Last week I had lunch with a colleague who had recently hired someone for a part-time position for her office.  My colleague was interested to observe the wide variety of people who applied for a low-paying, part-time position.  She was even more intrigued by one candidate’s behavior during the interview.

Apparently this candidate had called on her way to the interview to say she was en route.  Based on her supposed whereabouts, the candidate should have arrived 10-15 minutes early.  Somehow, she actually arrived 40 minutes late—without offering any explanation as to why.  As if her tardiness weren’t bad enough, this candidate then proceeded to scroll through and reply to e-mails on her Blackberry during the interview!

I know what you’re thinking: yeah, that’s what happens when you interview college students.  Not so!  This badly behaved candidate was an administrator in her 50s, looking for an additional job to earn a little extra money.  My colleague was stunned that someone of this age—and at this stage in her professional life—would act so poorly in an interview setting.  So, in case it needs to be said:

1.Show up for every interview slightly early.  Between 5-10 minutes is perfect.  If you get there anymore than 10 minutes early, hang out in your car until it’s closer to your appointment time.  Interviewers don’t like to feel rushed into talking with you.  On the other hand, leaving yourself extra minutes will still allow you to arrive on time if you happen to miss a turn, get caught behind a school bus, or find yourself waiting at a railroad crossing as a 3-mile-long freight train moseys its way toward Montana.

2. Set your cell phone to silent or turn it off.  If your vibration mode is as loud as mine, it’s too loud for a quiet interview setting.  If you’re like the woman above and can’t keep your hands off your “crackberry”, leave it in the car.  Many people consider it bad form to even be looking at your cell phone while you’re waiting to be called in.

3. If something truly crazy occurs that causes you to be late, apologize profusely.  There is no easier way to get off on the wrong foot with a potential employer than to give them the impression that you don’t value their time—or that you’re not worth hiring in the first place because you’re not dependable and inconsiderate.

In this tough job market, any face time you get with a hiring manager is absolutely invaluable.  Make sure you’re on your best behavior!

Before you land the interview you need a stellar resume to get you in the door. For great articles and tips on resume writing visit our blog or view our collection of professionally-written resume samples.

Chances are that you’ve encountered the term “behavioral interviewing” at some point during your job search.  This is an increasingly popular interview format based on the belief that past behavior is the greatest predictor of future behavior.  Typically interviewers ask questions like, “Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a coworker, and how you chose to handle that situation.”

During a behavioral interview, the interviewer is expecting the candidate to provide very detailed and specific answers to his or her questions.  A response such as, “Oh yeah, I’ve done that before.” is definitely inadequate.  Although it’s best to draw from your professional experiences when answering behavioral interview questions, if necessary, you can discuss volunteer—or even personal—situations that you may have handled as they relate to the specific question. Although, we strongly advise discussing personal experience unless absolutely necessary and it should always be framed in a positive and professional manner.

One issue that sometimes confuses candidates and interviewers alike is when a candidate comes from a background where the interviewer’s scenario was impossible.  For example, I know a publisher who worked for a company where anyone who missed a delivery deadline was automatically fired.  Missing deadlines was simply not an option with the publishing company.  This candidate then found herself in a behavioral interview with someone asking, “Tell me about a time you missed a deadline and how you managed that.”

Unfortunately, the publisher was stumped by this scenario and had no idea how to proceed with an answer.  Her interviewer apparently did not have the flexibility to reword the question, as she simply repeated it several times.  Lack of preparation for a question of this nature probably cost the publisher this job opportunity.  What she should have done was answered the question as closely as possible to the way it was asked—i.e., provided an example of a time when she almost missed a deadline; or she could have discussed a previous experience outside a professional setting.

It is almost impossible to forecast exactly what an interviewer will ask you during any particular interview.  However, understanding how important it is to answer behavioral interview questions as closely and specifically as you can will help you to manage future interviews as smoothly as possible.

Before you land the interview you need a stellar resume to get you in the door. For great articles and tips on resume writing visit our blog or view our collection of professionally-written resume samples.

If you’re unemployed and over 40, it can feel like a “double whammy” of trouble for you in the job search, but it doesn’t have to be a negative.

First of all, unemployment is a temporary status that you are going to change. Don’t be ashamed of that. Many people (especially right now) face some period of unemployment in their careers, and it’s not a big deal. It only takes one phone call, one interview, or one job offer to make the difference.

If you’re changing careers, don’t be afraid of that, either. Internships, job shadowing, learning new skill sets, and the like can feel strange to someone who’s been in the workforce for a while already, but they shouldn’t.

40 is the new 30. You have a lot of years left in the workforce, and you should absolutely be doing something you enjoy, and something that you are compensated for commensurate with what you do for the organization.

I know there is some talk out there about age discrimination, and the idea that companies may be more interested in the “young whippersnappers” than you. Here’s what I want you to know: You didn’t just get here. You are bringing 20 more years of experience to the table than those candidates, and that experience should lead to positive outcomes for the employer. That means that you can do things and think about things differently, and that you can bring more to this job than the hot young whippersnapper, and I want you to have that confidence and develop a way to communicate that to the hiring manager-because you deserve it.

Great Resumes Fast partners with clients everyday who are unemployed, facing age discrimination, and with clients who have worked in an entire industry their entire lives and are now trying to make a change. If this sounds like you call us today at 1.800.991.5187 to find out how our certified resume writers can work with you to immediately impact your job search.

Making headway in a job search nowadays requires a unique effort that we did not see or need to consider 20 years ago. In particular, the Internet has grown to be not just a useful way to conduct a job search, but the primary way. Many employers have made adjustments in their human resources departments to ensure that every bit of their employee search is handled electronically, which means, it’s up to you to keep up with them.

One way to do this is to add a mobile device to your job search. By using a mobile device to connect to the Internet, check your email and more, you could stay on top of the various stages of your search and application process to ensure you don’t miss a beat. Here are just a few benefits…

Receive Emails, Network Online and Download Apps
We all know that our mobile devices are more advanced than ever. Not only can we take pictures on our phones, we can create videos, listen to music and search items online. Even more, if we like we can get involved with various aspects of our job search. So why not take full advantage of it?

One major benefit taking advantage of your mobile device during a job search is that you can mostly likely send and receive emails. This helps you to not only keep track of what emails you receive from prospective employers, but also help you to respond in a timely fashion – something you usually can’t do when you’re away from your computer.

Another benefit is that you could visit sites like Facebook and Twitter from your phone, both of which work well in helping you successfully network to your friends, family and business contacts. Also, depending on the phone you have, you could possibly download applications specifically geared toward job seeking so that you could conduct searches from your phone.

Prepare Your Documents and Emails for Employer Mobile Devices
When in the midst of a job search; it’s important to remember that hiring managers are probably using mobile devices throughout their days, even if you aren’t. They most likely have been given a device by their company and are required to use it when at work, in the airport or even at home.

It’s good to be mindful of this when creating the documents you submit to companies (i.e. resume, cover letter). If you are sending these items via email, for instance, it’s good to include a text version with the.doc version so that it can be viewed with any program and on any phone. Also, when sending your emails, it’s good to make sure they are short and sweet since many managers will be reading them over a phone that has a small screen – one that they won’t want to stare at or scroll on for long.

There is no excuse for missing out on a job opportunity because you missed an email – or a phone call. Nowadays, mobile devices can do it all. So take the time to set up your phones so that they can become your mobile offices. Then make the most of how modern technology can enhance your job search.

Remember the infamous scene in Jerry McGuire where Tom Cruise is standing in a locker room, begging Cuba Gooding Jr. to stop shooting his own career in the foot? You know the line: “Help me help you!”

Many of us have family and friends who don’t really understand what we do for a living. I personally have a cousin who can’t explain her own husband’s job. We often recognize that those around us don’t really appreciate our professions, but in some cases it seems easier to just let them say “Oh, he does computer stuff”, or “She’s some kind of an accountant.” However, not explaining what you do to those closest to you can come back to bite you when it comes time to search for a job.

Let’s say you’re a Web designer and your aunt lovingly refers to you as a “computer guy”. Your aunt may also know that her next door neighbor is a “computer guy”. Suppose that, in trying to help you out, she badgers her neighbor and finally convinces him to talk to you about a job. It’s very nice of her to be looking out for you; but unfortunately, if the neighbor runs a company that manufactures microchips for cell phones, this contact might turn out to be a waste of everyone’s time and energy.

If you’re looking to transition your career into a different field or different type of company, you need to be particularly proactive about letting your network know what you’re looking for. The same is true if you’ve been using your degree to work in a company known for something else. For instance, if you’re an accountant who works for the local hospital system, your contacts need to be clear that you’re looking for accounting positions and not medical ones.

Communication is the key to helping your network help you with your job search. Letting your contacts and references know specifically what you’re looking for will optimize the chances of their connecting you to something useful. As your job search progresses, you can send your contacts e-mail updates about places you’ve applied or interviewed. That will help them mentally connect the dots about the types of positions you’re targeting. It may feel awkward to regularly remind your network that you’re still looking, but it’s much less embarrassing than having to get yourself out of a situation that a well-meaning contact never should have gotten you into!

Visit our blog for more great career advice or for articles on resume writing tips.

With all the layoffs that have taken place over the last couple of years, it’s no wonder that many of those who are still employed often feel stretched to the maximum of their productivity.  It can be very demanding looking for another job when your current one is continually stressing you out.  After all, when you get home from a long and frustrating day, the last thing you want to do is give any more thought to the world of work.  Unfortunately, most new jobs don’t just fall into your lap—you have to go out and get them.  Approaching your job search as strategically and as systematically as you would approach your next business deal can help keep the process manageable.

Initiation

If you were going to start a huge new project at work, would your first step be to just sit down and start the project?  Of course not!  A lot of planning and preparation go into any major project, and your job search should be no different.  Therefore, the first step is NOT to sit down and start sending out dozens of generalized resumes to any job that sounds OK.  Your first task should be to determine exactly what you’re looking for in your next position.  Just like you can’t write a project plan until you know what the project is, you simply cannot write an effective resume or cover letter without some idea of where you’d like your career to go.  You may find this part of the process to be the most time-consuming, as it requires some soul searching, however, it’s an essential step in the process that must not be skipped.

Planning

Once you’ve determined your professional goals, you’re ready to spend some time assembling your marketing tools—a cover letter, resume, and any other pertinent documents that support your message.  This is essentially the same process as setting up a project at work; you need both plans and human resources for an effective job search.  A professional resume writer can be an invaluable tool for a job seeker who’s incredibly busy with his or her current vocation.  Any resume writer will need you to gather and submit information about your past positions and achievements, but then let go of the reins; allowing the professional to agonize over each individual line on your resume will remove that weight from your own shoulders.

Execution

Only when you’ve established a goal and pulled together the tools needed to accomplish it should you actually start looking for and applying to jobs.  Setting up e-mail alerts through sites like simplyhired.com or indeed.com can save you hours of scouring through online employment ads.  If you tackle your search in a strategic and systematic manner, you should soon reach a place where you can go to your inbox, look through positions that may be a good fit for you, and then simply customize your polished resume for each application.  Consider each quality job application you send off as a deliverable in the project of finding yourself another job.  Whenever you successfully land your next position, you’ll be able to close out this project and move on to the next one!

For more job search and resume advice visit our blog. If you’ve decided you may need professional help with your resume e-mail us or visit our website to learn more about how having a professionally-written resume can immediately impact your job search.

Have you ever wondered if it carries more weight to have a written reference letter, or if it makes a better impression to have your reference speak directly to the hiring manager on the phone?

The answer is: both.

Written references and verbal references serve different purposes in your job search and your interview, and so you need both types.

The written reference letter is often used as a “hook” to get the attention of the hiring manager. It’s good enough to get an interview, but often not quite enough to cement the offer.

The verbal reference, in the form of the phone call, is preferred post-interview. Interviewers want to actually talk to the hiring manager and hear how fantastic you were and how they wish they could hire you again (or keep you).

If you’re on your game, you will incorporate both types as you need them in the interview process. One candidate had his reference send a note to the hiring manager within 10 minutes of the interview end. It said something along the lines of, “Hey, Joe is amazing. Here’s what he did on my team… You really ought to put him on your team.” Needless to say, that was pretty impressive to the hiring manager, and Joe got the job.

Never underestimate how powerful references are as a part of your interview process. If you’ve gotten as far as the interview, they’re very interested in you, and it could easily be the recommendation of someone else that pushes them over the edge to making you the offer.

For assistance putting together an offer-winning reference sheet call us today 1.800.991.5187.

Today’s guest article discusses 3 job search mistakes by former recruiter David Alan Carter.

Everyone makes mistakes. That’s just part of being human. But if you’re in between jobs, you can ill afford too many of them. One little mistake here or there, and your job search can be set back weeks if not months. So, what are some of the typical mistakes that are made in a job search? Here are my top three…

Fuzzy Goals

If you’re stumbling out of the house in the morning with the objective of “getting a job,” good luck with that. In the aftermath of the worst recession in 50 years, this is an economy that will chew up and spit out those job seekers without a clear career objective and a plan to achieve it. Why? Largely, it’s the sheer number of applicants for available positions; they’re simply overwhelming recruiters and hiring officials. Weeding out those applicants who “just want a job” is the first order of priority for those overtaxed employers.

Take some time to identify the position you want, and the company or companies that are capable of offering that opportunity. It’s a new world order out there, and those who know what they want and focus their job search like a laser are more likely to get what they want.

A General Resume

Forget the illusion that a general resume allows you to apply to a variety of job opportunities. In reality, a general resume simply helps you get rejected from a number of job opportunities. As mention above in “fuzzy goals,” recruiters and hiring officials are overwhelmed by the sheer number of resumes coming in daily. When they’ve got an opening, it’s a title with a real specific set of duties and responsibilities. If your resume doesn’t demonstrate job goals and qualifications in keeping with that title, you’re out.

Employers today don’t have the time or inclination to wonder if your stated objective, “A challenging position with a progressive corporation…” really means, “Senior Buyer with a national apparel retailer that could benefit from an impressive, 10-year history of contribution to comparable store sales and gross margin improvement.” If the employer needs to fill a position for a buyer and is left staring the above two objective statements, guess which resume gets the call and which one gets the boot?

Target your resume to a specific job opening or a narrow range of potential openings. While that might mean tweaking the document seemingly every time you turn around, it beats the alternative: a single “general” resume generating zero phone calls.

Wasting Your Days On Internet Job Boards

Yes, there are jobs listed on job boards. And there’s the siren call. The problem is, some of those jobs are out of date, and many others are increasingly ‘generic’ jobs (that don’t necessarily exist) posted by employment agencies or recruiters trolling for candidates to represent. While the latter isn’t necessarily a bad thing (assuming you don’t mind being deceived), the end result is one more person standing between you and a hiring official. Finally, even when the listings are legitimate and timely, there are thousands of candidates responding to every job listing. It’s a crap shoot at best, with success rates of landing jobs running at about 2-4%. Compare that to a success rate of over 60% for ‘word-of-mouth’ referrals.

Post your resume to a couple of job boards if you must, or schedule a very limited time every few days to peruse the latest listings. If you see an interesting job pop up on a job board, use the listing information as a springboard to pursue the opening directly through the company’s website, or via your growing contacts in the industry.

Personal, one-on-one contact with decision makers, movers and shakers is time better spent that will improve your odds the most in landing your next job. Limit your time on the internet in general, and on job boards in particular, or run the risk of being consumed day and night with nothing to show for your job search but bloodshot eyes.

Twitter is one of those social media sites that might surprise you. On the surface, it seems frivolous—do you really need to read all those Tweets about the smallest daily details of life? But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll realize just how powerful Twitter can be for your medical sales or health care sales career, if you learn to use it.

Twitter can be great for tweeting about what you’re doing, but even better for following what others are doing—if you’re following the right people. Following the ones who can be the most useful and relevant to your career success right now is a tremendous opportunity you should not let slip by. Ultimately, Twitter is about communicating and connecting. The more you do, the more you’ll learn things that will be useful to you in your career.

If you’re in marketing, you must use Twitter—it’s cutting edge. Both for your own tweets and for seeing what’s up with your competition.

If you’re in sales, it becomes a little less “must do,” but still pretty good. Are your customers out there? How about your competitors? Better keep up.

If you’re in the job search, you’re back to making Twitter participation a top priority on your to-do list. You can follow recruiters, hiring managers, career coaches, and others who can lead you to job prospects and give you the edge over other candidates. You can also follow companies to keep up with the latest. Twitter is a great job search tool.

So how do you find the people you need to follow? Twitter can be difficult to use for searches, but you can find ancillary software/models like Twellow and Twitter Search, and learn how to search. Here’s a place to start: a list of the top 25 Recruiters on Twitter.

As always, be a good participant and interact with professionalism. Tweet about things that are useful to others, help other people find jobs if you can, and take care to avoid negativity that can haunt you later.

Article by: Peggy McKee

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Despite being some of the brightest problem solvers walking around at many companies, IT employees often have a hard time translating their skills onto a resume.  Information technology employees sometimes assume that they can load up their resumes with technological terms and industry jargon—not realizing that the first one or two people who read that resume probably won’t understand anything it says.

Include the appropriate industry keywords

If you’re applying for a technology position in a larger company, chances are that someone in the HR department (in an entry-level role) will be screening your resume before it ever hits the desk of anyone in a technology role.  Although the hiring manager will certainly understand the specific programming languages and software you’ve used, the HR screener may very well just be matching up keywords.  So how do you write a resume that will sail through this screening process?

Talk about the end result

The initial readers of your resume aren’t as interested in how you’ve done things in the past as they are in what you’ve actually done.  Did you create a Web site that saved your company $50,000 a year in outsourced expenses?  Did you administer a company network that successfully protected confidential information for 5,000 customers?  Did you supervise an IT department responsible for every single piece of computer equipment in a 500-employee company?  Regardless of how you went about it, results make sense to just about everyone.

Include a technology skills section

If you are applying for a “worker bee” sort of technology job, such as Web developer, you will want to be very specific about the different types of development programs in which you’ve been trained or certified. If your career has progressed to an executive level, such as chief technology officer, you will want to focus more on your success stories.

Strike a balance

The key to a readable IT resume is to strike a balance between identifying overall results and achievements, while providing enough specifics for your document to appeal to both an HR screener and a technology hiring manager.  Once you get into an interview, you and the hiring manager can go crazy with the details of which platforms and programming languages and software you used to achieve your results.  The key to getting that interview is describing your accomplishments in a language that your audience can understand!

Need some help developing an interview-worthy information technology resume? Our expert writers are former IT professionals and managers. We know the IT industry inside and out. For more information or to be matched with an information technology resume writer call 1.800.991.5187 or e-mail us at info@greatresumesfast.com