Pepsi Contest: Assist 100k unemployed individuals in rewriting their resume for free.

Vote for this idea –

Assist 100k unemployed individuals in rewriting their resume for free.

Goals

• To assist 100k unemployed individuals in rewriting their resume
• Upgrade infrastructure to handle the volume of resumes
• Increase consumer experience

Overview

The cornerstone and namesake of Help My Resume is our no-charge professionally written resume rewriting service. Although an individual may be equipped with an impressive set of job skills, many don’t know how to clearly express and present their uniqueness and value to a prospective employer, via a well written and strategic structured resume. Since, January 2009 we have completed more than 100,000 resumes at no charge to individuals throughout our great country. To continue to service unemployed individuals Help My Resume needs to enhance our current infrastructure to accomplish the following:

1)   Increase the capacity of resumes

2)   Enhance the consumers experience making it easier to upload their current resume, track status of their resume, and to download their new resume

3)   Approve efficiency within the organization in tracking resumes, distributing resumes internal and externally to volunteers, and increasing customer service satisfaction

How will the 50K be Used?
$ 40,000	Cost to run resume program
$ 10,000	Cost to upgrade infrastructure

Click here to vote.

Hope is NOT a Job Search Strategy

Article Source:  http://tinyurl.com/l3usuv

Liz Lynch, over at The Smart Networking Blog, just posted a blog article by this very same title. This is one of my favorite phrases I use all the time in our Job Search Webinars, Workshops, Seminars, and Private Coaching.

Why do most job seekers base their job search on hope and luck?

This is NOT a strategy. Trying to “will” the phone to ring is NOT effective. Liz talked about a candidate profiled on CNN who submitted their resume over 600 times to job ads on job boards and had a response rate of around 2.5%. It’s a waste of time and a useless technique.

Yet, many job seekers continue to base their entire job search strategy on hope and luck centered around answering ads on job boards.

My experience in 25 years as an Executive Recruiter is that most candidates fall into the trap of answering ads and praying the phone will ring because of 3 reasons:

1. This is what they know and what they did 5 years ago. They are trapped in a tribal paradigm of conducting an out-dated job search.
2. They are unwilling to learn how to conduct an effective job search. They refuse to read the blogs of Barry Deutsch and Brad Remillard, Liz Lynch, Jacob Share, Dan Schwabel, Miriam Salpeter and the hundreds of other outstanding experts in resume writing, personal branding, networking, and interviewing. They don’t take advantage of the FREE audio recordings, videos on YouTube, and products and services offered by these award winning experts. I just wrote a blog post on this topic basically raising the question of “Don’t Be the One! Why is Job Search Like Playing a High School Sport?” focusing on why candidates mistakenly feel they have to go it alone in their job search?”
3. Although the techniques of conducting an effective job search are simple, the effort is intense. It requires long hours, hard work, and a disciplined approach. Most importantly, you’ve got to have a great plan and then work your plan. You can’t treat your job search like a hobby. Many candidates are NOT willing to work hard at finding a great job.

Brad and I recently released a new Scorecard to assess the effectiveness of your job search. It’s our FREE Job Search Plan Self-Assessment Scorecard. We were stunned when candidates started filling it out and sharing their “Score” with us. Very few candidates we discovered meet a minimum threshold for having a plan that will lead to an effective job search.

I challenge you to take the Self-Assessment – Score Yourself – See where the holes and gaps are in your job search plan. If you can fix these holes and gaps, you’ll be able to reduce the time it takes to find a great job.

Barry

P.S. Don’t forget to join our LinkedIn Job Search Discussion Group, one of the fastest growing job search discussion groups on LinkedIn. Learn and discuss how you can conduct a more effective job search.

6 Reasons Why LinkedIn Is So Critical In A Job Search

Article Source:  http://tinyurl.com/kvucxa

A candidate recently asked me, “How do I find a hiring manager in a large company like Microsoft?” There are a lot of ways to do this but one of the easiest and best is using LinkedIn. When I recommended this to the candidate he completely agreed, however, the problem was he only had about 60 connections. Too few to be effective.

So often I speak with candidates that just don’t understand the value of LinkedIn as a job search tool. We constantly are sent invitations to join someone’s network only to find after months of searching they are just now starting build a LinkedIn network. You should consider building your LinkedIn networking all the time. NOT JUST WHEN IN A JOB SEARCH.

Some benefits to a large LinkedIn database of contacts:

1. People can find you. The more people at the second and third degrees of separation the more times you will show up in a search. For example, I have around 500 contacts. However, I am linked to over 5 million people on LinkedIn. When I search for a candidate that is a huge database.
2. LinkedIn will eliminate the need for resume databases on Ladders, Monster, Careerbuilder and other job boards. This is because it costs on average between 5,000 and 10,000 dollars to have access to these resume databases. LinkedIn is free. Why would a recruiter or any company pay that when we can use LinkedIn for free.
3. Resumes databases by the job boards are not pick up by Google or any search engine. These are the ones you want to make sure you show up on. LinkedIn is and you can even improve your search results for as little as $25 a month. (See prior blog article SEO Your Search On Google)
4. It helps you find the people you want an introduction to. This is very powerful. I have helped numerous people with introductions as a result of LinkedIn. On a weekly basis I receive requests indicating they found a person in my connections and would I make an introduction. I always agree.
5. Even when working this is a great tool for resources, customer contacts and introductions, references, service providers and even potential hires for you or your company.
6. On a personal basis it is a great way to stay in-touch with friends, colleagues, prior employees and networking contacts. When you update your profile they will get a notice and likewise when they update theirs.

Work hard at building your connections. Make every effort to reach that magic 500+. If you use Outlook download the LinkedIn tool bar. It makes inviting people very easy.

There are many more positives to building your LinkedIn network than there are negatives. Many have resisted. I believe this recession has proven to be good thing for everyone’s network.

If you have other ideas share them by adding a comment. Lets help everyone build a strong network.

A good way to start is building a network is making sure your profile is complete. If it isn’t start there and then begin expanding your contacts. Don’t miss the opportunity to get a high ranking on Google.

You can download for free our “8 Matrix LinkedIn Profile Assessment” tool.

Our complete job search home study course the, “Career Success Factor Methodology” is a comprehensive resource that covers all 5 steps in an effective job search. You can review the complete system for just $14.95. We will even pay the shipping and to ensure your success include in a copy of our job search workbook. To review the Career Success Factor Methodology CLICK HERE.

To learn more about our FREE services including help with my resume, volunteer resume, free resume rewrite, resume rewriting, cover letters free and the help my resume blog follow us on Twitter and become a FaceBook Fan!

Stimulus Package to Increase Government Hiring

Article Source:  http://tinyurl.com/y9k5mvo

By Dona DeZube, Monster Finance Careers Expert

The federal government will need to hire an additional 200,000 workers over the next three years as a result of President Obama’s stimulus plan and additional spending included in his budget plan.

That may sound like a lot of jobs, but it’s just slightly less than half of the 384,000 additional employees Uncle Sam already needed to pick up between 2009 and 2012 just to replace existing federal employees expected to leave their jobs. “That 384,000 is a projection for retirements, voluntary separations, reductions in force and a few folks who will die on the job,” says John Palguta, vice president of policy for the Partnership for Public Service, a Washington, DC, advocacy group working to advance public-sector careers.

With a total of nearly 600,000 openings over the next three years, what options could there be for you?

About 85 percent of federal jobs are located outside Washington, DC. But, since many stimulus-related jobs involve command, control, tracking or oversight, a sizable proportion — up to 22 percent — could be located in the District of Columbia itself, Palguta says.

Who’s Hiring?

The federal government currently employs 1.9 million civilians — about the same number it did during the Kennedy administration. Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton downsized the federal bureaucracy, while Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush increased it, Palguta says.

Some of this administration’s 200,000 extra workers will be added thanks to changing priorities. For example, President Obama’s 2010 budget increases funding for the Social Security Administration  (SSA), so it can hire additional employees to work through a backlog of cases. The agency will hire more than 5,000 people by September 2009, says Kia S. Green, an SSA spokesperson. “These include front-line positions in the local field offices and Teleservice Centers as well as legal support positions in our hearing offices,” she says.

Another budget priority — better care for veterans — resulted in a $25 billion increase for the Department of Veterans Affairs. “A good part of that will go into hiring more medical and health professionals in the VA,” Palguta says.

Jacque Simon, public policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees, says agencies expected to add staff due directly to the stimulus include the Environmental Protection Agency; the Department of Defense; the Food and Drug Administration; the Border Patrol; the Small Business Administration; the departments of Labor, Education, Agriculture and Housing and Urban Development; and the National Science Foundation.

Many agencies are still toting up the numbers. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates it will take tens of thousands of contractors and employees to handle clean up, assessments, design and monitoring of the projects in the areas it will target with stimulus money. These areas include Superfund sites, brownfields, leaking underground storage tanks, clean water, drinking water and reducing diesel emissions.

Bring on the Watchdogs

With so much stimulus money flowing out of Washington, DC, virtually every agency will have to hire additional auditors, attorneys and investigators to handle the fraud that will inevitably follow. In government, those positions are part of the Inspector General’s office within each agency or department.

“The Inspectors General are going to be beefing up staff,” Palguta says. The Department of Health & Human Services, for example, has $27 million for increased oversight. In addition, Congress slotted $50 million to create the Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board, a group of Inspectors General that will watch over stimulus spending.

Given the talk about tighter regulatory scrutiny of the financial markets, there will also likely be jobs openings at the Treasury Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Government Accountability Office planned to start hiring 100 people familiar with government auditing by mid-March 2009, says Patrina Clark, deputy chief human capital officer.

Prior federal government auditing experience is great, but it’s not the only way to qualify for these positions. “If they’ve done any kind of state or government auditing, or they’ve audited public entities or nonprofits, that would be qualifying experience,” Clark says.

Focus on the Mission

If a federal job is your best career move, don’t look for a stimulus job — look for a government job, Palguta says. “Look at who’s got a job to fill and which agencies have a mission that you’re interested in,” he suggests. Gather career information by visiting the official federal government hiring site as well as the individual agency Web sites.

Expect to have a lot of company when you apply. In January 2009, after the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it wanted to hire 2,100 professional staffers, it received 230,000 applications. “There are a lot of people vying for those jobs,” an FBI spokesperson says.

As long as you’re not working in retail, chances are the federal government hires people from your profession, Simon says. For example, a VA hospital hires everyone from food-service workers right up to brain surgeons. Even at an advanced career level, professionals from information technology, legal, law enforcement, healthcare, science, engineering, program management, purchasing and education are all in demand.

And, working for the federal government often means swapping a bottom-line focus for a public-interest one. “You’re concerned with what’s in the best interest of your fellow citizens and how to best serve them,” she says.

Talk about this article and other employment news related to the stimulus on our Stimulus Jobs Discussion board.

The Street Smart Job Changing System

The Street Smart Job Changing System.  We thought their job search tips video would be good for sharing –

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgQ6aHg9B1Y

Obsess Much? How Staying Busy Keeps You Sane During Job Search by Tim Tyrell-Smith

Article Source:  http://tinyurl.com/y8otcj3

I write a lot about the psychology of job search.  For me it is one of the top keys to finding a job in this or any market.  If you have your head on straight, you come across differently than those who don’t.  Your mannerisms deliver you in a confident way.  You avoid the smell of desperation.

It allows you to focus less on over-pursuing job leads and more on pursuing with confidence the next wave of opportunities. 

But even the most confident of us obsess a bit in job search.  Why?  Because “how is it possible that a smart person like me (with my background) isn’t being called for interviews”?  Once the job search moves into months not weeks, you start to wonder.  And wondering becomes worry. Especially if you begin spending your savings to fund your search.

So always having two or three warm leads is important.  That way what happens with one is less important.  As a result you are less often checking e-mail and more often busy doing something more valuable.  Author and blogger Tim Ferriss says to check e-mail twice a day.  At Noon and at 4:00 PM.  Give it a try.

How do you know if you are obsessing?

1. You are consistently going “off plan” to check in with a recruiter (for the fourth time that week).
2. You are continually e-mailing the HR team to see if they got your resume via Monster.
3. You have Outlook set-up to check for new messages every 5 minutes and to make a noise when they come in.
4. Your Blackberry is set-up to “blink red” when a new message comes in.
5. You berate the HR team for not seeing the value you offer to their organization

Of course this is all wasted time and, importantly, wasted energy.

If you are one of those folks checking e-mail every ten minutes, I have some thoughts for you.

1. Build a communication plan.  Decide who is in your job search network and then build an objective plan to confidently reach out on a periodic basis.  For the most part, try to avoid impulsive actions.
2. Change Outlook and Blackberry settings so that you are not “prompted” to check e-mail throughout the day.  No blinking lights and no “you’ve got mail” during job search (also a Ferriss point).
3. If you think you should call and follow-up with a recruiter, HR person or hiring manager.  Check your communication log if you have one.  More than once a week is too much.  If they want you, they will call.
4. On those days and weeks when you know your expectations will be high.  After a submission, after an interview, after a recruiter meeting.  Plan events, meetings and special projects around the house that will keep you busy.  Away from the e-mail.  Ideally when the call finally comes you will be relaxed with your head in the right place to accept whatever news comes your way.
5. In terms of your mindset, remember that your life is not on the line here.  While finding your next role is a big priority, your ability to balance this effort with other important things in life is also key.  Your role as a parent, spouse, uncle or friend.  Those roles can provide a great and highly rewarding distraction.  Just when you need it.

For other ways to stay busy during job search, check out this post:

101 (Other) Things You Can Do While Looking For A Job

15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer

Article Source:  http://finance.yahoo.com/news/15-Ways-to-Annoy-Your-Job-usnews-3700067627.html?x=0&.v=2

By Karen Burns

On Monday September 28, 2009, 2:58 pm EDT

Of course, almost everyone knows you shouldn’t light up a cigarette at a job interview, or text your closest friend, or eat, or bring your dog, or show up drunk, or challenge the interviewer to arm wrestle (all things people have actually done at job interviews). You’d never dream of doing any of this, right?

[See what to do when your job interviewer is incompetent.]

But you may be guilty of other less horrible but just as damaging behaviors. While you’re trying to wow hiring managers with your knowledge and enthusiasm, you may forget that they’re watching you as well as listening to you. In fact, hiring managers actively search for annoying mannerisms in job applicants. They assume that if you are a little annoying at an interview, you will be much more so once you’re hired and off your guard.

Unfortunately, lasting impressions are formed within 90 seconds of first meeting. So, consider whether you’re guilty of any of these less than horrendous but still irksome mannerisms, and take steps to eradicate them:

Gum chewing. Not a high crime, but a really easy way to look unprofessional. Throw your gum away before even entering the building, or find another way to get fresh breath.

Hair twirling. It may simply be a habit, but it makes you look young and silly. Ask a friend if this is something you do. If it is, consider sweeping your hair back for the interview. Outta sight, outta mind.

Slouching. Good posture communicates energy and confidence, while slouching communicates lethargy, boredom, or insecurity. Note: If you’re an “older job seeker,” know that experts recommend you make an extra effort at posture so you project youthful enthusiasm and health.

[See 5 resume tips for job hoppers.]

Avoiding eye contact. If you can’t meet someone’s eye, it looks like you’re hiding something. If gazing into someone’s eyes freaks you out, look at their nose. It works just as well.

Knee jiggling or finger drumming. Do you want to appear nervous, even out of control? Do you want to drive your interviewer crazy? If your answer is no (let’s hope so), train yourself to keep still by breathing deeply and consciously relaxing your muscles.

Yawning (or sighing). Yawning may seem like something you can’t control, but your interviewer will see it very differently and might think: “He’s bored” or “What, she didn’t get enough sleep the night before her interview? She must not care enough.” Remember: you’re supposed to be on your best behavior in an interview.

Playing with your pen. This is an easy one–set the pen down.

Checking your cellphone. Leave it in the car. Or just shut it off. You won’t need it, and you really don’t want it to ring during the interview. If you forget, and it rings, swiftly grab it and shut it off, and apologize quickly and concisely. Then move on. Definitely do not answer your phone or check your texts during your time at the company.

Nail biting. Come on, are you in high school? Stop biting your nails!

Sniffling. If you have a cold, take a decongestant, or make sure you blow your nose before the interview. If you sneeze, simply say: “Forgive me for sneezing, I have a bit of a cold.” You definitely don’t want to give the impression that you’re sick a lot, so don’t sniffle through the whole interview or make it an issue in any way.

Picking at, rubbing, or scratching any part of your body. Eww. Bottom line: The interview is not the place for personal hygiene of any kind.

[See the best places to find a job.]

Waving your hands while speaking. Using gestures to punctuate your ideas can be part of being an effective speaker. But overdoing it derails your answer and the impression you’re trying to make. This is another area where feedback can be very helpful.

Tugging at your cuffs or at the hem of your skirt. Fiddling with your clothes communicates discomfort and insecurity. The interviewer may conclude you’re not used to wearing a suit or you’re not comfortable in your dress, and that’s not good. An employer wants to hire people who look like they were made for the job–like they already suit the position.

Resting your chin in your hand. You bored? Tired? Bored and tired? Wish you were somewhere else? No problem. The hiring manager will wish you were there, too.

Smiling too much (or not smiling at all). Yes, it’s important to appear congenial and interested in the interviewer and in the job, but you don’t want to come off like a con artist or a fake. Ask someone close to you if you tend to smile too much when you’re nervous.

Bet you didn’t know there were so many ways to be annoying! Before your next interview, practice with a trusted friend or adviser. Or videotape yourself answering questions. It could be the best thing you do for your job hunt.Karen Burns is the author of the illustrated career advice book The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use, recently released by Running Press. She blogs at www.karenburnsworkinggirl.com/.

How To Dress For a Job Interview

Walking into a job interview wearing the wrong attire is like showing up at a black-tie event dressed for a costume party. A bad move you’ll instantly regret.

You Will Need

• Tidy, neatly styled hair
• A clean face, hands, and fingernails
• A clean, professional outfit
• A briefcase or portfolio
• And a pair of comfortable closed-toe shoes
• Small, tasteful jewelry
• A light and subtle perfume or aftershave
• A manicure
• Natural-looking makeup
• And a new haircut

Step 1: Find out dress code

Before the big event, find out how the employees dress where you’ll be interviewing. Ask whoever’s arranging the interview for you what the dress code is, and if they have any pointers on what to wear.

Step 2: Choose clothes

Find something in your wardrobe that’s in line with what other employees wear, but kick it up a notch—a sharp tie, a colorful scarf or pocket square. Something to separate you from the pack.

Step 3: Don’t go overboard

But don’t go overboard. You want to make a good impression, not a fashion statement.

Step 4: Keep it tasteful

Go easy on the aftershave or perfume too, or the makeup and jewelry—keep things tasteful.

Step 5: Be neat

Be neat. Make sure your clothes are clean and pressed, your nails are trimmed, and your hair and teeth are brushed.

Step 6: Dress comfortably

Make sure you’ll be comfortable sitting, standing, and walking. Now is not the time to break in a new pair of shoes.

Step 7: Give yourself time

Get prepared early, show up on time and, most importantly, make sure you end up in the right place.

Source: http://www.howcast.com/videos/929-How-To-Dress-For-a-Job-Interview

Networking In A New City Far, Far Away by Tim Tyrell-Smith

Article Source:  http://blog.spinstrategy.com/2009/08/networking-in-a-city-far-far-away.html

So I got re-connected with a new friend.  A follower of this blog and someone who is doing all the right things and not finding the right result in his local job search.  A scenario that fits a number of you, I’m sure.

He e-mailed a few weeks ago with a follow-up question from our last phone call.

After scouring the Denver market for the right job in the right industry, he has now started on another  path.  Toward a job outside his current city.  Not his first choice, but one that commonly comes up after a few months on the job hunt.

Now I’ll tell you he has one leg up.  And that is that he grew up and went to college in his target state.  The great state of Texas.

You may also be thinking about a similar path. 

“Do I need to start looking for a job outside my city?  Outside my state?”

“If so, how do I do that?”

So here’s what I told him.  And if you have any additional ideas for how to network in a new city far, far away, will you comment below?  I’m sure he’d love some additional ideas!

1.  Contact The Local College Career Centers.  He graduated from Texas A&M which has a great career center.  But I’ll bet if he were to call the career center at UT or Tech that someone there might make a few free resources available.

2.  Scour Your Contacts On LinkedIn.  How many of them live in or have lived in your target state?  How many of them work for companies that have their HQ or regional offices in that state?  This is one of the most powerful benefits of building strategic contacts on LinkedIn – the chance to contact them and ask for help.  And it’s not just your contacts, of course.  It is the entire network that you are connected to as a result.  

3.  Join LinkedIn Groups In That State Or Region.  The networking groups are there for just this purpose.  And even if you don’t live there now, e-mail the group owner after making your request and let them know what you are trying to do.  Who knows?  They may be able to help directly!  Oh, and please don’t just join.  Get in there and actively network.  Offer ideas.  And ask for help.

Top Regional Job Search Groups on Linkedin

Linkedin Job Search Groups.  After You Join . . .

 

4.  Join Industry Associations And Ask About Groups In That Region.   American Marketing Association (AMA), Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA) are a few examples.  What groups are active in your industry or function?  And, which of them offer career services and local networking  support?  And, if you join, become an active member.  These should be key long-term ways for you to get involved and maintain an active network.

5.  Take A “Fam” (Familiarization) Trip To Your Target City.  You’ll have to do this at some point anyway.  But before you go, become familiar with the schedule of a number of local networking groups.  That way you can join in for some local and in-person networking with real people in your target city or state.  And when you stand up for your elevator pitch, do you think people will remember you?  The person that drove 400 miles to be there?  I would.  To find networking events and calendars in a new city, go to Meetup.  

6.  Reach Out To Friends And Family.  Everyone has a cousin somewhere in the U.S., right?  You’ve heard me say it is crucial to make sure your network knows your job search objectives.  Well, if you update or expand your objectives, your family and friends need to know that too.  And then you need to ask for their help.  Sounds simple but few people do it.

7.  Use Twitter To Find Active Networkers or Recruiters.  Did you know you can search for people or keywords on Twitter?  Even if your follower base is small, you can still reach out to people.  So in the case of my friend looking to network in Texas, I suggested he search for people located in Texas, tweeting “Texas”, “Dallas”, “A&M”, etc.  Once you find them and follow each other, you can try a direct message.  But that is now full of so much spam that it may not get through.  Best is to either send them an “@ message” or get their attention by being a helpful “re-tweeter”.

Twitter For Job Search. OK, But What Do I Say?

Twitter.  Like A Walk In The Park.

8.  Contact The Local Chamber of Commerce Or A Local Realtor.   The local chamber will be full of local business owners.  The realtor will know a lot of people and may just be motivated by the fact that you will likely become a client if you can find a job in the new city.

9.  Look For Fan Pages On Facebook.  Maybe there is a fan page out there for the City of Houston.  Become a fan and interact on the group’s wall.  Again, ask for a little help.  If you do it respectfully and nicely, someone will respond to help!

10. Call Your Local Gym Or Church.  Maybe they have contacts in the new city that could help!  Personal trainers meet a lot of people, right?  Maybe an affiliated Church in the new city has a career ministry.  One that helps and supports job seekers.

So that’s my list . . .

If you are considering moving to a new city or have done it successfully through networking, please leave a comment a below.  I’d love to brainstorm some more ideas with you or hear yours!

10 Dumb Things To Avoid In A Job Interview by Tim Tyrell-Smith

Article Source:  http://blog.spinstrategy.com/2008/11/10-dumb-things-to-avoid-in-an-interview.html

I can’t say I’ve seen it all, but in 15 years as a hiring manager, I’ve seen my share.  It really is amazing what some people will say and do in an interview.  I’m not trying to be callous, but if you read this post and avoid these missteps, you will surely live to interview another day.

1.  Three nuns walk into a bar . . .

Please don’t tell jokes.  Please don’t consider it a fun opening line or ice breaker.  The odds of you offending someone (or even worse telling a bad joke) are too high.  Don’t do it.  If humor is an important part of who you are, find a way to share an interesting anecdote about a work related event.  Perhaps an example where you or others learned an important lesson.  Just don’t hit them with a joke.

 

2.  All kinds of #$%#@?

No matter who you are interviewing with and no matter what you know about them, don’t swear.  Not even the minor ones.  Besides the obvious risk of offending your interviewer, you can also look smug and too comfortable.  Even some folks who swear up and down the hallway each day may not like your doing so in an interview.  If you need to show your ability to adapt to the culture there are other ways to do it.

 

3.  The big yarn yawn

Whether as a response to a question, because you are incredibly nervous or due to an excitement to share, do not get caught in the long story trap.  Long stories are boring, obviously off topic and slow the interview down to a terrible crawl.  Especially if you only have 30 minutes with a interviewer, keep your answers short, direct and full of relevant examples.

 

4.  The emperor’s old clothes

Old twisted ties, blouses that are falling apart at the sleeve, shirts that don’t fit well.  Either way, it sends the wrong message.  Either you are not aware that your clothes would be turned away at Goodwill or have not noticed their downward turn.  Regardless.  The effect on the hiring manager is the same.  It all gets noticed.

5.  That’s kind of personal, isn’t it?

We all have tough things happening in life.  Tough times are very personal and should stay that way.  Whether in answering a question about a gap in your resume or explaining why your last boss didn’t like you, do everything you can to keep in objective.  No emotion and no personal stories.  A death in the family is painful and sounds like the reasonable thing to share.  Unfortunately, sharing personal information, whether painful or hilarious, should be avoided.   

 

6.  That creepy mirror image thing

Maybe this is just me, but the interview preparation expert who suggested many years ago to match the body language of your interviewer was wrong.  If you have ever interviewed someone who sat up when you did, leaned back with you and crossed his or her legs in concert, it is a bit creepy.  While there is a way to generally match the overall tone of the interview (serious vs. casual), first don’t do it literally.  Second, make sure to be yourself.  If the authentic you is personable and business casual, don’t go out of your way to match a highly stiff interviewer’s style.  After all, part of vetting the company is to pick up on these cues, not match them. 

7.  Chatty Kathy (or Kevin) and then some

Some people just love to talk.  Are they trying to fill up time to avoid more questions?  Are they just social people?  Honestly, I think it varies.  The point here is that some interviewers don’t know how to stop you.  So you have to stop yourself.  There are also interviewers who will (on purpose) not ask you a following question, allow a pause, and let you keep on going.  So, don’t feel a need to fill the void with a more detailed answer.  If the interviewer appears to be lacking their next question, be ready to ask them one. 

8.  Political debate topic avoidance

Sometimes I will ask a question three or four times.  I do this because job candidates don’t answer them.  Whether on purpose or not, it is frustrating for the interviewer.  Often I keep asking because I believe the person has the answer I want and they just need some help.  Sometimes I worry that I am not being clear.  Other times I just do not want the candidate to blatantly avoid the question.  So, as a job candidate, (1) be a good listener (2) answer the specific question with good, relevant examples and (3) ask for clarification if your first answer doesn’t seem to deliver.  

9.  New or unpleasant facial hair (men)

Hollywood actors like Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp are famous for wearing a thin mustache or goatee.  They get away with it because they are famous people preparing for an important part in a new movie.  You are not Brad Pitt, you are not preparing for a movie role, and the facial hair probably doesn’t look good on you.  But, you say, this mustache is part of who I am!  OK, if it looks good (thick and full without too much gray), no problem.  If it is something you’ve grown over the past 3-4 weeks waiting for interviews, do us all a favor and save it for later.

10.  Fallacy of self torture

If offered a drink of water, take it.  If offered a chance to use the rest room, take it.  These are legitimate offers, not cruel tricks to see if you’ll bite.  It does not make you look weak to accept a glass of water.  I say this because I have offered water to many interview candidates who, twenty minutes into the interview, clearly need a drink of water.  Dry mouth changes the sound of your voice and, I think, affects the confidence.  You are now thinking about your thirst instead of the current question.

Honorable mention . . . excessive name dropping

 

If this has been you in the past or if this is you today, please stop.  Hiring managers genuinely want to like you.  Your resume, cover letter and/or phone interview suggested good things to come.  There is so much in an interview that can be and must be controlled BY YOU.

And the spirit of our new President-elect, Barack Obama . . .

Yes, you can: 

a.  be pleasant

b.  answer questions intelligently, directly and with clear examples of your past successes

c.  be interesting, fun and charming without being out of line or presumptuous

d.  be polite and considerate

e.  ask questions that challenge the interviewer and give you key data to form your own opinion

f.  be polite and well-manicured

g.  be yourself and still be someone that the company wants to hire

Yes, you can.