I'm one of the judges for the Exceptional DBA contest, which ends July 10, 2009. You can still enter if you want, but I have a few notes about my experience so far. I was a judge last year and saw similar issues with the entries.

Unlike some contests, this is a contest to show off your skills, one with a somewhat significant prize, and I'd argue, on par with you looking for a new job. You want to put your best foot forward, and show that you are the person that should be picked. The judges aren't randomly selecting 5 finalists, but looking for an individual that demonstrates exceptional qualities.

If you take that attitude, and at least I do, then you would want to provide details and ensure your entry reads well. That means the basics, good spelling and grammar. I understand that some people don't necessarily want to write an essay, which is OK, but the more details you give, the more you stand out.

However, if you say you have good communication skills, then you can't write "My daily toughest is all serves under my responsibility run nearest 99,999" and have me take your entry seriously.

A resume is a balance in showcasing your accomplishments and skills in a very small amount of space. You want to highlight things, but if you give too many general comments, like "managing backup and recovery" you risk looking like someone that either

a) can't communicate well

b) didn't do anything and is writing fluff

A better statement, with not too many more characters would be "implemented a custom script for backups and tested restores monthly". It better states a skill, with details. It does have to be true, and I will specifically ask people about what is on resumes when I interview them, so it needs to be true. We want to hear what you have done with SQL Server, and how you have gotten the most out of it based on your skills.

In a contest like this one, however, there is no interview to judge you by. Only the words you write are available for the other judges and me to read and decide if you are exceptional.

Brevity does not help that cause.