PharmaSUG2010 - Paper MA01

Getting that New SAS® Programming Job - A Management Perspective

Ellen Brookstein, Allan Glaser, and Laurie Koch Octagon Research Solutions, Inc.

Abstract It is often said that we have just one opportunity to make a good first impression, and this is certainly true when applying and interviewing for a new job. The programmer must understand the recruiting and interviewing process and be well-prepared. He/she must also submit a résumé that highlights important skills in a manner that really attracts the attention of the hiring manager. So what do hiring managers really look for in an applicant, and what are some hints for the job-seeker? This paper presents practical advice and guidance from the perspective of three experienced hiring managers. Background and Introduction During the course of our careers, most of us will change jobs. In some cases, the new job will be within the same organization, but most likely it will be with a new organization. Updating a résumé (also known as CV or curriculum vitae), applying for a new job, and participating in the interview process can be both stressful and intimidating. A lot of time, effort, and attention to detail are required. But if done well, it can lead to success in getting that new position. In an ideal situation, the applicant is a perfect fit with the position, but in reality life is full of compromise. Both the hiring manager and applicant must assess how well the applicant satisfies the needs of the new organization, and both are dealing with limited information. The hiring manager will focus on one document, the applicant's résumé. Sometimes there will be supporting documents, such as the employment application, letters of reference, an introductory letter, sample SAS code, and addenda to the résumé. The résumé is most important, and much of this paper will focus on its content and presentation. At this point, some terminology should be clarified. A person who has applied for a job is an applicant. A person who is actually being considered for a job is a candidate. Dealing with Automated Systems Many organizations encourage or require applicants to submit their credentials on-line. This not only helps with routine administrative tasks but also allows automated systems to be used throughout the actual selection process. There may be specific questions about educational background, number of years experience, ability to relocate, professional certifications, specific technical skills, and similar topics. These questions are typically developed jointly by the hiring manager and the human resources department. For example, if the new job requires high-level macro skills, then one question may ask for the number of years experience in writing macros. These systems are used widely throughout the industry and the applicant should follow the instructions carefully. Respond to questions thoroughly, accurately, and in the prescribed format. Take enough time to ensure that your responses have correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Even though the systems are automated, verbatim responses may be given to the

hiring manager, and a sloppy or blank response to a question will give the impression that you are not interested enough in the job to be correct and thorough. Résumés and other documents that are submitted electronically may be searched for certain keywords. Keywords are words, phrases, and acronyms that describe the position and applicant's experience. If those same documents are submitted in hardcopy form, they may be scanned to allow similar searching. Similar to the specific on-line questions, the search criteria are usually developed by the hiring manager and human resources. Some examples of keywords for a clinical programmer using SAS are "Clinical Programmer", "SAS Programmer", "clinical", "SAS", and "Statistical Programmer". This part of the process is intended to eliminate unqualified individuals early and to help focus attention on the best applicants. If you already knows the hiring manager or have another contact in the new organization, there may be shortcuts through this process. But in general it is not wise to try to bypass these systems. It is far better to simply accept the fact that these systems exist, understand the purposes and limitations of the systems, and work within these constraints to present yourself well. Technical Skills Do your homework and be prepared. Each organization is different and has unique needs, and it is important that your skills and talents really do match what the organization is looking for. Reviewing the company's website will provide you with insightful information, such as the company's values and mission, goals and objectives, products and services, culture/working environment, the management team, size, revenue and, of course, open positions. Gathering this information, along with position's requirements, will help determine if a company and/or position is the right fit for you. One without the other may not lead to a positive result. Soon after starting the new job, you don't want to discover that your skills and background are really not a good match. Some SAS programming skills are global, such as data step programming and familiarity with many of the base procs. But the widespread use of SAS in many different industries has created very diverse skills and needs. Macro programming may be commonplace in one organization, but not used by another. One organization may want a programmer who is comfortable with higher level statistical procs, while another may not. And the list goes on and on, and touches on SAS/GRAPH®, SAS/IML®, SAS/ETS®, and the myriad of other SAS capabilities. Résumé Content A well-written résumé conveys a tremendous amount of important information and summarizes your qualifications and experience. Although this is the most important document, the hiring manager will initially spend just a few minutes scanning it, so the résumé must be complete, focused, cohesive, and concise. If the hiring manager sees interesting words or phrases during the initial scan, then he will read the résumé again and more thoroughly. Using action verbs to describe your role will assist you in achieving this result. Also, you should use keywords to outline your qualifications. Keywords will stand out to the hiring manager as well as to Human Resources. Human Resources is usually the first channel your résumé must pass through. Keywords will help your résumé be identified when job boards and automated system databases are used to conducted searches. These keywords should be specific to the industry and position. The important terms or phrases for the position can be found in the job posting, job description, and the company web site.

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Your résumé must be accurate. Chose your words carefully to emphasize your strengths, but don't exaggerate or give false information. During the hiring process your credentials will be verified, references will be checked, and you may be asked for proof of your highest degree as well as proof of any certificate earned in a relevant program. False or misleading information may lead to disqualification. A good résumé typically has your name and contact information in the header on the first page, and your name repeated on subsequent pages. It is important to list whatever phone number and email address you are most likely to check. Be sure that you can receive messages from potential employers. The exact order of the résumé is not critical, but it is good to begin with a brief summary or profile. This should be compelling and outline your strengths and experience. This should be a single paragraph, to give the hiring manager a good overview in just a few sentences. It must convince the hiring manager that you have the skill, talent, and background that will benefit the organization. If a résumé contains a weak summary, the hiring manager will probably not read the rest of the résumé. A summary of formal educational accomplishments should be next. This should simply state the degrees received, any distinctions, the majors and minors, and the names and locations of educational institutions. Dates should not be included. If the degrees are recent, then educational background may be weighed more heavily. In those situations, GPAs may be shown. The bulk of the résumé will consist of your work history, and that should be further divided into a separate subsection for each major job. List jobs chronologically, starting with the current or most recent one. Each subsection should begin with the position title, the name of the organization, and the start and end dates (month and year). Especially if some of the organizations are small and not well-known, it is appropriate to note the industry or nature of the business, e.g. "The Small Programming Company (consulting and software development)". If the company has been acquired or the name has changed, provide complete information. Follow that with a brief paragraph or bullet list of major accomplishments and responsibilities. For jobs that go back many years, or which are not very relevant to the position you are seeking, skip the details – just give the title, organization name, and dates. The job history will ideally show steady professional growth over time and should have none or few gaps in employment. Be prepared to explain any gaps if requested. Contracting positions require special attention. You should state your actual employer, i.e. your contracting company. You should identify the type of business where you actually worked, but not the specific company. Related qualifications should be listed next. This may include professional certifications and licenses, educational honors, non-work activities that highlight your skills, memberships in professional organizations, community activities, and similar achievements. Some of these, e.g. memberships, should also include dates to help the reader understand the level of your involvement. Significant non-degree educational programs may be included here or in the section that lists formal education. Depending upon your background and the specific job, it may be appropriate to list programming languages, software packages, and hardware platforms that you are competent with. If this information is included with each prior job, it may take a lot of space and it will be difficult to avoid repetition. Lastly, list any conference presentations that you have made, journal articles that you have authored, and similar accomplishments. These should be listed in an acceptable bibliographic style. If this list is extensive, then just include some of the most recent or most relevant works,

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along with a note stating that only selected works are included and that a complete list can be provided. If you do that, be sure that you really do have copies of the complete list available. Presentations and publications that have been accepted, but not yet presented or published, may be included but should be identified as "accepted". Remember - information on the résumé must be accurate and match corresponding information on the employment application. What NOT to Include on a Résumé Just as its important to have a complete résumé with all relevant information, it is equally important to not include certain information. Remember to be accurate. If you attended a brief presentation about Enterprise Guide®, or heard from a friend about SAS/INSIGHT®, but have never actually used those packages, then don't list them on your résumé. One common pitfall is to assume that abbreviations and acronyms are universally known. If you are applying for a job in a different industry, this can be especially tricky. SAS programmers in the pharmaceutical and automotive industries, for example, may both use the abbreviation "SAE", but the meanings are completely different. Don't include obscure or ambiguous terminology on your résumé. When in doubt, briefly explain terminology. The first time a potentially-confusing term is used, write it out completely and follow it with the abbreviation in parentheses. Your goals and objectives should not be included. Your goal is to get the job you're applying for. Including a paragraph about that on the résumé simply wastes valuable space. However, the position you are applying for should be indicated in the cover letter that is accompanying your résumé. There are many resources you can refer to for advice on creating a cover letter. Personal information such as birth date, birth place, age, gender, marital status, number of children, religious affiliation, and ethnic background should not be included. Information which can be used to derive these should also be omitted, for example the dates you received your degrees should not be shown because they can imply age. The only exception is if this information is directly relevant to the job. An example would be a job that requires frequent interaction with a peer group in another country and you grew up in that country, are fluent in the language, and understand the culture and customs. Do not include detailed information about other organizations, the products they produce, or the services they provide. If the reader has never heard of The Small Programming Company where you previously worked, you will be asked for information. References should not be included. References are usually listed on the employment application, and do not need to be repeated. The hiring manager will assume that you can provide good references if asked. But you should also be prepared to list references, and be sure that you have discussed this with your references in advance. A list of good references will span coworkers, past managers, teachers, clients, vendors, and others. Skip any non-relevant information. If you are an active leader in a local charitable organization, for example, simply state that. Don't say that you have been involved in planning nine fund-raising campaigns, led a group of kids to distribute flyers, and were head chef at a related cookout. Personal hobbies should not be listed, unless there is direct relevance with the job.

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A listing of specific courses taken as part of a degree-granting program should not be included. Similarly, a detailed training history should not be included. If there are a few courses that are especially relevant, those can be included along with a note that a complete list can be provided. Résumé Style The résumé style should reflect good communication practices. Avoid the temptation to use fancy fonts, graphics, and different colors – those will only distract the reader from the facts. Use a slightly larger font, underlining, or bolding for emphasis, but use those sparingly. In addition to being easier for a human to read and understand, a simple style will help ensure that automated systems will be able to properly handle your résumé. But there may be situations when an applicant prefers to highlight his/her extraordinary skills in a unique manner, e.g. graphically, and those may be appropriate for certain industries or positions. The résumé should be written by the applicant, and not a third party. This allows you to demonstrate your communication style and ability to organize, and also tells the reader what the you think is important. It also helps ensure that technical information and terminology are being stated correctly. Check, re-check, and re-check again to ensure that spelling, punctuation, and grammar are correct. Many hiring managers will disqualify your résumé if errors are found. Be especially careful that trade names and names of specific products are represented correctly. Do not rely entirely on computer spelling checkers, because they generally cannot handle the technical jargon that will be on your résumé. Stay relevant. Don't be repetitious or redundant. Do not include minor details, especially if your purpose is to artificially add length to your résumé. Do not list the SAS functions, formats, or procs that you have used. There are many different opinions about the ideal length for a résumé, but one with more than a couple of pages will not be read. An applicant with a few years of relevant experience should target one or two pages, while applicants with many years of experience should target two or perhaps three pages. Try to limit the length to two pages. An addendum can be used if there is a long list of presentations, publications, or similar accomplishments. A one-page résumé, especially for applicants without a lengthy work history, is preferred. There are also different opinions about whether an applicant should have a single résumé or tailor a résumé for each specific job. There is no clear answer, but it would seem that this would depend upon how much you want the specific job, how much time can be devoted to each résumé, and the probability of success. One good approach is to have a robust shell or outline that can be easily customized to fit a specific job opportunity. In summary, a good style will get and keep the reader's attention. It will not distract. It will allow the reader or system to easily find the highlights of your qualifications. If possible, have a trusted coworker, family member, mentor, or other person review your résumé objectively. Listen to their advice. However, they should not be writing your résumé. Whenever you update your résumé, even if the change is supposed to be simple and cosmetic, have it reviewed again to help ensure that subtle errors have not been introduced. Sample Code Sample code can be extremely useful, but this is also a very sensitive issue. Because of confidentiality concerns, a candidate may not be able to show code to a prospective employer.

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If code can be shown, it should be handled separately and not attached to the résumé. Ideally, the code will be relevant to the new business and will show not just technical proficiency, but also broad knowledge, solid skills, and technical maturity. Be sure that it is "clean" code - there are many papers that discuss coding quality that can be used as reference. The code should be well-structured, properly documented, and in general an example that you would be proud to show your colleagues. If possible, have a trusted coworker review the code first to be sure that it meets high standards. Review the code prior to the interview and be thoroughly prepared to point out highlights and answer questions. Soft Skills Soft skills are vitally important. Be punctual and enthusiastic, but not rigid or overbearing. Communicate well. Dress appropriately. Offer a firm handshake and make eye contact. There are many articles and books about how a candidate should present himself/herself during an interview, so this paper will not get into those details. Specific Interview Questions During the interview, you will be asked technical and non-technical questions. Answer to the best of your ability, and if you don't know the answer to a question, then say so. Do not try to bluff – you will not succeed. If you don't understand the question, ask for clarification. It is okay to take a moment and collect your thoughts before answering a question. Some questions may be derived from your résumé, so if a long time has elapsed since you wrote your résumé, then you should review it carefully. A number of questions will be behavioral, asking you to describe a task or situation based on experience, along with describing the action taken and the result. SAS is a very rich programming environment, and nobody knows everything about SAS. Review the basics and be prepared to answer questions that are frequently asked, such as questions about:

• different commenting styles, • data step fundamentals (the data vector, merging, arrays), • basic procs (SORT, MEANS, FREQ, REPORT, etc.), • macros (types of parameters, scope, syntax), • SQL, • and statistical procs (MIXED, LOGISTIC, GLM, etc.).

Remember that these questions will be asked within the context of the new job. A job that deals with databases will likely demand knowledge of SQL, while an applications developer will probably need to have good knowledge of macros. Do your homework and understand what the new job needs. Try to link your knowledge and previous work to the requirements of the new job. In addition to giving answers that are correct and concise, emphasize how your response addresses broader issues, such as quality or efficiency. For example, if you are asked whether you prefer to use positional or keyword macro parameters, you might answer that you use keyword parameters because that is somewhat self-documenting and helps ensure that others will use the macro properly, thus reducing errors and rework. The interview is an opportunity to tell the interviewer that you are aware of quality issues in programming and that your usual techniques support high quality work. This also applies for efficiency, especially with programming environments that routinely use a large amount of data or that perform complex analyses.

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Be prepared to state your short-term and long-term career goals, and offer suggestions about how you and the new job can grow together. Remember, this should be a win-win situation. Be ready to state why you are seeking the new job, why you are considering the new organization, and what you can specifically bring to the job that will benefit the organization. You are not expected to be an expert about the new organization, so also be prepared to ask intelligent questions about the position. Be enthusiastic and positive. Remember a good interviewer will always expect to be asked a few thoughtful questions from the candidate. You will probably be asked why you are seeking a new position, or what parts of your current job you don't enjoy. Candidates commonly respond in a negative manner and describe shortcomings with their current position, for example an organization that doesn't acknowledge their accomplishments, a manager who doesn't understand them, coworkers who are not as talented as they are, and similar criticisms. Avoid this negative approach. Instead, briefly state the facts and emphasize the mutual benefits with the new job. It is acceptable to give a specific example of a situation with your current job that was not optimal, but don't place blame. If there were things that you did not do well in your current job, admit to your errors, state clearly what you learned and how you are now able to do better, and move on. Don't dwell on the negative, but rather focus on the potential positives of the new position. If you are currently unemployed, or if there are significant gaps in your employment history, don't attempt to hide the facts. Avoid the temptation to blame others for these situations, but be prepared to briefly state the facts. When the interview is concluded, it is highly recommended that you send a thank you note. This should be a brief statement thanking the interviewers for their time and reiterating how your skills and experience match the open position. Advice for Recent College Graduates If you are a recent college graduate or applying for your first professional job, constructing a résumé can be especially challenging. Your résumé should be based on education, school and/or work experience, internship, volunteer work, involvement with groups and associations, and your GPA. Include awards, achievements, leadership roles, and scholarship. Show that you are eager, hardworking, a quick learner, and a team player. Highlight course work and other experiences that show how you have worked toward the goal of becoming a programmer. Networking effectively can be extremely beneficial in today's job market. It is okay to have help from family and friends in finding a job. If you have profiles on social networking web sites, you should limit access. Information that may be shared between friends may not be appropriate to an employer. Prepare for an interview by researching the company and dressing appropriately. Maintain eye contact and smile. Answer questions honestly and with proper grammar. Prepare insightful questions to show that you have done your homework. Remember that a firm handshake is definitely noticed. And last, but not least, remember to send a personalized thank you note. An Important Caveat A final word of caution may be in order. The authors have learned of occasions when a candidate had another person write their résumé or cover letter, or substitute for them during a phone screen or actual interview. It is suspected that the motivation may be that the candidate has weak communication skills, or is unsure about other skills. This misrepresentation is

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fraudulent and completely unacceptable. It will inevitably be discovered, and the candidate will not be considered for employment. Conclusion The opinions expressed in this paper have been formed from years of experience and discussion and interaction with other managers, applicants, and candidates. Although there is a wealth of literature aimed at guiding job seekers, this paper has dealt specifically with SAS programmers. The overriding guidance is to understand what hiring managers are generally looking for, ensure that you are giving them the information they need to make a good decision, understand how the selection process works, and to prepare, prepare, prepare. The ultimate objective is for the job-seeker to be hired into a satisfying and rewarding position, and for the organization to benefit from the new person's talents. This is truly a win-win situation. Acknowledgments The authors thank managers, coworkers, applicants, and candidates who have made the recruiting, interviewing, and selection process so interesting and rewarding over the years. References Ferrone R. Don't Blow the Interview. New York: St. Martin's Griffin; 2006. Hoopes L, Kelly M. Managing Change with Personal Resilience. Raleigh, NC: MK Books; 2004. Job Search Tools & Skills. http://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/JOBSPG1.HTM. Kohl, JR. The Global English Style Guide. Cary, NC: SAS Institute; 2008. McConnell S. Professional Software Development. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley; 2004. Proceedings from SGF, SUGI, PharmaSUG, and other SAS conferences often contain relevant papers. http://www.lexjansen.com/ is one site that conveniently links to many of these. Tips Guides. http://web.mit.edu/career/www/guide/. SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Ellen Brookstein and Allan Glaser are members of the Clinical Programming management team, and Laurie Koch is the Recruitment Manager at Octagon Research Solutions, Inc. Comments regarding this work are welcome and can be sent to EBrookstein, AGlaser, and LKoch, all @octagonresearch.com.