Your résumé isn’t about you, it’s about them. That is the first guiding rule you should remember as you craft your employment history and achievements to match the needs of the companies you want most to hire you.

Consider your audience by researching the company and its industry, and tailoring your résumé to the challenges faced by both. Point out how your talents and training dovetail with the company’s needs, so hiring managers can picture you in the job they have available or other opportunities that come up in the future.

Start out with a short professional profile that succinctly draws a picture of your job skills, work ethic and natural abilities that translate into the kind of worker you are. The rest of the résumé should follow suit as it lays out a clear story of your work experience, education and the skills you developed.

Understand that most hiring managers are viewing your job history in a quick sweep. They want to see something that is easily readable. Don’t use industry jargon or long sentences that create dense, hard-to-read narratives. Tell your story in bulleted form to create punch. Don’t resort to résumé formats that look like a thousand others.

Throughout the résumé, aim for action. Using words like “I was responsible for …” don’t get to the heart of your abilities. Be specific about accomplishments, punctuating them with hard numbers — increased production, sales figures — where applicable. Use details to explain your work story. A résumé isn’t just about what you’ve done, but about what you have learned, achieved and produced.

Online portfolio and extracurricular activities can play a role in your résumé
Don’t indulge an inclination to show how social media-savvy you are by providing links to personal pages on YouTube or Facebook, because they are just that – personal. A more professional tool is to have a link to an online portfolio that has visual presence with well-written sections about your accomplishments, career highlights and leadership and work style. Or direct people to your professional biography on LinkedIn or BrightFuse.

At the same time, your extracurricular activities or community service may tell something about the skills you bring to the job. If they show qualities such as organizational ability, leadership potential and creative thinking, list them along with work and educational history to show how you use your talents outside the workplace.

There’s never a good reason to lie on your résumé, and any overstatement of job history or academic achievements can easily tarnish your credibility. Routine background checks and online research can so easily expose an untruth that the risk simply isn’t worth taking when your integrity is at stake.

The progress you’ve made in your career shows a prospective employer the kind of direction your work experience has taken. This may be especially necessary for those moving into a new industry, where transferable skills are particularly important. Showing how your job skills are relevant to the requirements of a company’s industry, as well as the company itself, is one way to portray yourself as the solution seeker they are looking to hire.

Time and time again, studies indicate that cover letters are read in less than 60 seconds. That’s all the time it takes for most recruiters and employers to decide whether or not you’re a candidate worth interviewing.

To progress beyond this point, you have to be savvy about what’s in your cover letter and how you present it. But how do you do that?

Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark, co-authors of “Cover Letter Magic” and two of the nation’s most reputable career coaches, offer the tips you need to write a cover letter that generates great results. Below are some of the most common questions they hear from clients, as well as their responses to them.

Q. How long should my cover letter be?
A. Generally, cover letters should be one page in length. This is true for approximately 90 percent of all cover letters.

There may be instances, however, when one page is not enough. If you believe that the information you are including in your letter is essential information that is not communicated in your résumé, go ahead and prepare a two-page letter. But be sure that everything you’ve included is vital to favorably presenting yourself to a company or recruiter.

Two-page letters are most frequently used by the following types of job seekers: career changers, industry changers, senior executives, scientists and technologists, people seeking government jobs and people seeking university and academic appointments.

Q. Should I include salary information in my cover letter?
A. It depends. We are of two minds. We offer dual recommendations in two situations but agree with one another on the other two situations. See which rationale seems right to you.

If you are responding to an advertisement that has requested your salary history or salary requirements:

· Supply the information. If you do not provide this information when requested, certain companies and recruiters will not look at your materials.

· Don’t supply the information. Repeated surveys show that nearly 100 percent of readers said they will look at your résumé and call you for an interview even if your salary information is not included. Why give them ammunition to screen you out?

If a personal contact or source you’ve uncovered during your search has requested your résumé and salary information:

· Supply the information. To do otherwise would seem unresponsive and impolite.

· Consider addressing the issue without providing numbers that can be detrimental in a future salary negotiation. Say something such as, “I’d be glad to discuss salary when we meet, once I learn more about the position and you have the chance to assess my fit for your needs.”

When contacting companies either as a cold call or in response to an ad where salary information has not been requested:

· Do not supply the information. It is much better to have this conversation in person rather than on paper. Always try to defer any discussion of salary until you have been offered the position.

When writing “cold” to recruiters:

· Always offer salary information. It helps them determine your “proper fit” within a hiring organization. A recruiter will not work with you without knowing whether you match the requirements (including salary) for the specific position she is attempting to fill.

Q. Should I follow up a faxed or e-mailed résumé?
A. We recommend that you do not mail a hard copy if you have already transmitted your information electronically. Electronic communication is now a totally acceptable method of communication in virtually any business, industry and market sector. The only time you should follow up with hard copy is when it has been requested.

Q. What if I don’t know the addressee’s name?
A. It’s a personal choice. Take a look at the following possible salutations:

· Dear Sir/Madam. All-purpose and inoffensive, although it might be perceived as stodgy and old-fashioned.

· To Whom It May Concern. Another standard; has the downside of being impersonal and old-fashioned.

· Dear Hiring Executive (or Hiring Committee). Formal, but appropriate.

· Dear Human Resources (or Human Resources Representative). Acceptable only if you’re writing to a “blind ad” that lists only a P.O. box and you cannot call to get a specific individual’s name.

· Dear Hiring Authority. Acceptable only if, despite your best efforts, you have been unable to uncover the name of the non-HR person to whom you’re sending your résumé.

· Good Morning (or Good Day). A bit more up-to-date, but it reminds us of junk-mail greetings that try (unsuccessfully) to be personal.

· Re: Job Title You’re Applying For (leaving off a specific salutation). A useful method for replying to want ads, when you truly don’t know to whom you are sending your résumé. We think it’s preferable to the “Dear Human Resources” greeting.

· No Salutation (begin your letter immediately after the inside address). Again, perfectly acceptable for want-ad replies. Might be considered an improvement over old-fashioned, nonspecific greetings.

Q. What if I’m unsure of the addressee’s gender?
A. Simple answer: Dear R. Smith (assuming that “R. Smith” is the contact name listed in the ad). But do make an effort to find out the person’s gender so you can address your letter to “Dear Mr.” or “Dear Ms.”

Q. Do I need to mention why I’m in the job market?
A. It depends. There’s certainly no requirement that you do so, but if your reason is particularly legitimate (such as a plant closing or a management change due to the successful initial public offering you were instrumental in negotiating), you might send a positive message by mentioning this information. In any event, be prepared for the question, “Why are you leaving your current job?” or “Why are you looking?” to come up early in your search. Practice a concise, positive and believable response. Never badmouth your company, boss or co-workers.

Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST’s Job Search and Career Blog (http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/). Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne.

Nearly one-in-four human resources managers said they receive, on average, more than 75 résumés for each open position, according to a nationwide survey by Careerbuilder.com.

When a job posting’s response is that overwhelming, human resource managers often struggle to distinguish one candidate from another — particularly since most of them spend only a minute or two assessing each candidate’s résumé. That’s why job seekers have to be savvy about their résumé’s content and presentation.

Unfortunately, even the most talented, qualified candidates sometimes write weak résumés. Whether they’re in a hurry, lack writing skills or are unsure how to market themselves to employers, they fail to score interviews because their résumés don’t immediately demonstrate what return on investment they offer employers.

To sidestep this dilemma, consider Susan Britton Whitcomb’s 10 tips for writing great résumé copy, excerpted from her book, “Résumé Magic”:

1. Know your audience before you begin to write. What skills and competencies are they looking for? What knowledge do they require? What trends are they capitalizing on? What opportunities are they interested in tapping? What problems do they need fixed? What projects can you help them move forward?

2. Pack your résumé with keywords — those words that describe your title, knowledge base, skill set, impressive “name-brand” companies or Fortune 500 employers, prestigious universities attended, degrees, licensing, software experience, affiliations and so on.

3. Find keywords by reviewing relevant job postings online or detailed classified ads in newspapers, reading job descriptions or content at your target companies’ Web sites, reading your association’s newsletter or trade journals, conducting informational interviews with industry contacts and so on.

4. Position critical information at the “visual center” of the page. Weave keywords throughout your Qualifications Summary and Professional Experience sections, as well as in your cover letter. Create a Keyword Summary section for electronic versions of your résumé.

5. Resist the temptation to outsmart applicant-screening software by, for instance, planting the keyword “project manager” nine times throughout the résumé when you might have minimal experience as a project manager.

6. When writing job descriptions, try to keep your paragraph to around five lines. Summarize any redundant statements and present the material with an emphasis on transferable skills. Always highlight your accomplishments.

7. If you’re writing a functional or skills-based résumé, focus on three to five skill areas and lean toward occupational skills (such as event planning, marketing or project coordination) instead of personal skills (such as analytical skills, problem-solving skills or organizational talents) for category subheadings. After you have selected your subheadings, develop two to five sentences, along with specific accomplishments that encapsulate your range of experience for each subheading.

8. New graduates with limited professional experience will normally place their Education section near the top of the résumé, after the Objective/Focus or Qualifications Summary.

9. For categories such as affiliations, publications, presentations or awards and honors, consider presenting information in a bulleted list or two-column format to save space and add visual appeal.

10. Think like an advertising copywriter: Be concise, but give enough data to create interest and a desire to meet you.

Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST’s Job Search and Career Blog (http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/). Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne.

Everybody knows that in most situations, less is more — your accessories, eating habits and especially your résumé.

Job seekers do themselves a disservice when they send out résumés with too much information. Employers don’t have the time or the patience to sift through irrelevant information like your hobbies, interests or how many grandchildren you have. Just stick to the basics and you’re good to go.

Here are 10 things to leave off your résumé and why:

1. Your picture
Why to leave it off: Unless a job posting specifically asks for your picture (very few jobs will), don’t include it just for fun. Not only are your looks irrelevant to your potential as an employee, but you’re putting employers in a bad spot. If they have a picture of you and choose not to hire you, it’s possible that you could come back with a discrimination lawsuit. In most cases, they’ll throw your résumé away without looking at it, to avoid the issue altogether.

2. Interest and hobbies
Why to leave them off: Unless your interests and hobbies have something to do with the job you’re applying for, there’s no reason to include them. If you want to show how your passion for art would be asset to a graphic design position, that’s one thing. But telling employer that you love to skydive on an actuary application is another. In general, make any applicable connections between your hobbies and the job in your cover letter. Better yet, save them for the interview when you’re asked what you like to do outside of work.

3. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors
Why to leave them off: Most employers assume that if you’re OK with sending out a résumé littered with typos and mistakes, you’ll have the same lack of concern for the work you do as an employee at their company. While spell check picks up most errors, it can miss something major (did you work the late night shift? Or did you forget to include the “f” between “i” and “t”?), so have several eyes look over your résumé before sending it out to employers.

4. Personal attributes
Why to leave them off: Similar to sending in a picture with your résumé, your height, weight, age, race or religion are all unimportant to an employer. Though it’s illegal for employers to discriminate against applicants because of any of these factors, some will do so, regardless. Keep everything on your résumé pertinent to the job, and you’ll be fine.

5. References
Why to leave them off: Many job seekers still include references on their résumé or they include a line that says, “References available upon request.” This tactic is not as effective as it used to be. Jack Harsh, adjunct professor at the University of Richmond Robins School of Business, says that when he receives a résumé with references attached, he gives them virtually no weight. “They seldom are specific to the role my company seeks and are not meaningful in considering qualifications or traits of successful candidates,” he says. Wait to broach the topic of references until you’re asked for them.

6. Minute details
Why to leave them off: Hiring managers don’t need to know the details of every task you’ve ever done in every job you’ve ever had. It’s just too much information, and most of the time, half of that information isn’t relevant. Employers want to be able to see at first glance that you’re a great candidate, so pick out those details that are most relevant to the job for which you’re applying and omit the rest.

7. False information
Why to leave it off: Plain and simple, no one wants to hire a liar. Don’t say that you have a master’s degree if you’ve only earned your bachelor’s; don’t say you’re presently employed at a company if you’ve recently been fired; don’t list your salary history as 20 percent higher than it was. Everything you tell an employer can be verified, so play it safe and be honest.

8. Flair
Why to leave it off: No one wants to look at a résumé on fluorescent paper, covered in crazy fonts and symbols. Similarly, links to personal Web sites, your photo-sharing site, or strange e-mail addresses can also be left off. Employers are less likely to respond to likes2party@email.com than just DMiller@email.com.

9. Negativity
Why to leave it off: Never put anything negative on your résumé. Don’t include your reasons for leaving. If you left the position due to a layoff or you were fired, for example, bring it up only if asked. Never write anything bad about a previous employer. Don’t explain gaps on your résumé by stating that you were in prison for 10 years for killing your husband. Keep your résumé all positive, all the time.

10. A selfish objective
Why to leave it off: Employers are trying to determine whether you’re a good fit for their organizations, so everything on your résumé should point to your experience. Employers would rather see a summary of qualifications that displays your accomplishments and background than a generic objective statement like “To gain experience in…”

Get the latest job search advice and news on The Work Buzz, CareerBuilder’s job seeker blog. Follow CareerBuilder on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CBforjobseekers.

“Out with the old, in with the new,” isn’t that what they always say? The same thing applies to your résumé. Chances are you applied for hundreds of jobs in 2009, only to be ignored or rejected. That means that something has to change.

Last year, 25 percent of employers said that on average, they received more than 75 résumés for each open position; 42 percent received more than 50 résumés. In addition, 38 percent of employers last year said they spent one to two minutes reviewing a new résumé and 17 percent spent less than one minute, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.

“Human resources managers serve on the front lines of a company’s recruitment efforts and are often the gatekeepers of the interview process. Because they can receive a large volume of applications, you may only have a matter of seconds to make a lasting impression,” says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. “You should always have a current résumé and portfolio ready to go, because you never know what the next day will bring, whether it’s a weak or healthy economy.”

You want employers to see you differently this year. Here are 10 ways to get your résumé noticed in 2010:

1. Start from scratch
A new year means a new résumé. Even though it might not sound like fun to rewrite your whole résumé (it probably won’t be), give it a try. Obviously, if you didn’t get any bites last year, something was a little off with your current résumé. Rearrange some sections, try a different format and use a different font. Just switch things up a little bit and see what happens.

2. Use a different format
Many job seekers don’t realize that there are different formats to use when writing a résumé. The most common form is chronological, which lists each job you’ve had in reverse sequential order, so you start with your most recent job. This form doesn’t work for all people, though. For example, if you’ve done a lot of job hopping in recent years or if you haven’t had a job in a long time, a functional résumé is a better option.

A functional résumé focuses on your skills versus your work experience. For this, you would list a pertinent skill for the job to which you’re applying, followed by a list of accomplishments that demonstrate that skill. If you don’t have relevant skills or a strong work history, you could use a combination résumé, which combines elements of both a functional and a chronological format.

For a combination résumé, you should list your applicable skills and the accomplishments that demonstrate each one. Below that, you’ll list your work history, starting with your most current job and working backward, but you won’t list your job description. Doing this allows you the chance to play up your skills while proving your solid work history.

3. Ditch the empty words and vague phrases
Many job seekers fall prey to a common mistake that irks most employers: using cliché keywords. In a 2009 CareerBuilder survey, employers cited these common phrases as overused and often ignored by hiring managers:

• People person: 39 percent
• Go-getter: 38 percent
• Team player: 33 percent
• Hard-working: 29 percent
• Multitasker: 28 percent
• Self-starter: 27 percent
• Results- or goal-oriented: 22 percent

These words are just empty fillers that don’t say anything about your achievements. For an accountant position, for example, keywords might include “accounts payable” or “month-end reporting” — words that actually say something about what you can do. Look over your résumé and find where you have listed generic qualities about yourself and replace them with keywords that match the job to which you are applying.

4. Make your achievements stand out
Many job seekers list their job duties on their résumés, but not their accomplishments. Although your past duties are important, employers care more about your ability to produce results. Try separating your daily functions from your achievements by first listing your job duties in a paragraph format, and then incorporating a bulleted area below that is titled “key accomplishments” to list your successes.

5. Quantify your accomplishments
Applicants often don’t know the difference between quantifying results and just stating a job responsibility. A job responsibility is something that you do on a daily basis; a quantified achievement is the result of that responsibility. By quantifying results, you show employers what you can actually do for them. So, if your current résumé is a block of words and you don’t have one number in there, whether it’s dollars, percentages or comparative numbers, you need to make some revisions.

6. Include a summary or objective
Including a summary on your résumé is one of those steps that many job seekers forget to take — and if they do remember, they usually include the wrong information. Employers want to know if you’re a good fit for their organization, so writing something like, “To gain experience in X industry,” doesn’t say much about you or what you can do for the employer. Your career summary should portray your experience and emphasize how it will help the prospective employer. It should be specific and include explicit industry-related functions, quantifiable achievements or your areas of expertise.

7. Fill in the gaps
Most people will tell you to wait to explain any gaps in your work history until you get to the interview. But there’s a good chance that you won’t get that opportunity if there are gaps in the first place. If, for example, you were laid off at the beginning of 2008 and are still unemployed, try using the functional résumé format we explained earlier. Or, if you feel comfortable doing so, explain what you were doing during lapses between jobs. The employer will know you aren’t trying to hide a sketchy past.

8. Keep it simple
How many times do we have to tell you? Do not, by any means, format your résumé with crazy fonts or colors or print it on fluorescent paper. Find an uncommon, yet attractive and simple layout to catch the employer’s eye, instead of his wastebasket.

9. Double-check for the basics
Silly as it sounds, many people get so caught up in formatting and proofreading that they don’t check for the most basic information, such as an e-mail address, phone number and permanent address. Double-check that your résumé has this information — none of your hard work will pay off if no one can get ahold of you.

10. Check for consistency
Take a look over last year’s résumé and make sure there are no inconsistencies. If you decide to include periods at the end of your sentences, for example, make sure they are at the end of each one. If you chose to list your job duties, followed by an accomplishment in that duty, make sure you do so throughout your résumé. Use consistent fonts, sizes, bullets and other formatting options. Employers will notice your attention to detail and assume your work quality is of the same standard.

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.

10 tips for providing recommendations

The importance of references seems to be a hot topic these days. Employers want to make sure they are hiring the right person for the job; but some thwart the process because checking references can be labor-intensive. On the other hand, job seekers provide references they know will give a glowing report, but employers are getting smarter and finding references you didn’t provide.

So, what’s the deal? Do references matter? Do employers even check them anymore? What’s the protocol for providing them to a potential employer? Who are the best people to include as references? And, if an employer doesn’t call any of your references, is it a bad sign?

While the definitive answer to any of these questions depends on the employer, overall, yes, references do still matter. The process has just changed.

“References play a huge role in the hiring process, perhaps now more than ever,” says Heather R. Huhman, founder and president of Come Recommended, an online community that connects internship and entry-level job candidates with employers. “Oftentimes, hiring managers fall in love with a candidate on paper and then again in an interview, only to find out through a reference check that none of their previous employers would ever hire them again. By checking a candidate’s references, hiring managers save themselves the frustration of hiring a person who is not a good fit for a company. In this economy, where hiring budgets are slim, every hire must be a great fit.”

Provided references are no guarantee

Though the majority of employers do check references, others skip this step. Not only is it labor-intensive to check references for people who might not be poised for a job offer, but Jack Harsh, adjunct professor at the University of Richmond Robins School of Business, says that many employers worry about the risk of liability in rejecting a candidate based on poor references.

“[Hiring] decisions cannot be based on information that is discriminatory in nature, so to avoid any liability, the checks are forgone,” Harsh says. “Sadly, the first reference the employer gets in such cases is from colleagues after employment has begun.”

Steve Langerud, director of career development at Depauw University, adds that sometimes, the quality of references is benign.

“Everyone wants to be helpful and supportive to former employees, but in the end, they offer little substance to a new employer,” he says. “Legally, they are limited by what they can or want to say about former employees. I think the old formal system of references is dead in most professional fields.”

Langerud warns that just because an employer isn’t checking personal references the traditional way doesn’t mean he isn’t checking references at all.

“Employers are more likely to check the informal, but tangible, behavioral reference sources like LinkedIn, Facebook, credit history [or] criminal history than the more subjective references provided by candidates,” he says. “Candidates should be much more intentional about crafting a professional identity that serves the role of a ‘reference’ but within the context of the work, profession and colleagues you seek to engage. It eliminates the weaknesses inherent in the old style of references that become so watered down they are useless.”

Making the right choices

The last thing you want to do is give an employer useless references, but many job seekers make the mistake of not taking the time to thoughtfully choose the right people to speak on their behalf, says Elaine Varelas, managing partner for Keystone Partners, an outplacement and talent management consulting firm.

“You want people who can speak to your role as a professional, not as a nice neighbor,” Varelas says. “Candidates can make their references count by prepping them to discuss their specific skills as they relate to the job and the impact they brought to the job, which can be just the differentiation needed in this highly competitive market.”

Harsh agrees that when he receives a résumé with references attached, he gives them virtually no weight.

“They seldom are specific to the role my company seeks and are not meaningful in considering qualifications or traits of successful candidate,” he says.

Finally, when it comes to protocol for submitting references, the process has changed as well. It used to be that applicants sent them in with their other application materials, but now, Varelas says, you should wait to provide references until you are asked.

“Most companies do not want your references until the end of the process and they will let you know when to provide a list of names and contact information. Do not send written references,” she says. “These do not offer the highest impact as they are not specific on how you will fit into the job you are pursuing. It is better to spend your time preparing your references for the kinds of questions they will be asked, and what they can do to help you close an offer.”

Helpful hints

Harsh, Varelas and Langerud offer these 10 tips to ensure you do everything right when it comes to providing references:

1. Include references only when requested by an employer.

2. Carefully consider whom to provide after discussion with the prospective employer. The time to check references is before an offer is made, but after the candidate is either the final candidate or among the final few for the job.

3. Seek references from people who actually know you and your work. Ask for permission to list them as a reference.

4. Ask directly if they can provide you with a positive reference for the position(s) you are seeking. If they hesitate, move on!

5. Prepare your references about who will be calling them and what to focus on when talking about you. Always ask them to call you after they have been called.

6. Prepare your references to speak consistently about your skills, but not identically. Suggest a different highlight for each person. Have 100 percent confidence in what they will say and how they speak about you, or cross them off the list.

7. Provide accurate contact information about your references, and ask your references how they prefer to be contacted (e-mail, phone, etc.).

8. Let your references know what happens to you and the position(s) you applied for. Thank your references.

9. Prepare a LinkedIn site to demonstrate your skills and interests.

10. Participate in professional blogs to create a history of professional involvement in your field that is independent of your work history.

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.

One common complaint among job seekers is that they go on interview after interview and never receive a job offer. If you fit into this category, consider the possibility that you might be unknowingly sabotaging yourself by offering a weak interview performance.

Below are typical interview scenarios, common job-seeker mistakes and the best way to manage each situation.

Scenario No. 1: The interviewer came out swinging, asking tough but appropriate questions regarding a professional hiccup: your employment gap and job-hopping image. The question either left you stuttering with an incoherent message or sounding defensive because you were confrontational.
What you should have said: When the interviewer read your résumé, she knew about your job- search challenge and invited you in for an interview. As such, your hiccup wasn’t a deal breaker, but a negative response could be one. Explain your situation without getting emotional or hotheaded by saying, “In the past I made the mistake of accepting a position based on salary alone. That mindset led to hopping from one job to another, because I was never completely satisfied. Now, I’m looking to work for a company where I’m compensated well and the company values complement mine.”

Scenario No. 2: The interviewer asked, “Why should I hire you?” You listed strengths that align with the open position. Although there’s nothing technically wrong with your response, you could have taken your answer a step further.
What you should have said: “That’s a fair question. Instead of providing a canned response, I’d like to participate in an audition interview so you can see my work ethic firsthand.” An audition interview is when you perform the tasks of the position as though you were hired. This way, the hiring manager can see your performance before extending an official job offer.

Scenario No. 3: “Why are you looking to leave your existing position?” is another typical question, one that you were expecting but weren’t quite sure how to address. Your motive is grounded in bad feelings, and you blurt out, “My boss is out to get me. I’m tired of being looked over for promotions.”
What you should have said: Honesty is always the best policy when answering interview questions. There is a difference, however, between shooting yourself in the foot and providing a straightforward response. If you’re leaving a position because of office politics, the interviewer doesn’t need to know the specifics. As a result, a neutral response such as, “I’ve advanced as far as I can with ABC Co. So I’m looking for a position where I can manage a larger territory and bring in lucrative accounts,” works well because it’s truthful without oversharing.

Scenario No. 4: Since the average person searches for a new job about every two years, the interviewer wanted to know how long you planned to stay with the company if hired. Not sure how to respond, you said, “Until retirement.” At first blush, the response sounds like a good one, because you’re making a commitment to the hiring organization. But the response comes off as brown-nosing and not entirely believable in today’s environment.
What you should have said: Show your ambition alongside your dedication by saying, “I plan on staying on board as long as I’m contributing to the department and growing professionally.”

Scenario No. 5: You committed an interview misstep by arriving late. Nervous, you rambled with a long excuse, bringing prolonged attention to your blunder.
What you should have said: Apologize and move on quickly. Extend your hands and say, “My apologies for my late arrival. I’m enthusiastic about the position and am looking forward to discussing how my accomplishments support the open requirements.”

Scenario No. 6: Toward the end of the interview, you were given an opportunity to raise questions. You asked typical questions, such as, “How soon do you expect to make a decision?” but stopped short of asking for the job outright.
What you should have said: “Based on today’s conversation, do you have any reservations about extending me a job offer? If the interviewer provides a reason for hesitation, resell your qualifications. If the interviewer says “no,” respond with, “I’m interested in the position. Can I have the job?” You’ll be surprised that many will hire you contingent on a referral check.

Scenario No. 7: At one point during the interview you were asked about your salary requirements. Based on advice you read over and over again, you throw back the question by asking, “What’s the budget for the position?” Unfortunately, you did this one too many times, and the interviewer became irritated.
What you should have said: It’s acceptable to avoid answering the salary question one or two times, but answer the question when asked a third time. You can provide a range by saying, “Based on the responsibilities of the job and my proven success in driving profits, I’m looking for compensation within the $60,000 to $75,000 range.”

With the right responses, you can turn those awkward interview situations around and land the job you want.

Linda Matias, JCTC, CIC, NCRW, is the author of the new book “201 Knockout Answers to Tough Interview Questions: The Ultimate Guide to Handling the New Competency-Based Interview Style” (Amacom 2009). As the president of CareerStrides, a career consulting firm, Matias coaches clients on effective interview techniques. For additional information visit: www.careerstrides.com.

Overcoming unemployment during a job market drought can present quite the dilemma, all on its own. It can be particularly problematic, however, for job seekers without a college degree or with a questionable work history, for instance. Barriers such as these are all it takes in today’s highly competitive job market to screen job seekers out of consideration for a job before they’ve ever scored an interview.

That’s why it’s imperative that job seekers be aware of their job-hunt barriers and know how to downplay them on their résumé.

“Remember, your résumé is a marketing document in which you select the mix of information that will sell you to your next employer. You’re not required to reveal every wrinkle in your background or bend over backwards to make sure a potential employer knows about your areas of weakness,” says Louise Kursmark, author of “Sales & Marketing Résumés for $100,000 Careers, Third Edition.” “Don’t lie, but approach these challenges with creativity and a focus on the employer’s needs and interests rather than on any problems you perceive in your own background.”

To handle common job hunt dilemmas, Kursmark offers the following résumé tips:

Dilemma No. 1: I’m afraid the employer will think I’m too old.
Economic woes have prompted many older workers to defer retirement or seek lower-level jobs than the ones they previously held. Job seekers in such situations often worry they’ll be screened out immediately because employers will think they’re too old for the job. Job seekers who want to avoid broadcasting their age on their résumé should consider Kursmark’s following tips:

· Eliminate dates of college graduation.

· Avoid any dates in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s.

· Truncate your experience by leaving off early jobs (disguising perhaps five to 15 years).

· Provide 10 to 20 years of experience, with dates, and then summarize prior experience under a subheading such as “Experience before 1990″ or “Prior Professional Experience.”

Dilemma No. 2: I don’t have a college degree.
Certainly, a college degree gives job seekers an advantage. It’s important to remember, though, that it’s not the be-all and end-all. The key is to emphasize work history, skills and confidence and downplay lack of a degree. According to Kursmark, job seekers without a degree may want to:

· Eliminate the education section of their résumé altogether.

· Head up the section with “Professional Development” or another title that doesn’t call attention to an education credential.

Remember that some college is usually viewed more positively than no college. If you’ve taken some college courses, here are, according to Kursmark a few options for addressing your education on your résumé*:

· UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA — Studies in Business and Economics (full-time 3 years).

· COLORADO COLLEGE OF MINES — Completed 50% of requirements toward Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

· Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Conn.; Quinnipiac College, Hamden, Conn. – Coursework in Business, Marketing and Economics, 1997–2000.

Dilemma No. 3: I’m worried employers will suspect I’m a job hopper.
The term “job hopper” describes an individual who has been employed in a series of short-term stints with a handful of employers. Instances of job-hopping tend to make employers doubt everything from the candidate’s behavior on the job to their ability to make a long-haul commitment to an employer. In today’s highly competitive job market, these doubts are all it takes to prompt an employer to reject a job seeker before he or she has ever scored an interview.
Kursmark suggests the following tips for presenting a more positive appearance:

· Consider eliminating one or more of your jobs, provided that doing so does not leave a gap that will provoke immediate questioning, thereby spotlighting the very thing you want to downplay.

· If circumstances beyond your control contributed to your short tenure, consider adding a brief explanation along the lines of “Merger with Megacorp eliminated all regional sales offices in spring 2009,” or “Sales unit dissolved when software was discovered to be unready for market.” Generally, Kursmark advises against explaining or excusing in a résumé, but says that sometimes brief statements such as these can immediately overcome a negative reaction.

· Concentrate on finding job opportunities through networking, where a personal referral can get you in the door, and you can then wow the interviewer with your capabilities and provide a rationale for the short tenure of your recent jobs.

Dilemma No. 4: I performed poorly in my last job.
For job seekers who made a complete mess of their previous job, or simply weren’t in it long enough to make an impact, creating a powerful résumé may seem impossible. To sidestep this dilemma, Kursmark encourages job seekers to skip their excuses and try to find one or two success stories, and include them without a great deal of elaboration. For instance: “Only sales representative to secure multiple agreements for the company’s primary sales strategy, a 3-month in-store trial” or “Successfully maintained sales volume in a flat industry and market.”

Point out what you did accomplish and learn. For instance: “Laid the groundwork for a successful career in real-estate sales through intensive prospecting and community relationship-building.” Don’t mention that you didn’t sell a single piece of property.

Another example: “Developed regional marketing strategy to improve brand recognition and increase market share by 10 percentage points.” Kursmark asks, “Why broadcast that your plan was rejected by the senior VP? The accomplishment you’re claiming is the development of the plan, a valuable management skill.”

Kursmark reminds job seekers that problematic issues may come back to haunt them after the initial résumé screening. “You must be prepared to answer questions about such situations on the first phone screen. Be sure to practice your explanations so that they are concise, non-defensive and as positive as possible,” she says.

*Excerpted from “Sales and Marketing Résumés for $100,000 Careers, Third Edition” by Louise Kursmark.

Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST’s Job Search and Career Blog (http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/).

By Rachel Zupek, PrimeCB.com writer

Many job seekers today will tell you that the most frustrating part of the job search is after they hit “send” and their résumés are sent out into application oblivion — never to be seen again.

It’s the common perception of the résumé black hole — a place where, instead of stars and planets, résumés and cover letters are just floating around, waiting to get sucked back to Earth and into a hiring manager’s hands.

Matthew McMahon, partner at McMahon Partners LLC, an executive search firm, says the ease of online job boards is a double-edged sword for candidates. While they can see what’s available and apply to what interests them, the little time and monetary cost also causes them to apply to anything and everything.

“The resulting volume ensures that some candidates might be lost in the shuffle. If a recruiter posts an attractive job, she might get a few hundred responses. There’s a chance that the recruiter won’t get through every response,” McMahon says.

So what happens to your application materials when you apply for a job online? Who sees your résumé? Better yet, who doesn’t? Why can’t someone acknowledge your application? And, most importantly, what can you do to ensure that your résumé doesn’t fall into cyberspace?

McMahon and Caitrin O’Sullivan, public relations coordinator at iCIMS, a leading software-as-a-service provider, answer all of your burning résumé black-hole questions.

Does a black hole really exist?
McMahon: It depends entirely on the company. The main culprits, in my opinion, are volume and the abilities of the people who read your résumé. Usually the résumé goes to a gatekeeper of some sort, typically someone within HR. If the gatekeeper is experienced with the field for which she is recruiting, she’ll have an idea what she is looking for. The danger in this process, however, exists when one person has to screen résumés for too many departments. There just isn’t a way for that person to speak every language they need to. That person will usually rely solely on keywords and will miss things.

For example, we had a client that had a fully-automated applicant tracking system. Candidates would submit a résumé to a posting and the ATS would import it automatically to the database. Internal recruiters would then mine the database against current openings using keyword searches. What that meant, ultimately, was that there was no guarantee that submitted résumés would be viewed by a human at any point.

Where do résumés go after I hit send?
O’Sullivan: Large, enterprise-sized organizations may be receiving hundreds of applications per day, which virtually no one could manually acknowledge one by one with individualized e-mails. There is a plethora of applicant tracking systems available today. The majority of these ATS come equipped with comprehensive candidate relationship management tools. These CRM tools enable automated messages to be sent to all candidates alerting them of their status within the review process and also acknowledging receipt of the application or résumé. This eliminates the “black-hole effect” of the job seeking process. Assuming an organization is leveraging an ATS, a candidate’s résumé and job application should automatically be stored in a central database with an individual candidate profile.

Please describe an ATS system
O’Sullivan: An applicant tracking system is a software application designed to help organizations recruit employees more efficiently. Its primary function is to automate and streamline the recruitment process. It can also be leveraged for such tasks as posting job openings to corporate Web sites and job boards, screening and ranking résumés, or generating mass communication, such as rejection notices or interview requests to candidates. ATS also provides the ability to track applicant statuses per job and enables users to streamline and automate application tracking with online employment applications, electronic candidate and recruiting forms, and configurable applicant flow reports and metrics.

Résumés that are “accepted” through an ATS go into the same place as résumés that are rejected; it’s just that different actions are taken on them. Résumés that do not meet requirements are denoted as part of the group that will receive rejection letters; applicants that are deemed an appropriate fit will be designated to a group that will receive an automated message alerting them of their status and scheduling a forward looking appointment, whether it is phone, first or second round interviews. Many organizations even go directly to these résumés that were at one point rejected to fill other positions at the organization that might be a better match.

Why don’t hiring managers and recruiters let applicants know their application was received?
O’Sullivan: If an organization, especially a medium or large one, were not leveraging an applicant tracking system, it’s difficult for job seekers to understand the magnitude of applications flooding recruiters/HR managers’ desks, especially during a period of high unemployment. Just visually scanning through all of these résumés can take hours upon hours of manpower. To have to communicate with every one of those applicants on top of that would be a truly formidable task.

What are five ways a job seeker can avoid the “black hole”?
1. Don’t apply to jobs for which you are not qualified and don’t send résumés to the same recruiter over and over again. “Recruiters are doing this for their livelihood. If they have your résumé and think that there is a chance that you’ll get hired for one of their jobs, they’ll respond — usually right away,” McMahon says.

2. Customize your résumé. “Read the description and take your best guess at what the employer is seeking. Move relevant experience to the top of each section of your résumé. Use clear language that mirrors the language in the ‘qualifications’ section of the posting,” McMahon says.

3. Use your cover e-mail to address obvious disqualifiers. “Make it hard for the screener to disregard you. If you’re in Florida and the job is in Alaska, mention that you went to school in Alaska and yearn to return,” McMahon says. “Better yet, put the address of your aunt in Juneau on the résumé and mention that you are moving there in three weeks.”

4. Keywords, keywords, keywords. “We can’t say this enough. You have to tailor your résumé to each job description. Using the same keywords and phrases used in a job description, and repeating them as frequently as possible in your résumé — while remaining logical — will make the ATS rank you as a higher and better match for this job,” O’Sullivan says. “Many ATS weigh more heavily when those keywords appear at the top of your résumé, because it indicates you’re currently or very recently enacting those key terms.”

5. Keep it simple. “Don’t include graphics, logos or pictures. Also, don’t try to get fancy with text boxes, headers or footers. While résumé-parsing tools are a great resource and save hours upon hours of manual data entry, they can’t always parse text boxes, headers or footers with 100 percent accuracy,” O’Sullivan says. “It’s best to avoid the risk and leave out these features altogether. Furthermore, almost all ATS will strip down résumés into their most basic format, text only. So don’t stress over font or color — it ultimately doesn’t matter.”

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.

By now you’ve heard several times that the job market is competitive and it’s more important than ever that you stand out to employers through your cover letter and résumé.

Well, you’re about to hear it again.

“While it is always important to have a remarkable résumé, a bad economy makes it even more important,” says Kathy Sweeney, a certified résumé writer for The Write Résumé. “With this situation in mind, it is more important than ever to communicate the value you bring to a potential employer.”

Here are a few pearls of wisdom: Communicating your value to an employer is not done by crowding your résumé with words like ‘results driven’ or ‘motivated.’ It won’t be done by listing what you think is an impressive list of job duties, and it sure as heck won’t be done by sending out one standard to résumé for every application. No, in fact, none of these mistakes will help pave your way for an interview, but you can bet they will aid in digging your own career grave.

So what is the easiest way to grab an employer’s attention? Simple: Spell things out for them.

“The primary function of a résumé is to get a candidate noticed in an effort to gain interviews,” Sweeney says. “It is a marketing document, in which a candidate sells his or her value to the employer. If the meat of the résumé is simply job duties, it will not do the job.”

If you need help creating your high-definition résumé, here are five common résumé errors you might be making, and how you can make things crystal clear for employers:

1. You aren’t quantifying results
Applicants often don’t know the difference between quantifying results and just stating a job responsibility. A job responsibility is something that you do on a daily basis and a quantified achievement is the result of that responsibility, Sweeney says.

“In this tight economy, employers want to know whether you can make or save them money,” Sweeney says. “By quantifying results, you show the next employer the results you have been able to obtain, either in dollar figures or percentages.”

Try taking anything you do in your position and attaching a number to it where possible. Say you developed a time-saving process or procedure, completed a project 10 days ahead of schedule or recommended a way to cut back costs, Sweeney says. All of these equal saved time and money for an employer.

2. You didn’t include keywords
We hear a lot about using keywords in our résumés and letters, but many job seekers just don’t get it. They don’t know what they are, where to find them or how to include them on their application materials.

Keywords are usually found in the job description for an available position. Keywords are not ‘team player’ or ‘good communication skills,’ Sweeney says. Keywords are specific to the position. For an accountant, for example, keywords might include ‘accounts payable,’ ‘accounts receivable‘ or ‘month-end reporting.’

“The whole goal from an employer’s perspective is to drill down to the least amount of candidates possible for interviewing purposes,” Sweeney says. “Keywords are utilized to trim down applicants to the most qualified candidates.”

3. You buried your achievements
Say you did list some accomplishments on your résumé, but they are mixed in there with your job duties. What good is that going to do you?

“If a candidate buries his achievement in a job description, nothing is going to stand out. A job seeker needs to outline what his duties are, as those are what most often match the job posting,” Sweeney says. “On a job posting, you will see duties, for instance, ‘Candidate will be charged with creating relationships with customers and selling XYZ product line.’ Job postings will never say, ‘Must produce at least $5 million per year in revenue.’ It is implied that if you know how to develop relationships properly, the results will be creating sales revenue.”

In order to make your achievements stand out, Sweeney suggests listing the job duties first and then the area for accomplishments as “key accomplishments.”

4. You didn’t include a summary
Including a summary on your résumé is one of those steps that many job seekers forget to take — and if they do remember, they usually include the wrong information. Your career summary should portray your experience and emphasize how it will help the prospective employer, Sweeney says. It should be very specific and include explicit industry-related functions, quantifiable achievements or your areas of expertise.

“You will lose an employer’s attention if this section is too broad,” Sweeney says. “Know the type of position you are targeting and use the keywords that relate to it based upon your background.”

5. Your résumé isn’t targeted
What better way to make things clear for an employer than by targeting your résumé to its company and open positions? If your résumé is generic, it makes the employer have to guess at the type of position you want.

“Human resources do not have time to figure out what a candidate wants to be when he or she grows up,” Sweeney says. “Let an employer know where you fit into their company.”

You should target all areas of your résumé to match what the employer is asking for — if nothing else, change the summary as it will be the first area read by hiring managers, Sweeney says. “Look at what is important in the position posting. Then, tweak your profile and perhaps some of your position descriptions to match how you qualify for the position,” she adds.

Now what?
Now that you’ve got your HD résumé, you need to put it in front of the right pair of eyes. Don’t just post it to a job board and wait for something to happen. Utilize your networks, post on social and professional networking sites and answer questions on industry forums or blogs in a well thought out manner, Sweeney suggests.

“You might have a great résumé, but if no one can find it, it defeats the purpose,” Sweeney says.

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.