violin?). That will show your intelligence as well as a willingness to learn and grow.
Recommendations - if you know someone who says you're brilliant, work your ass off, or whatever, it will go a LONG way to getting you a job.
You have some sort of side projects that you've been working on. I've talked to people in start ups who say they won't even consider candidates who don't have this.
People generally need to be self-sufficient, self-starters, etc. Someone that you can point at something and leave to it. Someone that knows what's relevant to bug you with, and what they need to just work out for themselves.
I'd usually look for these traits, rather than specific skills or experience.
Academics is the least important thing to me. It's like having an "A+" certification - it doesn't mean a damn thing in terms of how smart you are or what you are truly capable of.
You're right in that the credential doesn't mean much.
But what the candidate describes having done in academia is enormously expository -- what research did they do? with whom? did they publish? did they attempt substantial development projects? with a group of people? did they have jobs? did they teach?
I know this is sort of frowned upon, but education is an important factor. Perhaps not in how smart someone is, but rather how dedicated they are. Granted, a start up sale or failure can show the same thing.
early stage sales, or before sales was a repeatable process. The lean-startup-circle group talks a lot about this, join that group and search the archives.
