I can tell you what I've done and what I currently do well, but structuring it in a way that won't bore you to tears or sound like an outright lie is difficult. Further, how broad should I be? How wide should I cast my net in case you're looking for something slightly outside of my current expertise?
At least I am at last at a point in my career where I don't feel I need to overstate anything I've done. But stating it in a way that doesn't sound overstated is hard.
And I no longer want to be a Jack of all trades.
After reading résumés for work yesterday I have been inspired to rewrite my own, having not attempted to do so for years. I've sent the last three hours on the attempt and haven't gotten very far.
Perhaps it's a job I really should leave to an expert.
Professional résumé writers are professionals at getting jobs.
I'm good at software development and support.
I haven't had to really look for a job since mid 2000.
Perhaps I never will.
Although initially unimpressed with the first single, I enjoyed the album for obscure reasons, although on re-listening it really is rubbish.
Watching the Some Kind Of Monster documentary is like watching a video of your parents divorce. It's horrible, painful, but you want to know, you can't stop watching. It explains perfectly, painfully, why St. Anger is what it is.
I've just finished listening to Slipknot's Iowa and the chorus of "sell outs" over their third album Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) makes sense. Iowa is a very very angry album and contains only the smallest of hints at the melodic pop of much of Vol 3.'s choruses.
Wikipedia indicates their previous producer (Ross Robinson) forbade the band from playing guitar solos. Rick Rubin (I presume) let them do whatever they liked.
Metallica's new album is scheduled for release in "fall 2007". The band have dropped Bob "the man who destroyed Metallica" Rock and picked up Rick Rubin.
Obviously Rick can only work with what he's given, but his work with some of the world's biggest metal bands proves at least he knows what he's doing.
With the Slipknot case as a guide, I'm at least confident he'll guide Metallica to a different and well produced album. I'm impressed at how well produced an album he can get out of System Of A Down who appear to have trouble consistently playing their instruments live, much like Metallica. Perhaps that's a good omen.
I am actually looking forward to it.
Update: Looking at the Wikipedia article on Bob Rock I discovered there was a petition from fans asking Metallica to cut their ties with the producer. The request letter is harsh but fair:
Then we are left with St. Anger. It is completely unlistenable and this is the album that Bob Rock had most of his influence. Not only in production but the songs are all a mess as well. Every song could be cut down by about 3-5 minutes simply by cutting out most of the repetition. Bob Rock didn't realize that repetition of one riff over and over for 10 minutes doesn't make a song a pleasingly structured song. The sound, as everyone can agree, did not break any musical barriers, it just made the album worse. Even Bob Rock can do better than this.
Personally I think the deliberately bad sound production is one of the bravest things any producer has ever done. I don't claim it was good, but it was brave.