Martin Weitzman, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC

(800) 967-3846

resumepro@gmail.com

http://executiveresumewriter.com

A monthly publication of Gilbert Resumes, featuring timely career articles, career websites, and suggestions for today’s job seekers.

You know the type. The people with obnoxious laughs, pushy pitches, and the ability to corner you at industry conferences and talk about themselves continuously for what seems like hours? The ones who clearly mean well, but their lack of etiquette can make you wish you hadn’t even gone?

Here’s a friendly suggestion: Don’t be that person.

Networking is a critical part of any job hunt, yet it’s probably the easiest thing to get wrong. Using living, breathing connections works better than blindly sending out resumes over the Internet, but for many, approaching people they don’t know for help finding or getting a job is uncomfortable and nerve wracking.

Knowing a few etiquette guidelines can help you keep your conduct aboveboard, and perhaps ease a few fears about putting yourself in front of the well-connected.

Have a Solid Introduction

As most know, first impressions count heavily. Make sure your attire, attitude and overall appearance are the best possible before introducing yourself to someone.

If you’re at a networking event, pay close attention to the groups people have formed around the room. Join people who are by themselves, or a group of two or three whose positions provide you with a physical “opening” to jump into the conversation, says Ivan Misner, founder of California-based business networking organization BNI. Introduce yourself by clearly stating your name and making eye contact while you shake their hand, says Carol Goman, a nonverbal communication expert and author of The Silent Language of Leaders. Weak handshakes turn people off, so practice yours with a friend to make sure it’s neither bone-crushing nor wimpy.

If introducing yourself online, remember to follow in-person social etiquette rules. If someone referred you to the person, for example, put the mutual contact’s name in the subject line of the e-mail, says Goman, so there’s an immediate level of recognition. “Email is a cold medium,” she says. “If you can warm it up with something personal, do so.”

Don’t Confuse People with Your Pitch

No one needs to hear your entire work history upon meeting you. If someone asks you to tell them a bit about yourself, your explanation from start to finish shouldn’t take more than 30 to 60 seconds. This is especially true when you’re networking with people who don’t work in your industry. Going into the nitty gritty details of your specific skills and interests in chemical engineering will likely go over the head of someone who works in management consulting or marketing. “Most people begin by reciting their resume in reverse chronological order,” says Jodi Glickman, author of Great on the Job, and founder of the career consultancy by the same name.

“Instead, you should start with what you want to do — your destination — then a brief backstory, and connect the dots between them,” says Glickman. Share what’s relevant, not what’s recent. “The latest thing you’ve been working on might not be related to what you want to do next.”

Don’t Tell a Sob Story

No matter how tough it’s been, you need to paint a positive picture when you’re making new connections. “Potential employers or connections aren’t going to bring on people who are down in the dumps just to make them feel better,” says Glickman. They want people who project a good, can-do attitude, and who will be energetic and excited about the position, she says, not people who are just excited to have a job.

Complaining in general has no place in networking – whether it’s about unemployment, how tough your job is, or how bad your former employer was. “In this economy, people say ‘How’s business?’ and they’ll actually tell you,” says Misner. “It doesn’t do any good to complain about how bad business or the economy is. People hate doing business with people who are grumpy.”

Spend More Time Listening Than Talking

In this case, the old adage is true: People were given two ears and one mouth, and you should use them proportionately. “Just like in the dating world, you should spend more time listening to and understanding the person in front of you than talking about yourself,” says Mark Jeffries, a business communications consultant and author of What’s Up With Your Handshake?. “Once you have truly understood what drives this person, then you can introduce yourself and tell your own stories in a way that best fits their specific needs.”

“Most people think that the really great networkers are extroverts, but extroverts don’t shut up,” says Misner. Talking about yourself is a good way to spread the word about who you are, but listening closely can help you form a deeper relationship with someone.

Avoid Being Socially Inept

There’s a fine line between being friendly and personable and being awkward. You do not want to be the latter.

“Steer clear of talking about things that would make people uncomfortable,” says Glickman. “For example, don’t tell me that you were out of work for six months because you recently had brain surgery, or because you were laid off.” People are going to feel as if they need to pity you, but you don’t want that to be the foundation of a relationship. Being vague about negatives – like saying you’re returning after a six-month medical leave, or after spending some time traveling – is a good way to keep the conversation on a high level.

You should maintain some normal social constructs, such as where you direct your eyes and how closely you stand to people. Looking from someone’s eyes to the middle of their forehead is professional, versus a more social gaze of eyes-to-mouth, says Goman. You should also try to keep an arm’s length away from anyone you’re talking to, says Misner.

Don’t Overstay Your Welcome

Taking up too much of someone’s time is almost as bad as ignoring them entirely.

“It’s imperative that you understand when your time is up,” says Jeffries. “You win in the social world if you ‘release people first,’ so if you see a slow crossing of the arms, an increase in the amount of time they’re looking over your shoulder, or a sudden obsession with the word ‘anyway,’ they are giving you not-so-subtle hints that they’d like to move on.”

Have a few “graceful exits” ready, says Goman. Examples: “It was a pleasure meeting you! There are a couple of other people here who I said I’d get it touch with while I’m here,” or “Is there anyone here I can introduce you to?” If you’re still lost, there’s always the standby “I’m going to run to grab another drink.”

Hand out Your Business Card, Not Your Resume

It’s not ok to pass along an unsolicited resume. Offline or online, you need to work on forming a relationship with someone before you ask them for anything at all. Many people overlook this professional courtesy, and ask brand new connections to serve as a referral when submitting a resume or application.

“Don’t ask strangers for a job,” says Glickman. “You can’t ask someone to do a favor for you who you don’t have a relationship with. It’s unprofessional, tacky and ineffective.”

Instead, go for the business card exchange. Make sure that when you offer yours, you specifically and politely request theirs. Don’t assume they’ll solicit it on their own. Once you’re a bit of a distance from them, take a minute to jot down a few notes about the person you just met on a sheet of paper – anything personal they may have mentioned, a news item you discussed, or a business idea you talked about. You can use that to politely jog their memory in a follow-up note.

Follow Up and Through

Perhaps the “Cardinal Rule” of networking is that once you’ve planted the seeds of a new relationship, you must follow up to maintain it. Whether it’s a business referral, job lead, or a professional connection, get in touch – within 24 hours – to say you enjoyed meeting them.

“No one owes you anything, so you need to be as ingratiating as you can,” says Glickman. People who have taken the time to speak with you and provide you with connections or guidance deserve a thank you. “Assume that you can learn from everyone. They might not be the right person, but they might know someone who you might want to be in touch with.”

It’s also critical to reach out to anyone a connection refers you to. “People hate it when they give someone a referral and the person never bothers to follow up on it,” says Misner. If you don’t, it makes two parties look bad, he says – you, since you didn’t follow through on a potential lead, and the person who referred you, since they recommended you as a reliable resource.

—Wall Street Journal

Expect the best, but plan for the worse.

I recall hearing this advice a lot when I was growing up and passed it on to my own children as they navigated their way through many challenging situations. On a recent assignment with an outplacement firm, I met one-on-one with individuals who had just learned their position with the company was being eliminated and they were joining the ranks of the unemployed.

As I spoke with these “shell shocked” individuals and thought about the thousands of professionals around the country who have already been laid-off, or would be soon, the above advice came back to me with new meaning. Although the media has kept us all painfully aware of the dire straights of our economy and the current and expected layoffs, most professionals believe it can never happen to them.

And why believe other wise? As one of the gentlemen I met with recently told me, while choking back his tears, “My customers love me, I have a stellar performance record, and I was just promised a raise last week.” He was trying to find meaning in something that made no sense at all – and yet, there was no reason I or anyone else could give him that would explain away the hurt and disbelief he was feeling.

My role was to acknowledge his pain and then turn his attention toward an action plan that would lead him through this unexpected career transition. As I spoke to him about next steps, I was instantly aware that he – like thousands of other talented, hard working, and dedicated professionals – had not planned for the worse. Everyday, he did his job and trusted that his career would be taken care of. The fairy tale he had come to believe had been exposed as a sham – and he literally cried.

So, what are some of the things you can do while expecting the best yet planning for the worse?

Keep your resume up to date. This goes beyond adding each job title and employer as you move forward; a practically worthless activity if you are using the same format and style you began with early in your career. Current resumes bear little resemblance to those used just a decade ago and the resume template that comes packaged with your word processing program is of little value. Find a professional – with credentials – and craft a branded, achievement-focused marketing document that truly sells you.

Keep your resume on a CD or portable flash drive and/or save it on your home computer. The gentleman I spoke to on Monday was panic-stricken when he realized that the only copy he had of his resume was saved to his work PC – and he was escorted off the campus before having a chance to download and save his personal documents. Same goes for copies of your performance reviews, awards, kudo letters and e-mails from colleagues and customers. They are nice to display in the office – but keep copies at home.

Establish a support team– an “emergency contact list” of who you will call first if your job suddenly ends. When I meet with professionals immediately following their dismissal, I always ask “Who can you call; who will be at home when you get there?” How tragic the one gentleman I spoke to that day would be driving home alone and the only one there to greet him were his two cats. His closest “friends” were his co-workers, and they were dealing with their own personal issues over what just happened.

Build and nurture a strong professional network. I can’t tell you how many times I hear recently laid-off professionals tell me “ I just realized that the only people I know are the people I work with everyday – and now many of them are also unemployed.” Join professional associations, and get involved. Volunteer in your community. Connect through online networking services such as LinkedIn and Facebook. Make yourself visible and develop a reputation as someone in the know, with unique qualities and value.

Keep learning. It’s not enough to have the skills and knowledge to perform your current job – you need to develop the skills and knowledge to perform the jobs of the future. I met a woman recently who worked as an accountant with the same company for 18 years; they were not using any computer technology to maintain their general ledger books and financial records! Don’t expect your employer to provide you with the training and education you need to remain competitive; take control! Enroll in classes, participate in teleseminars and conferences, read professional journals, get certified.

I hope your current employer will weather the storm and your job will remain intact as the New Year shuffles in and for many years to come. But, if the time comes you are facing a career transition – by choice or circumstances – take definitive steps NOW to be ready. There are no more gold watches and lifelong pension plans. You control your career – not your employer, your boss or the HR Department. You can let a job layoff be the end – or you can embrace it, with the proper tools and resources already in place.

—Norine Dagliano, Career Realism

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing, LinkedIn Profiles

Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution

Cover & Thank-You Letters

Biographies

Board of Director Resumes

Job Search & Interview Coaching

Online Identity Programs

Networking Training

Contact

Martin Weitzman

Certified Career Professional

Gilbert Resumes

800.967.3846

http://executiveresumewriter.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro 

MARTIN WEITZMAN, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC

(800) 967-3846

resumepro@gmail.com

http://executiveresumewriter.com

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF GILBERT RESUMES, FEATURING TIMELY CAREER ARTICLES, CAREER WEBSITES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY’S JOB SEEKERS.

President Obama recently walked across the street from the White House to visit with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It is hard to believe they are that close to each other physically but couldn’t be farther apart philosophically.

The President basically told business you need to let loose of the trillions of dollars you are sitting on to help create a “virtuous cycle” of more sales, higher demand and greater profits that will put people back to work. The President pledged to eliminate unneeded regulations and simplify the tax code, but said companies had responsibilities to help the economy recover. (Source: New York Times Online)

What exactly does that mean for a person seeking employment? Do you simply march into an employer and tell them you know they have money and they need to hire you? The answer is YES, but not because it is their American duty or they are sitting on piles of cash. That makes for a good speech, but there are plenty of businesses still suffering. The President’s comment is the chicken or the egg, which comes first, hiring people or customers. Employers hire when they have a need or a problem they can’t solve. That is where you come in. You are the problem solver they need.

The trouble many have with job search is they are looking for jobs. They read a job posting, check the qualifications, and then apply. What they should do is read between the lines of the job posting, determine the problem, and then tell people how you can solve it. Investigate why the job is open. Oh, so and so left and we are filling the job. What did so and so do that was so important they needed to be replaced. That’s easy, they were a financial analyst, account representative, a nurse, a teacher, a plumber, a receptionist, etc. No, that was their title, what problem were they helping solve.

Google just announced they were going to hire 6,000 people in 2011. They received 75,000 applications in one week without the applicants knowing what jobs were available. How many of those applications were from people looking to solve a problem or simply I am smart hire me? I know Google recruits only smart people. Guess what, so does everyone else. Smart is not enough of a differentiator, it is what you do with your smarts.

—Guest Expert Thomas D. Cairns, Career Rocketeer

I posed this question on Twitter recently and received mixed responses from job seekers, recruiters and others. Some people said they’re already seeing QR codes on resumes (one person mentioned seeing them on professional conference badges as well), other people think the trend is too aggressive and won’t catch on and still other people replied, “Um, what’s a QR code?”

Before we go on, let’s answer that last question first. (And I fully admit I would have asked the same thing a month ago.) QR codes – QR stands for “quick response” – are those small, square barcodes that can be scanned by mobile phones and other devices.

As you’ve probably noticed in magazines, on billboards and elsewhere, QR codes are becoming more and more popular for marketing. When you see a QR code, you simply take a picture of it with your phone’s camera (assuming you have the right application installed) and you’ll be directed to the embedded information in that code, such as a website or text message.)

Why could this be relevant for job seekers and other professionals? Because of the crucial importance of standing out from the crowd. Adding a QR code to your resume, business card, portfolio or any other personal marketing tool could be the detail that helps you get noticed by an employer, particularly if you want to work in an industry such as marketing, real estate or technology in which QR code savvy is important.

How do I create a QR code?

You can use Google to create a QR code (see a simple step-by-step explanation from the Optimal Blog here). I created the above QR code on Google in under two minutes. As you’ll see, it directs you to the Manpower Professional Job Seekers Career Center, where you can find some of my past blog posts and other helpful career content.

Ryan Rancatore of Personal Branding 101 blog suggests that you monitor the results of your QR Code placements by using bit.ly to shorten your link before creating the code. Then, use bit.ly’s analytic tools to track visits to your link. This is a great way to see if your QR code is catching on and to know which employers are potentially interested in you.

Where should my QR code send people?

There are many options here. Depending on what you feel best represents you, your QR code might send people to your website (as long as it’s professional), your LinkedIn profile, a downloadable vCard with your contact information or an online portfolio of your work.

A company called Vizibility recently announced that personalized QR codes are now available for their Vizibility SearchMe links, which direct people to a user’s top five verified Google search results.? If you have particularly good Google-ability, this might be an option to pursue.

Will people get it?

Afraid that people won’t know what that little black and white box is? Not to worry, writes John Heaney on The Job Shopper blog: “Even if the individuals reading your resume don’t know how to act on the QR code, including it on your resume can still position you as someone who is technically proficient, stays up to date on business trends and technology and is an early adopter of powerful and creative ideas.”

Ryan Rancatore agrees, “Maybe [people] won’t scan your QR Code. But I guarantee they will take note of this unique aspect of your resume, which in itself is a major victory.” But, as a precaution, Rancatore recommends providing people with the URL that the QR links to in addition to the QR graphic itself, just in case. “Be sure to include both your URL and the QR Code,” he writes, “so those without smartphones can still reach your web destination.” I definitely agree.

So what do you think? Will you add a QR code to your job seeking efforts? Please share your thoughts!

—Manpower Career Center

Sometimes life is so hectic that we don’t think before we make our next move, especially when it comes to the Internet. However, in one swift movement, our online image can be tarnished just by a few posts. What’s worse, it takes longer to win back the trust of your followers or even gain the confidence of a recruiter or hiring manger than it does to tear it down.

So, take some time to clean up your online image, even if you believe it’s spotless. Here’s how to get started:

Revamp every profile. Over the years, we tend to disregard certain profiles and give more attention to others. However, it’s important to keep a clean track record with all platforms, not just your favorites. Update your LinkedIn profile with your current work status, make your Twitter bio reflect your interests and industry, and list your experiences on Facebook.

Moreover, it’s important to get rid of the junk that has accumulated on your profiles. For example, if there are some questionable photos from your college days, get rid of them. Even though they may not be permanently deleted from the Web, at least they will be out of plain view.

Lastly, if you don’t use a particular profile anymore or you have a new blog, get rid of the old versions. It doesn’t exactly bode well for you if a hiring manager or recruiter finds dated material that’s not even updated. In this case, the “delete” button is your best friend.

Make some profiles private. Your privacy settings are important, especially when it comes to popular platforms like Facebook. Don’t be one of “those” people and leave it up to chance. Those who really want to find you will find a way, and they will judge you based on the content they see, even if it’s not by you or years old. However, if you don’t like the idea of ironclad privacy settings, at least hide things like your personal information, friends, images or videos. This will limit cases on mistaken identity and won’t put the spotlight on your private life.

Conversely, sites like Twitter and LinkedIn should remain open and updated often. Why? These types of social networking sites can bridge the gap between your personal and professional life if done correctly. They can be a huge asset to you, especially during the job hunt.

Stay away from bad influencers. It’s terrible to make assumptions about someone based on who they know. Unfortunately, that’s how it goes sometimes. However, knowing this information should help you make decisions, particularly regarding whom you follow and interact with. Just like good influencers can help you on your path to thought leadership and enhancing your personal brand, bad influencers can do just the opposite for your image. Be careful when networking with questionable characters, especially if your platforms are public. No matter how innocent you may seem, you can always be guilty by association.

How else can you clean up your image?

—James Alexander, Vizibility

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing

LinkedIn Profiles

Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution

Cover & Thank-You Letters

Biographies

Board of Director Resumes

Job Search & Interview Coaching

Online Identity Programs

Networking Training Contact

Martin Weitzman

Certified Career Professional

Gilbert Resumes

800.967.3846

http://executiveresumewriter.com

http://resumepro.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro

MARTIN WEITZMAN, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC

(800) 967-3846

resumepro@gmail.com

http://executiveresumewriter.com

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF GILBERT RESUMES, FEATURING TIMELY CAREER ARTICLES, CAREER WEBSITES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY’S JOB SEEKERS.

There’s nothing worse than taking the time to conduct a thorough job search, only to get lost in the stacks with dozens of other candidates. Sure, you may have a pretty good work history, top-notch experience, and great recommendations, but that doesn’t mean you automatically receive an interview, or even a job offer.

Quite possibly, there may be something wrong with you as an applicant. Here are three things that may hinder your chances:

Your online presence.

In our online world, how you portray yourself on the Internet can be an important deciding factor for employers. Why? Many employers want to paint a full picture of an applicant. Your Facebook profile, Twitter stream, blogs, or even what other people are saying to you can give an employer a better idea of your character. After all, you will be representing them should you get hired.

So, if your online presence is full of controversy, an employer will likely dismiss you as a candidate because they don’t want to take a risk on a candidate that has a lot of excess baggage.

Your online presence doesn’t have to be a huge project you take on, either. You just have to maintain it regularly by thinking before posting, making sure you follow people in your industry who are going to contribute to you overall brand, and monitoring what other people are saying. Remember, there will always be a “paper trail” of anything you post, so be sure they are good things.

Your resume doesn’t speak of your accomplishments.

Many applicants blindly send out resume after resume and forget the really important stuff: your accomplishments. After all, what are you without your skills and positive work history?

More importantly, your resume needs to show an employer why you are an asset. This means giving the employer real examples, including numbers, percentages, clients gained, etc. By giving an employer actual accomplishments, you also give them a reason to contact you, which is the whole point of conducting a job search.

You haven’t followed up.

Even the most organized employers get bogged down. So, if you haven’t heard back from them after an acceptable time period (say, a week or so), it’s in your best interest to follow-up.

Although you may feel like you are bothering them, follow-up once per week is perfectly acceptable. They may have missed or overlooked your application the first time, and your follow-up can reiterate your interest in the position. Shoot them a short e-mail or make a quick phone call to ensure that your name is at the front of their mind.

Never forget that at the end of the day, you are your own recruiter. No one is going to do the work for you.

—Career Rocketeer

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing

LinkedIn Profiles

Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution

Cover & Thank-You Letters

Biographies

Board of Director Resumes

Job Search & Interview Coaching

Online Identity Programs

Networking Training

Contact

Martin Weitzman

Certified Career Professional

Gilbert Resumes

800.967.3846

http://executiveresumewriter.com

http://resumepro.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro

MARTIN WEITZMAN, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC (800) 967-3846 resumepro@gmail.com http://executiveresumewriter.com

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF GILBERT RESUMES, FEATURING TIMELY CAREER ARTICLES, CAREER WEBSITES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY’S JOB SEEKERS.

Top 25 Must-Have iPhone Apps for Your Job Search

In today’s ever-challenging job market, job seekers must be on the hunt for new opportunities 24/7 to maintain a competitive advantage over other top job candidates.

But to do so successfully, job seekers must have constant access, both at home and on the go, to their social and professional networks, up-to-date job postings and powerful tools that can help them make quick connections with new contacts and potential career stakeholders.

The iPhone or iPad can offer you such access and much more no matter where you are during the day thanks to the countless apps that you can download to do just about anything.

Here are the top 25 apps all job seekers should leverage in their job search for career success:

Job Search Apps

1. Jobs by CareerBuilder.com (FREE): This free app brings the power of CareerBuilder.com straight to your mobile device, giving you instant access to search and apply to nearly 2 million job postings on CareerBuilder.com, the largest job site in the US.

2. Monster.com Jobs (FREE): In addition to feeding the latest job postings from Monster.com, this free app lets you take your Monster.com account with you on the go so that you can apply directly to new listings right from your mobile device.

3. Job Search by Indeed.com (FREE): Indeed is a powerful job search aggregator that collects job listings from all the major job search engines and job boards into one convenient location for you to review.

4. Job Search Engine by LinkUp.com (FREE): LinkUp’s unique search engine, updated daily, lists only jobs that are found on company and employer websites. This helps you uncover the hidden job market of opportunities not publicly advertised on the major job search engines.

5. Simply Hired (FREE): Simply Hired is one of the largest job search engines, aggregating job postings from across the web, including major job search engines, online newspapers, company websites and more.

6. SnagAJob (FREE): SnagAJob is a top-ranked search engine for full-time and part-time hourly positions throughout the US. This free app provides you immediate access to their database of new job listings.

7. Craigslist for iPhone (FREE): Craigslist for iPhone features an intuitive interface and myriads of features to browse and post to Craigslist. Most importantly, it gives you access to the Craigslist job classifieds by small and medium businesses looking for local candidates.

8. JobAware Lite (FREE): JobAware Lite is the free version of this unique app that allows you to search jobs in cities near you leveraging the iPhone’s GPS and helps you organize and track your progress throughout the job application process.

9. JobAware (Paid): JobAware shares all the outstanding features of JobAware Lite, but also offers salary comparisons for hundreds of occupations, LinkedIn account integration to help you take advantage of your network and job search advice from top career experts.

10. JobCompass (FREE): JobCompass uses the iPhone’s GPS to find open positions within a given radius of the area you are in. This app in addition to providing job description information, also allows you to apply directly from your phone.

11. What Color Is Your Parachute? Job-Interview Tool (FREE): Stand out, nail the interview, and land the job-with groundbreaking tips from Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?, the world’s most popular job-hunting guide.

Networking Apps

12. LinkedIn (FREE): Get on-the-go access to your professional network with LinkedIn for iPhone. Find and connect with more than 120M members worldwide, read the latest industry news, keep up-to-date with your groups, and share content with your network from anywhere.

13. BeKnown (FREE): BeKnown, by Monster.com, is the professional networking app on Facebook. BeKnown for iPhone makes it easy to tap into new professional opportunities anywhere, anytime while carefully leveraging the power of your current social network.

14. Facebook (FREE): Facebook for iPhone makes it easy to stay connected and share information with friends. Start a conversation, share content with your network, check your friends’ status updates or leverage your network for new opportunities.

15. Twitter (FREE): Get short bursts of timely information on the official Twitter app for iPhone. You can also share content, follow industry leaders and potential career stakeholders and search job updates from your target employers.

16. Business Card Reader (Paid): Business Card Reader is an invaluable networking tool, taking a picture of a business card, reading it using text recognition technology and automatically adding it to your iPhone address book.

17. SnapDat Digital Business Cards (FREE): SnapDat is the #1 app for designing and sending digital business cards directly from your iPhone! You can create unlimited digital business cards with a provided template or picture and can email it instantly to your contact’s address.

Resume Apps

18. Pocket Resume (Paid): Pocket Resume is the best-selling app that uses class-leading PDF rendering technology allowing you to create, maintain, and email your resume straight from your iPhone.

19. Resume App (Paid): Resume App helps you build, design and generate a professional-looking PDF resume, completely customizable with whatever information you choose to include, that you can send out directly from your iPhone!

Interview Apps

20. Monster.com Interviews (FREE): The Monster.com Interviews app is the ultimate tool to help you through the entire job interview process. This step-by-step guide provides advice and coaching through every stage of a job interview and follow-up process.

21. 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions (FREE): Based on the best-selling book by Ron Fry, this free app helps prepare you for your next interview with key interview tips, advice and insights.

22. Interview Prep Questions (FREE): Interview Prep is a fully-featured flash card app that prepares you for dozens of job interview questions. Each question is accompanied by suggestions that will help you answer these tough questions.

23. Interview Pro (FREE): This free app gives you over 80 KILLER job interview questions and answers, including the most common job interview questions and the more challenging questions that interviewers like to ask.

24. Interview Buzz Lite (FREE): Interview Buzz LITE is a free app containing 50+ interview questions with answers and 80 commonly asked practice questions. It also has information on tying a tie, dressing to impress, dinner etiquette and more.

25. Interview Buzz PRO (Paid): Interview Buzz PRO comes with more than 300 questions and answers, more interview preparation and follow-up content and material and many other additional features.

What are some other apps that you would recommend for the job search?

*NOTE: These apps are not listed in any particular order.

——————————————————————————–

Author:

Chris Perry, MBA, is a Gen Y brand and marketing generator, personal branding expert, speaker, brand consultant and the founder ofCareer Rocketeer, MBA Highway and multiple other ventures.

LinkedUp: The Ultimate LinkedIn Job Search Guide

Whether you’re active on LinkedIn or have yet to get started, our new book LinkedUp will provide you with actionable advice and tips on how to leverage LinkedIn to build a strong online presence, establish credibility within a network of targeted professionals, find your next job opportunity and achieve your career goals.

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-Career Rocketeer

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

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MARTIN WEITZMAN, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC (800) 967-3846 resumepro@gmail.com http://executiveresumewriter.com

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF GILBERT RESUMES, FEATURING TIMELY CAREER ARTICLES, CAREER WEBSITES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY’S JOB SEEKERS.

Searching for a job is never easy, but in this economy the challenges facing job seekers have never been greater. The jobless rate remained stuck at 9 percent in mid-August and a significant percentage of Americans — 9.2 percent — are working merely part time even though they desire full-time work, according to tracking data released Wednesday by Gallup.

Another useful measure is underemployment — the number of workers who are either unemployed or working part time but seeking full-time work. In mid-August, 18.2 percent of Americans could be considered underemployed, Gallups says. That’s statistically little changed from July’s 18 percent or the 18.3 percent recorded in August a year ago.

The U.S. economy simply hasn’t been growing fast enough to create the number of new jobs necessary to meet population growth, let alone significantly reduce the unemployment rate, Gallup says.

Even the most qualified candidates can remove themselves from consideration if hiring managers aren’t able to quickly discern whether they are a good fit, says CareerCast.com.

“Always proofread everything that a recruiter might see, including the obvious — your resume, cover letter and emails, as well your social-media profiles,” says Tony Lee, publisher of CareerCast.com. He adds that sloppy grammar is frequently reason enough to eliminate candidates from consideration.

Differences between resumes, applications and social-media profiles raise questions in hiring managers’ minds about whether an applicant is lying or just sloppy.

Beyond lack of attention to detail, CareerCast.com notes other “red flags” that job seekers should avoid to better their chances of securing an interview and landing a job:

If you are unemployed, volunteer for a worthy cause, take a class or seek freelance work to show employers that you are still engaged in the workforce.

Customize your resume and cover letter to match the job description or you may not get past the applicant tracking system, which is set up to screen out candidates who do not match keywords listed in the job listing.

If you have lengthy gaps between jobs, briefly explain them in your cover letter.

In each correspondence with hiring managers, keep a formal and professional tone, using a person’s surname until they indicate they don’t mind being addressed more casually.

Use your social media pages to market and brand yourself — and remember that there is no privacy on the Internet.

Avoid a cutesy email handle — sign up for an email address that shows your professionalism.

On that last point, etiquette-expert Jacqueline Whitmore says many people don’t realize that email addresses, as well as social-media sites, voicemail and other similar services, in effect, create a personal brand — for better or for worse.

“Something as minute as your voicemail can be a significant factor in swaying a person’s hiring decision if it isn’t professional,” says Whitmore, author of “Business Class: Etiquette Essentials for Success at Work.”

With stiff competition in today’s job market, the odds may already be stacked against you, she says, “so don’t give employers any more reasons to not hire you.”

Read the full article here: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/08/18/jobs-seekers-beware-6-red-flags-to-avoid/

—David Schepp

Would you laugh if someone told you to put down how much you’ve earned under each job listed on your resume? Obviously, yes.

But what if an employer directly asks you to tell them how much money you made in your previous positions?

This request is an all-too-often ploy used by many employers to try to force job seekers’ hands into showing their salary “cards” and effectively sweeping any negotiation power out of the candidate’s hand. Many unemployed people are so desperate they cave in right away for fear they might not get the job if they don’t “play nice” in the employer’s cat and mouse game of salary negotiation.

The employer drops their bomb in an interview by casually asking, “So, what are your salary needs,” or “What are you earning currently,” or in the application process, they require you to state your salary history or requirements in your cover letter.

So what is a job applicant to do? What are your options?

Here are five approaches you can take when it comes down to handling the thorny issue of salary negotiation. There isn’t any “perfect” way to negotiate because each situation is subjective to the company culture and the person interviewing you/making the hiring decision. But being educated about your options and also having a good “read” on the internal company environment can help provide you with the necessary business intelligence on the best way to approach this discussion.

1. Give them what they want. Know when the chips are down and the employer is fixated on a specific answer to the salary question. If the job opportunity truly hinges on whether you give them an answer to this question, then you have to make the decision whether to divulge your salary to give them what they want or not. The obvious downside to providing that specific number is now you have absolutely no negotiating room whatsoever.

2. Provide a range. Do your research on what is a reasonable expectation for salary for the type of position for which you are applying. Then make your move by providing a similar range, with your current salary level somewhere inside that bracket. Depending on what you are willing to accept (even if it is below your most recent earning level), make sure the upper number isn’t in outer orbit…otherwise you can quickly get tossed out because of a too-high salary requirement.

3. Dodge #1: Let’s talk later. Until a job offer is actually on the table, any preliminary discussion of salary is actually a fishing expedition. A good way of framing it up nicely: “Until a job offer is being made, I would like to request this discussion take place later…right now, I am interested in learning more about this job and how I can help your company.”

4. Dodge #2: We’re in the same ballpark. Again, you can be assertive while dishing out a compliment that holds them accountable: “I am highly confident that your company offers an industry-competitive wage and with that understanding, I know we’ll be able to reach a compromise once we get into actual negotiations.”

5. Avoid the issue. This is a tactic some people take because A) They don’t really know how to handle it or B) They assume that by avoiding it, the employer won’t not notice that the applicant didn’t address the question. All of which can completely and utterly backfire. Salary numbers are absolutely going to be a hot button for an employer, and they’ll be specifically scanning for that reference mentioning your salary history in the cover letter.

The most successful tricks to negotiating your salary is being flexible, willing to negotiate on other options including benefits, having a good knowledge of what jobs of this type typically pay, and being centered on what your value is without being overconfident.

In the long run, if you take a positive, collaborative approach in negotiating your salary, chances are the employer will respond positively, and you’ll be happier because you kept your cards close to your chest while keeping up your poker face.

Read the full story here: http://www.careerealism.com/salary-negotiations-financial-future/

—Dawn Rasmussen, CAREEREALISM

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing LinkedIn Profiles Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution Cover & Thank-You Letters Biographies Board of Director Resumes Job Search & Interview Coaching Online Identity Programs Networking Training

Contact Martin Weitzman Certified Career Professional Gilbert Resumes 800.967.3846 http://executiveresumewriter.com http://resumepro.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro

MARTIN WEITZMAN, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC (800) 967-3846 resumepro@gmail.com http://executiveresumewriter.com

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF GILBERT RESUMES, FEATURING TIMELY CAREER ARTICLES, CAREER WEBSITES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY’S JOB SEEKERS.

I am like most of you. I have attended networking functions, book signings, conferences, etc., where I got a chance to meet some famous people who some might call movers and shakers. I have stood in line waiting to shake their hand and sometimes pose for a photo. You have little time to say much of anything except smile, shake hands, say hello or nice to meet you, I am a big fan, I enjoyed your book or movie, and then you move on.

These encounters are not designed to engage in a meaningful discussion. However, sometimes you find yourself in the right place at the right time with the right person. When that happens are you prepared with more than a firm handshake, a smile and a hello?

I just finished reading Frances Hesselbein’s book entitled My Life in Leadership. Prior to finding this book on the bookshelf in my local library, I never heard of Frances Hesselbein. Frances was the former CEO of the Girls Scouts of America. She was the first CEO to come from the rank and file. She also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to her by President Clinton. So, despite my limited knowledge, Frances has done quite well without me. She is currently the President and CEO of the Leader to Leader Institute formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management. I was curious to learn how Frances got involved with Peter Drucker.

Frances writes about when she first became the executive director of the Talus Rock Girl Scout council. “The first day I walked into the office, under my arm were six copies of Peter Drucker’s The Effective Executive, one for each staff member. I did not know Peter Drucker…” Frances became a big fan of Peter’s work and incorporated many of his ideas. Fast forward eleven years and Frances is invited to an event where Peter Drucker was the featured speaker. The dinner included a 5:30 pm reception.

Frances arrived right at 5:30 pm and the only people there were two bartenders. However, that changed seconds later when a man walked in. Can you guess who it was?

Good guess, that’s right, Peter Drucker and he said to Frances, I am Peter Drucker. Frances was stunned and instead of saying, how do you do, she blurted out, do you know how important you are to the Girl Scouts? Peter said, no tell me, and Frances proceeded to tell him. That chance encounter resulted in a lasting friendship and professional relationship.

I know some of you think this could or would never happen to you. I believe this happens quite often. However, before you dismiss it as an unlikely possibility answer the following.

Was Frances prepared for a chance encounter? Are you?

—Career Rocketeer

When preparing your resume, you might find yourself coming face to face with some issues from your past. Perhaps you will then find yourself trying to figure out how to fix those issues to make your resume look a bit cleaner and more professional.

Maybe you are eight credits short of graduating from college but you dropped out for some reason. It probably would just look better if you go ahead and say you have a degree. Even better, what if you have an associates degree but the job requires a bachelors degree? A degree is a degree, it doesn’t really matter which kind of a degree, does it?

Maybe you have a big gap in your work history or maybe you don’t want to include a job where you were fired. Why not just fudge the dates a bit and make all your past work experience run back to back from each other. Think again!

When you are in a job search, you will almost always have to complete a job application as the process moves along and you are officially considered a “candidate.” What you write on your job application will make or break your chances of getting the job.

What is So Important About a Job Application?

Most employers want candidates to complete a job application because your resume is not any sort of legal document. A job application is and companies run background checks off them.

In reality, you can fudge your resume all you like but what happens when you have to complete a job application? At the end of your job application, you do sign away your life attesting to the truth of everything you have written on that document.

The background check employers run will likely verify your education, your past work experience, and your criminal background. Companies might run credit reports on you if you work in the financial field or motor vehicle record checks if you will be required to drive for your job. Many companies run those on everyone regardless of the position for which you have applied.

Being Honest and Direct

When you are filling out your job application, you need to be 100% truthful. And although it doesn’t happen often, you can even be prosecuted for misrepresenting yourself. This would typically happen if it wasn’t discovered until after you started the job and it caused harm to the company.

If you have a job gap, explain it. If you want to leave a job off your resume and application, you can. Just don’t extend the dates of other jobs to cover that time period.

Do You Have Any Skeletons in Your Closet?

On the job application you will likely be asked if you have ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony. This includes DUIs which, in my experience, is the most common charge that shows up on background checks.

It is my guesstimate that 75% of people who have a criminal record or a DUI do not disclose it on the job application. They answer the question, “No.” This is a lie and you will not likely get the job if a company learns your falsified your job application.

The truth is: if you have a criminal record or a DUI you could very well get hired anyway, if you disclose it. If you don’t disclose it, it doesn’t matter what it is, you will not likely get hired just based on the fact that you lied on your application.

Finally, I would advise anyone who has a charge on his or her record that can be expunged, to get it done! I have seen many very dated charges come up on candidate’s background checks that caused them to lose the job when it could have been avoided altogether if the candidate would just have had it expunged off his/her record.

What you write on your job application is critical to your success in getting a job. Hiring managers know people are human. Things happen. People make mistakes. Don’t make another mistake by misrepresenting yourself on your application!

Read the full story here: http://www.careerealism.com/author/jessica-simko/

—Jessica Simko, Career Realism

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing LinkedIn Profiles Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution Cover & Thank-You Letters Biographies Board of Director Resumes Job Search & Interview Coaching Online Identity Programs Networking Training

Contact Martin Weitzman Certified Career Professional Gilbert Resumes 800.967.3846 http://executiveresumewriter.com http://resumepro.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro

MARTIN WEITZMAN, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC (800) 967-3846 resumepro@gmail.com http://executiveresumewriter.com

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF GILBERT RESUMES, FEATURING TIMELY CAREER ARTICLES, CAREER WEBSITES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY’S JOB SEEKERS.

So many job seekers leave an interview and have no idea if it went well, if they are still in the process, if they were considered a fit for the position, how long it will take the employer to make a decision, whether there are more interviews in the process, or if they will get a call back.

The following days or weeks can be extremely frustrating as they wait to find out.

Yet, most are unwilling to do the one thing that can alleviate that frustration right from the start… ASK!

Asking direct questions about your suitability for the job, their interest, and their process serves several purposes…

• It shows the employer you have a sincere interest in the position and in moving forward.
• It shows professional assertiveness and thoroughness by seeking a full understanding of the status.
• It sets you apart from the majority of candidates who don’t ask.
• It often causes the employer to make somewhat of a commitment.
• It gives you insights to help you evaluate how well things went, or not.
• It helps you set your own expectations about where you stand and what may, or may not, happen next.

Let’s discuss those last two points in greater detail…

As a recruiter, when I send one of my candidates to an interview with one of my client companies, I have the opportunity to debrief with each of them afterward. I often say that sometimes the stories match up, and sometimes I wonder if they actually met the right person! At times, a candidate’s perception of how things went is wildly different than the employer’s perception. Clearly, feedback didn’t happen in the interview.

As a candidate, it’s much better to know if there is continued interest… or not, before you leave so that you’re not left wondering indefinitely. If the answers you get are discouraging, at least you know right away rather than fretting for days or weeks and then finding out the bad news. If the feedback is good, then you know you can have reason for hope. Furthermore, if you ask whether they see you continuing in the process, and they say ‘yes’, then it’s more difficult for them to backpedal on that minor commitment later.

So… what, and how should you ask? Here are some ideas…

As an interview nears the end, it’s very appropriate, and good to say something like:

“I’m very interested in this position and believe I can be very productive for you in this role. If it’s OK, I’d like to ask a few questions about what’s next…”

“Can you give me an idea of the interview and decision making process? What would be the next step and what kind of timeframe do you have in mind?”

“How many other candidates do you have at this stage?”

“Based on our discussion today, do you see me moving forward to the next step in the process?”

“If I don’t hear anything, when would be an appropriate time for me to follow up with you?”

Be sure to listen to the answers carefully! These kinds of questions, and others, can certainly give you a good idea of their level of interest and set reasonable expectations as to when things will continue to move forward.

Obviously, it’s possible they won’t give you answers to some or any of these questions. Nothing works every time. However, you can be pretty certain you won’t get answers to those questions if you don’t ask. Even if they don’t give you answers though, you will have made it clear that you are interested, and willing to ask the questions that most candidates are not willing to ask.

If you want to know where things stand, to make a positive impression, and to know what to expect…

Ya gotta ask!

—Harry Urschel, e-Executives

Over the past few years, several studies have been conducted looking at social media and employer hiring habits. One of those studies, conducted by Microsoft, showed that 70% of employers in the United States screened out potential employees because of information found online. The study also showed that the majority of recruiters and HR professionals indicated that they think it’s appropriate to consider personal information found online in screening potential job applicants.

This raised several questions in my mind: What procedures are in place to ensure that the information found online relates to the job candidate (there’s a Donna McNamara who was recently arrested and isn’t me)? Do they differentiate between information voluntarily posted by an individual versus information someone else posts about them? Is the information validated for accuracy? Are there potential legal ramifications of online searching?

In several of my classes, we discussed the importance of having a digital footprint and using various types of media to convey your personal brand. I’ve been to various speaker engagements that encourage job seekers to create professional websites and use Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. to build a personal brand online. This way, when employers Google you, they find content you’ve created. For some recruiters, a lack of digital footprint is viewed as a negative; suggesting the applicant hasn’t written articles, created a website, blog or LinkedIn profile.

For potential employees, online information can be especially troublesome as in the case of personal networking sites like Facebook. Here, people openly post candid photos of themselves and allow others to tag them in photos. This often means drunken escapes are captured for general public consumption (think Jackass star Ryan Dunn tweeting a photo of himself drinking hours before reports of a fatal car accident). A potential employer may decide to screen out a candidate after seeing some questionable photos or posts. Here are a few common reasons why employers have screened out potential job candidates:

• Falsifying information about qualifications.
• Poor communication skills (spelling and grammar count!).
• Discriminatory comments were found on posts.
• Posts about excessive drinking or drug usage.
• Provocative or inappropriate photographs or information posted.
• Bad mouthing of previous employer, co-workers, or clients.
• Sharing of confidential information from previous employer.

And, here are some reasons employers have hired potential candidates:

• Solid communication skills displayed.
• Profile provided a good feel for the applicant’s personality and fit.
• Creativity displayed.
• Awards, accolades and good references posted.
• Profile supported applicant’s qualifications.

Issues with online search don’t just impact potential job candidates. Recruiters and HR staff doing the searching can open themselves up for trouble by obtaining too much information. For example, personal networking sites often include information about race, religious beliefs, age, sexual orientation and marital status; factors NOT to be considered in pre-employment screening. By searching potential candidates’ personal sites, recruiters become exposed to information that does not pertain to the applicant’s ability to perform the job and may inadvertently consider factors such as age, race, etc.

I’ve experienced the use of waivers and releases at the point of application to circumvent such issues so employer concerns may become less problematic. In addition, some organizations put blocks on social networking sites so that information may not even be available to them. So what can you do to make sure your online image is what you want it to be? Bottom line – clean up your social networking sites.

• Don’t have photos you wouldn’t want an employer to see.
• No drunken escapes, no profanity, or slurs.
• Don’t bad mouth former employers, bosses or co-workers.
• Make your social networking sites private.
• Sweat the small stuff. Your email address, spelling, and grammar speak to your maturity and communication skills.

—Career Rocketeer

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing LinkedIn Profiles Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution Cover & Thank-You Letters Biographies Board of Director Resumes Job Search & Interview Coaching Online Identity Programs Networking Training

Contact Martin Weitzman Certified Career Professional Gilbert Resumes 800.967.3846 http://executiveresumewriter.com http://resumepro.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro

MARTIN WEITZMAN, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC (800) 967-3846 resumepro@gmail.com http://executiveresumewriter.com

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF GILBERT RESUMES, FEATURING TIMELY CAREER ARTICLES, CAREER WEBSITES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY’S JOB SEEKERS.

The transition between careers, whether you’re new to the job market or not, is difficult for anyone. Further, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to actually get your foot in the door if you’re not familiar with influencers in your industry. So, how can you land the job of your dreams if you’re feeling a little helpless? How about volunteering within your industry?

Just like interning, volunteering gives you the opportunity to gain experience while building up your resume. However, volunteering differs from interning since many people work for organizations that deal with charitable causes. Further, volunteering is great between projects not just for its humanitarian aspects, but also for its professional brand benefits.

But, can volunteering actually land you a job? Yes. Here’s how:

Network. If you were working in an organization day after day, making powerful connections and leads, you’d find it beneficial, right? Further, you’d probably do as much as you can to show off your skills in order to promote your professional brand. Guess what? That’s networking. As with any other activity, networking while volunteering can help you connect with people internally and externally, which may land you a link to a potential career. Think about making a real effort to get to know the people you’ll be volunteering with.

Additionally, you should probably try to help others with their own agendas as well since networking works both ways. Regardless though, the more people that know about your job search the better, so try to network as much as possible.

Move up within the organization. More times than not, people move up within an organization because of their attachment to it, like who they know or how long they’ve been there. If you have volunteered at a particular organization for an extended period of time and you’ve impressed high-ranking individuals, it may be easier to actually land a job within the company.

So, if you are aware of a job opening, you may want to express your interest, while at the same time showing that you can actually do it well. How? Think about helping the organization reach its goals to the best of your ability, even if you are a volunteer. Your drive, as well as your passion for the cause, will probably impress management, making it easier to land a job within the company.

Land a powerful recommendation. Many charitable organizations are not only well-known, but also they are run by powerful individuals. Besides knowing that you have helped out your community, you should also feel that you established a good relationship out of your volunteering experience. So, don’t be afraid to ask for a testimonial from these high-ranking individuals. After all, the thoughts of an experienced influencer may do wonders for your professional brand.

Do your best to not only create a relationship with these people, but also maintain it. That way, when you do need a little push into an organization, that powerful contact may be the key to your dream career.

—James Alexander, Guest Expert Career Rocketeer

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing LinkedIn Profiles Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution Cover & Thank-You Letters Biographies Board of Director Resumes Job Search & Interview Coaching Online Identity Programs Networking Training

Contact Martin Weitzman Certified Career Professional Gilbert Resumes 800.967.3846 http://executiveresumewriter.com http://resumepro.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro

MARTIN WEITZMAN, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC (800) 967-3846 resumepro@gmail.com http://executiveresumewriter.com

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF GILBERT RESUMES, FEATURING TIMELY CAREER ARTICLES, CAREER WEBSITES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY’S JOB SEEKERS.

It’s not all that difficult to completely blow a job interview.

Showing up late, wearing inappropriate clothing and answering your cell phone are a few good ways to kill your chances. But sticking your foot in your mouth will do the job as well.

Many hiring managers say that on occasion, candidates that seem perfect at first get crossed off the list by saying something senseless when asked a routine interview question.

Here are a few responses to some of those frequently asked questions that will be sure to kill the conversation and send you straight out the door.

1: So, tell me a little about yourself.

If your answer begins with anything remotely related to your place of birth, experiences in grade school, or your bad relationship with your parents, you can pretty much consider the interview over. And remember, this is often the first question you’ll face.

It’s hard to know what exactly an interviewer is looking for you to say to this question, but it’s safe to assume they want you to give a bit of background on your professional history. “Ask them where they’d like you to begin,” says Carolyn Thompson, an executive recruiter and author of 10 Steps to Finding the Perfect Job. Are they looking for your entire professional background, or just your most recent work experience? “It gives you a point to work forward or backward from,” Thompson explains.

2: Why do you want to leave your current job?

First and foremost, you should actually want to leave your job if you’re going on interviews. If you meet that qualification, you shouldn’t say you are just looking for a change and you definitely shouldn’t badmouth your employer.

“It’s ok to bring up a problem with your current employer,” says J. Patrick Gorman, co-founder of the iFind group, an executive recruiter based in New York, “but you have to show how you attempted to solve it so you don’t sound like a whiner.”

Rita Boyle, a senior executive search consultant with New Jersey-based Cornerstone Search Group, suggests explaining how the change is the next logical step for your career path.

Other no-nos? Noting that you want to leave your company (or join a new one) because of anything relating to location, pay, or benefits.

3. What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?

The worst way to answer this question is without the slightest pinch of modesty.

“‘Weaknesses? I don’t have any weaknesses,’ is the worst thing possible to say,” says Gorman. A less-obvious-but-still-awful answer? Identifying a weakness, but not explaining how you got through it, he says. It’s important to acknowledge your downfalls, but explain how you’ve been able to work around them as well.

When it comes to discussing strengths, don’t give yourself an endlessly glowing review — but don’t go with a one-size-fits-all answer, either.

4. How would your current or former colleagues describe you?

This is not an opportunity to simply re-frame your strengths. “There’s a difference between how you and everyone you work with would describe you,” says Thompson.

You should also steer clear of responses like “the only employee who did things right,” or “a great guy to hang out with after work,” says Lynne Sarikas, director of the MBA career center at Northeastern University’s College of Business Administration.

Think about what people at each level of the workforce look to you for, says Thompson. Your subordinates, for example, might say you’re fair, and are always looking to pass along useful knowledge and opportunities to gain experience.

5. What is your goal for the short term?

Never imply that you’ll be leaving in short order to start your own business, go back to school, or that you see yourself in the interviewer’s job. Another gaffe? Not knowing what your interviewer means by “short term.”

You might define short-term as the next six months, and your interviewer might be thinking in terms of the next 18 to 24 months, so it’s important to clarify the timeframe upfront. “A lot of people think ‘I know what my short-term goal is,’ but if you don’t know their definition of ‘short term,’ your answer may or may not be appropriate,” says Thompson.

6. Are there certain tasks or types of people you don’t like?

This is a particularly loaded question, according to Steven Raz, co-founder of Cornerstone Search Group, so make sure to tread carefully. Steer clear of any answer that is abrasive to authority figures, he counsels.

At the same time, Bruce Hurwitz of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing, a New York City executive recruiting firm, advises not to feign a universally agreeable demeanor. Be honest here, and note the things you tend to avoid — whether it’s people who are overly chatty, or jobs that require endless data input — as long as the tasks or personalities aren’t going to be an inherent part of the role.

7. Do you have any questions?

If there’s a question that’s a guaranteed game-changer, it’s this one. Coming up blank is a good way to show that you aren’t thoughtful or interested in the job, says Raz.

And not just any questions in return are appropriate. No-nos include asking about compensation for the job, what the company does, if you can work from home, how much vacation time you’ll get, or if the drug and background testing are really mandatory. Ask queries that will help “match up your skills, experiences and accomplishments with what they’re looking for,” says Raz.

Instead of fumbling in the final minutes of the interview, be prepared with a few great questions that show you’re interested in both the company and the job.

—Wall Street Journal

1. Volunteering is a great way to do a positive thing. You may consider choosing an organization where your efforts are meaningful in a big way. The Salvation Army comes to mind. Every year around Christmas holiday thousands of volunteers ring the bells in front of businesses. All for the sake of helping the less fortunate get by during the holidays. A customer of mine said she volunteers at a soup kitchen. While she’s an accountant, she has a soft spot in her heart for the less fortunate. This appeals to employers.

2. Volunteer to network for your next job. Choose an organization or business that’s in the industry in which you’d like to work. If marketing is your forté, approach a company that needs a graphic artist or publicist to design some art for their website or write a press release or two. This company that you’ve managed to get your foot in the door can help you with leads at other companies, especially if you do a smashing job. The president or owner will want to help you because you’ve come across as competent and likeable. Who knows, you could possibly join the company if a position opens up…or is created.

3. Develop or enhance some skills that will make you more marketable. You’ve had it in your head to start blogging but haven’t had the time to dedicate to it. The company who took you on as a volunteer in their marketing department not only can help you network; it can assist you in enhancing your diverse writing skills. Your approach might be to offer starting a blog for them, as the rest of the marketing department is up to their elbows in alligators. They gain a talented writer to write entries, and you learn the fine art of blogging. “Tie the skills needed to do the volunteer position back to the skills needed to support or enhance your profession,” says Dawn Bugni. “This keeps your skills sharp. You might learn something new….”

4. Feel useful. Yes, instead of sitting at home and watching The View, you can get back into work mode. Do you remember work mode? It begins with getting up at 6:00am, doing some exercise, leaving for some job from 8:00am to 5:00pm, all the while having that feeling of productivity. When you get home from volunteering, you can watch those episodes of The View on DVR.

5. Volunteering will pad your resume. Yes, employers look at gaps in your work history. Instead of having to explain (or worse yet, not having the chance) why you’ve been out of work for three months, you can proudly say that you’ve been volunteering at Company A in their marketing division where you authored press releases, created their newest website designs, and started them on your way to a new blogging campaign. Of course you’ll indicate on your résumé, in parenthesis, that this experience was (Volunteer) work. Nonetheless, it was work.

Any time you feel ripped off for working without pay, remember why you’re doing it; to do something positive, to network, to develop or enhance new skills, to feel useful, and to pad your resume. If these five reasons aren’t enough, then by all means stay home and watch The View.

Read the full story here: http://www.careerrocketeer.com/2011/06/5-reasons-to-volunteer-while-out-of-work.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CareerRocketeer+%28Career+Rocketeer+%7C+The+Career+Search+and+Personal+Branding+Blog+%29

—Career Rocketeer

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing LinkedIn Profiles Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution Cover & Thank-You Letters Biographies Board of Director Resumes Job Search & Interview Coaching Online Identity Programs Networking Training

Contact Martin Weitzman Certified Career Professional Gilbert Resumes 800.967.3846 http://executiveresumewriter.com http://resumepro.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro

MARTIN WEITZMAN, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC (800) 967-3846 resumepro@gmail.com http://executiveresumewriter.com

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF GILBERT RESUMES, FEATURING TIMELY CAREER ARTICLES, CAREER WEBSITES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY’S JOB SEEKERS.

Companies across the U.S. economy and in every industry learned some tough lessons during the “great recession.” But as they entered 2011, many had also learned how to maximize productivity, mitigate risk and stretch management capability and creativity as never before.

Buoyed by slow but continuing economic recovery, more employers are starting to focus on growth and beginning to fill gaps in executive performance by selectively recruiting for new management positions, “trading up” with new hires for existing leadership roles and working to retain high performers at every level.

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Having banked cash reserves as a fiscal precaution, companies continue to demonstrate restraint when it comes to making fresh investments. While cash was king during the darkest days of the global financial crisis, the corporate focus today is clearly on growing revenue, maintaining expanded productivity, innovating and maximizing the financial contribution of smaller operating teams.  This focus on revenue is revealed in broad corporate demand for sales, business development and sales enablement leaders across the U.S. economy, and especially in dynamic industry segments from healthcare and biotech to high technology, energy and utilities and the emerging green tech and environmental services markets.

Equally positive, several sectors hit hardest by the recession – from consumer products to financial services and manufacturing – are rebuilding their management infrastructure to support business objectives. Unlike previous economic recovery cycles, employers have assumed the potential double jeopardy of balancing growth plans with conservative investment.

Download the full report here:  http://www.resumeportfolios.com/files/ExecuNet.pdf

I am sponsoring a “how to” webinar by Jason Alba that will show you how to maximize your job search networking capabilities with LinkedIn. The webinar is limited to 100 participants. Each participant will receive a free copy of Jason’s $50 DVD, LinkedIn for Job Seekers, as well as a bonus Social Networking for Job Seekers (video of how to social networks could fit into your job search), also valued at $50.

The fee for this webinar and the two complementary videos is only $67.

Online Registration: https://www.JibberJobber.com/pay (once you register we will send you a link to the webinar).   Tuesday, May 17, at noon EST

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing LinkedIn Profiles Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution Cover & Thank-You Letters Biographies Board of Director Resumes Job Search & Interview Coaching Online Identity Programs Networking Training

Contact Martin Weitzman Certified Career Professional Gilbert Resumes 800.967.3846 http://executiveresumewriter.com http://resumepro.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro