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One of the most important influence moments in your career is the moment where you must convince someone to hire you. Whether you are just out of college, looking for a change, or a contractor who must convince others of your services almost daily, you will find that a set of simple influence skills will propel you through the interviewing process on your way to a successful career.

Assert

It is imperative that you state your objectives clearly. Most organizations are looking for people who take action and will engage in helping the organization move forward. Your organization will first see your potential for such behavior in the hiring stages.

Jay and Mary are both interviewing for a position at an engineering company. Each is highly qualified for the position and holds some great recommendations. As Jay enters the interview, he is asked a series of questions. He ponders each and answers to the best of his ability. When asked, he pulls out his portfolio and demonstrates his skills to the employer. His work is excellent and the employer is notably impressed with it. He is sure to take Jay ’s information and informs him that he will be contacted with their final decision.

Mary ’s interview comes later, and when she enters, she introduces herself and instantly pulls out her portfolio and references. During her presentation, she highlights the portions of her work that seem to fit with what she has seen advertised for the position for which she is applying. When she is finished, she asks the interviewer if there are questions that he has. She ponders each question and answers to the best of her ability.

When the board makes its decision, it is determined that Jay ’s work was excellent, but Mary ’s assertive presentation of her work was what the company needed in order to progress in the competitive engineering market. Mary made good use of her first influence skill.

Ask Questions

Your ability to draw your interviewer in through active questioning is another important influence skill. Open-ended questions gather information and find out what the other person is thinking. Focused questions help the other person to focus on alternatives. These questions promote a greater inclusion of the other person and lead to openness and increased rapport, understanding and commitment.

During Mary ’s presentation, she asks her interviewer, “Is there a specific set of drafts that you would like to see?” Her question prompts the interviewer to indicate that he is most interested in what she has done with mechanical design. Though Mary had intended on showing him other drawings, she realizes by her open-ended questioning that it would be better to focus on what her interviewer is most interested in. She has two sets of drawings in her portfolio and asks the focused question to determine exactly which he would like to choose from.

Summarize

You will want to be sure that you and the other person understand each other. By repeating and summarizing important elements of the influence situation, you will be sure to remain on the same page.

When Mary finishes her presentation, the interviewer asks her, “How do you feel your employment would benefit our organization?” Mary is unsure of the exact response that the interviewer is looking for, so she uses her summarizing skill to clarify the situation. “So what you’re asking me is what will change within the organization when I am hired?”

The interviewer responds, “Yes, I would like to know how you feel your set of skills will make a fit with our organization and its mission statement.” Mary ’s keen use of her influence skills brought out a much more specific question where she could determine precisely what type of answer the interviewer was looking for.

Offer Incentives

Make it easier or more attractive for the person to do what you are asking. This will help you further promote agreement and commitment.

When the interview is finished, Mary is sure to express her feelings to the interviewer. “This interview has shed new light on your organization, and I am enthusiastic to begin my employment with you. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed with your decision. I plan to immediately put into action the skills that we discussed and help the company move forward in its objectives.” Mary ’s statement offers concrete rewards that the company will receive by hiring her.

The influence skills listed are only a few of the skills that you can develop which will help you progress in your career. They can be applied in a variety of circumstances; and when used effectively, they can achieve outstanding results for your career development.

Alan Vengel is a consultant in management training and organizational development and author of The Influence Edge - How to Persuade Others to Help You Achieve Your Goals. He offers cutting edge training and skill building workshops on influence and negotiation. http://www.vengelconsulting

6 steps for making your best impression on job interview

Congratulations, your job application has opened the door for an interview.

The interviewer will be looking for clues as to your attitude, skills and experience that match both the job and work environment. Your time together will be limited. How can you prepare to make the most of the opportunity and get invited back?

Step 1: Learn about the company.

Visit the company Web site to get a sense of the vision, values, history and culture. Find out about the company’s products, services, locations and customers. If the company has a public location, stop by and observe how business gets done. Think about how the job that you are seeking helps the company achieve its goals.

Step 2: Know how you fit.

Make a list of the job requirements and qualifications. For each item, jot down your strengths, weaknesses and examples from your prior experience that would demonstrate your ability to perform that function well. Even if a job requirement would be new for you, think of your experience in another area that you could apply to be successful.

Step 3: Decide what to say.

Develop a few points that will help you convey who you are and what you bring to the job. Turn your list of job requirements and related experiences into a series of questions that you answer aloud. Practice until you feel comfortable in responding to questions about your attributes and background. That way, you will be able to focus on what the interviewer is asking, rather than being distracted with worry about your answers.

Step 4: Make a positive impression.

First impressions have a significant impact on interview outcomes. Your words take on different meanings through nonverbal signals appearance, attitude, tone of voice, eye contact, gestures, postureall of which the interviewer uses to interpret the messages that you are trying to convey.

Your demeanor on the outside begins from within. Look forward to the interview; view it as a learning experience, no matter what the outcome. Know your qualifications and have confidence in your ability to do the job. Plan ahead to ensure that you are appropriately attired and groomed, arrive in the parking lot 15 minutes early, and have your resume and other information with you.

During the interview, stay engaged and focused, maintain good eye contact and match your energy level to that of the interviewer. Be calm, courteous, positive and professional. Speak clearly, truthfully and with enthusiasm. Think before you speak, and use examples that will highlight your strengths. Avoid making negative comments or volunteering negative information about yourself or others. Let your personality come through; you want the interviewer to make a hiring decision based on the real you.

Step 5: Ask good questions.

Interviewers also learn about you through the questions that you ask. To prepare in advance, draft a few questions: Where do you see the company going in the next five years? What are the key goals of this department? What do you consider to be the most important aspects of this job?

Use questions selectively and appropriately. As the interview closes, thank the interviewer and ask about the timing and next steps in the screening process.

Step 6: Follow up.

Send a letter within a day of the interview, thanking the interviewer and expressing continued interest in the job. If you do not hear from the company within a reasonable amount of time, make a followup call. In hiring situations with many applicants, an employer may take longer to decide on the right person. Remaining in contact may help to keep you in the running.

Cheryl Moore is executive director of the Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County, which administers federal funds that support eight Job & Career Centers in the county. These centers provide employment assistance, career training and education services to job seekers, and employee recruitment, customized training and business consulting to local employers. For information, call 800-500-7705 or visit http://www.wib.ventura.org/.

Job seekers turn to blogging

A unique approach to the job search that’s showing promise is the blog.

Ask John Lynk on Patriot Drive in Salisbury. The land development project manager has raked in more solid leads to a new career in the two weeks he launched “The Ultimate Job Search” than all the nine months he’s been out of work and job hunted the traditional resume-submission route.

“It definitely has reaped some success,” Lynk says of his Internet site that landed over 300 hits in about 14 days. “I spend a great number of hours on the Internet. I’ve taken inferences and apply to leads I get. It’s a lot of effort and time, but I make contacts and you cut your search in half by having contacts.”

Not even Careerbuilder and Monster.com Web sites have brought Lynk as many prospective opportunities, and a serious job searcher with little to no luck so far could hit pay dirt with the tool trending upward as an out-of-the-box route to landing employment, says Bonnie Burke, a human resources expert. She’s noticed the trend toward self-promotion by prospective employees who are spreading their name, desire to work and skills across the World Wide Web.

Self-promotion through technology is growing more popular, replacing the traditional scouring of classified ads and other listings, then forwarding the typical cover letter and resume by postal or electronic mail.

“I’m seeing people do various things like this to get a job — the market is bizarre. They don’t know what to do,” said Burke, whose Marion Station-based Shore Staffing employment agency matches health care professionals, including nurses and therapists, with employers for both part-time and permanent placement. “I have 25 years in the human resources field– I’ve been a recruiter since the early ’80s — and there is a trend toward creativity in looking for a job.”

Much of the credit in Lynk’s case is owed to his wife, Marly, who trained as a psychologist. “She set up the blog. We told people a little bit about myself: My plight, being out of work nine months,” he said. “I had taken the normal channels, attended job fairs, connected with recruiters. But since the blog started, I’ve been invited to interview for a job next week.” Blogging to work

Lynk stays linked in to job search sites on the Internet, including for-fee Upladders.com that for a $35 payment connects job seekers with employers willing to dole out six-figure salaries, he said.

Months ago, Lynk stumbled upon an interesting opportunity through the employment site Monster. And it was off to Arkansas recently where he touted his 22-year experience. Truth be told, the Phoenix, N.Y., native favored the lifestyle on the Lower Shore and said, ‘Thanks, but no.’

“So many people with experience in housing, construction, are looking for a job because of the construction slump as a whole,” Lynk said. “I had experience with housing residential, commercial and heavy highway, but I didn’t think it was a good fit.”

He’s also interviewed with firms in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York, but nothing panned out.

Lynk gets another shot to sell his skills on a job interview later this week with a firm he did not want to name. He thinks the blog was the attraction with the employer.

“I’m interviewing Thursday,” he said. “I applied for it two months ago and it’s coming to fruition. I don’t know if the interview is a direct result of the blog, but since the blog started, I’m interviewing.”

Trained professionals in industries tied to the now-slumped housing market are being hit hard by corporate downsizing that factored in his job loss in January at Greenvest, a land development company, Lynk said. Before then, he worked for developer Syntex Homes in Gaithersburg, then was transferred to the Dagsboro office where he worked until a layoff.

“They have gone from 125 employees to two,” he said. “I left there in September 2006. They are not going to put up homes if nobody was buying them.”

Lynk devotes much of his spare time to his 20-month-old son, John Henry Jr., or J.J. And he checks his blog for leads. “I had two, three suggestions regarding factory work in Pennsylvania,” he says. “There’s a gamut of information (in responses.)”

With construction-related jobs running scarce, a blog could be an avenue, said Burke, who has lived on the Shore since 1993. “The market is bizarre. Health care is even kind of whacky, now.”

She also recommends Craig’s List, another alternative site on the Internet, although some sites are difficult to navigate and sometimes less specific about a particular job or skill level, Burke said.

Blogging, though, is a creative approach and alternative use of the Internet, she said.

“I sort of think that’s not a bad idea, making your own blog,” Burke said. “Creativity in looking for a job is a trend, and putting a resume on Careerbuilder and Monster are great ways to start. Then build your own Web site.

“Somebody might pick up that information,” she said.

Did you know that there are many different job interview tips to help wow your interviewer and land the job that you desire? Yes, that’s right! There is a secret formula of success that every potential job interview candidate should know and understand prior to the first interview.

Now, I am about to share these secret job interview tips with you! Remember, the job market is slim these days. In order to make the mark and land the position that you want and need, you have to have a competitive edge. The following is a list of what I consider to be the top five job interview tips to help you put the “WOW!” into your interview!

1. Now, we have all heard the whole spill about “presentation” and “first impressions”. While I would love to say “hey, take all that and throw it out the door”, I can’t. The truth is presentation IS everything! First impressions DO count! Keep this in mind as you’re preparing for your interview. This is a process where you get to urge an interviewer to “buy-in”. It is much like a sales presentation. In this case, however, YOU are the product. You should ensure that you carry a copy of a professionally written resume, as well as any other valuable paperwork that can display how you can be an asset to the company in which you are applying. Practice the sales pitch, work on the objections, and above all - push for the final purchase!
2. You’ve got your eye on a particular company. You want a certain position. If you want to WOW! your interviewer, learn that company and the description of the position that you are seeking inside AND out! This is an essential job interview tip! Not only does this tell the interviewer that you are quite serious when it comes to the position that you seek, this company will develop the same respect for you that you have for them! Be in the “know” - now!
3. The next step to ensuring the overall WOW! factor of your interview is to ensure that you practice questions that may be asked of you and consider good interview questions to ask the interviewer. This will BLOW the interviewer AWAY! The “average” interviewee comes in with their nerves tied in a knot, fear blatantly etched in their faces. This is common. Most of these individuals do not have the nerves to ask questions. Then, here you come with all this confidence and start asking away! This is impressive! By the time you get done with the interview, you will find that the person interviewing you is actually SELLING YOU the job! Pretty amazing how this works, but I have personally experienced it more than once - successfully!
4. Now, we all know looks are not everything - and, truly, they aren’t! However, a professional image IS everything if you are looking to WOW! your interviewer. Make sure that your interview clothes are appropriate, that you are well kept and that you display a visible level of confidence! By taking the time to focus on these areas, you are sure to be pleased - in the end - when it comes to the overall results of your interview!
5. Last, but not least, WOW! your interviewer by ensuring that you remain confident, act truly interested in every word that they say and interact with them! They will gain a comfort level with you, and you will do the same with them. This, above all, is sure to convince them that they absolutely MUST hire you!

That’s IT! Everything you need to know to WOW! your interviewer and land the job of your dreams in here in these job interview tips! Apply these measures, and you will quickly and comfortably travel down the road to success!

Read more about preparing for interview as well as advice on interview clothes

Catherine Jones is a leading authority on recruitment and, with 3 colleagues, has written a how to snag a job website in which she shares her secrets on getting hired.

Catherine works as a senior manager for a large financial services organisation and recruits new employees on a regular basis. Learn from the experts and snag the job you want - your dream job!

How to find a new job in trying times

Things aren’t going as well on your current job as you’d hoped. But with bills to pay and the economy as it is, should you even be thinking about looking for something new? After all, you have a job, even if it’s not the job you dream about.

According to business communications and etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, you shouldn’t let a disheartening job market discourage you from finding the right job.

Pachter, author of “When The Little Things Count … And They Always Count,” says that tough times mean job searchers need to be more focused, and need to be persistent.

1. Approach your job search as if it was your job. If you are unemployed, work every day at your search. If you are still employed, set aside time. Prepare your resume. Set a number of connections to make each week.

2. Find a coach. Have someone with whom you check in periodically. Let him or her know how your search is progressing.

3. Google yourself. Many executives Google candidates to see what kind of information appears. Checks of Facebook, blogs or YouTube are also likely.

4. Use the old-fashioned approach, too. Yes, it’s worth it to post your resume on Web sites like Monster.com and to visit company Web sites to find job openings, but don’t forget offline methods. People still find jobs from the want ads in newspapers and at job fairs. Also, don’t forget to check your alma mater’s career center.

5. Think about who you know. People often get jobs through people they know, so let friends and relatives know you are looking. Build a network. If you aren’t already, - get involved in professional and civic organizations.

6. Never assume you’re a good interviewee. If you can, get professional help for interviewing. At the very least, role play and record yourself.

7. Thank the people who have helped. In person or with a card, thank those who have assisted you in your search.

8. Help others. What goes around really comes around, so help others. When you can, be a resource. If you hear of an opening that is appropriate for someone, let the person know.

9. Have hope. Looking for a job is a stressful experience even in the best of economic times, and if you’re unemployed, it’s even more stressful. But remember, if you’re qualified and are a good worker, you will find a job. It may take awhile, but it will happen.

Dawn Anfuso is a South Bay-based business writer and former managing editor of Workforce magazine. If you have workplace or job-search questions, e-mail Dawn at dawnanfuso@yahoo.com. Writers will remain anonymous.

Baby boomers looking for jobs find the landscape has changed

Looking for a job was an exercise in frustration for Mike O’Bryan, and nothing was more aggravating than the interview.

The Grapevine man’s 25 years in information technology turned out to be more a liability than an asset. Employers looked at the 60-year-old applicant and asked him whether he might be “overqualified.”

“I guess my age scared them,” he said. “They must have thought that if they hired me, I’d retire soon.”

After a dozen disappointing interviews, Mr. O’Bryan decided to become a self-employed financial planner. With retirement nowhere on his horizon, he helps his clients plan for their golden years.

“I’m now my own boss. It’s OK,” he said.

The weak economy is putting a squeeze on workers in their 50s and 60s.

Having spent their career with only one or two employers, many are looking for work for the first time in years. Some have been laid off. Others have taken buyouts but can’t afford to retire. Still others are coming out of retirement because their nest eggs have shrunk.

Workers 55 and older take an average of 21 weeks to find a job, about five weeks longer than younger job seekers, according to the AARP Public Policy Institute.

Older workers who suddenly have to apply for another job may be “out of practice” and not know how to make their pitch to employers, said Renee Ward, founder of Seniors4Hire.org, an online community for mature workers.

“The world has changed since they last went job hunting, and some don’t have a clue what to do,” she said.

The interview can be especially intimidating to workers over 50. So career counselors who coach them try to prepare them for it, going over how to dress and act and even how to answer the tougher questions they’re likely to be asked.

“Your resume may get you in the door, but how you handle the interview determines whether you get the job offer,” said career consultant Jill Pfaff Waterbury of Coppell.

Ms. Waterbury, who’s co-author of the Boomers’ Job Search Guide and teaches a Richland College course for older job seekers, said no one can survive an interview without conveying a professional image and confident attitude.

Here are some tips that she and other job search experts give for accomplishing that and landing an offer.

First and foremost, brush off that chip on your shoulder. “If you don’t believe that your age and experience would be assets to potential employers, why should they believe it?” said Renae Perry, director of the Senior Source’s employment program.

“The best way to dispel those stereotypes about older workers is to make sure you’re not that kind of person,” she said. “Be flexible. Be willing to keep up with new trends in your field. Be computer-savvy.”

Work on your image. Even applicants with a can-do attitude can defeat themselves with a slothful appearance, Ms. Waterbury said. “No one expects you to look like you’re 20, but you should look neat, trim and up-to-date,” she said.

High on Ms. Waterbury’s to-do list: Lose those extra pounds you’ve been toting around. Leave that ill-fitting suit or outfit in your closet and buy something new. If you don’t trust your fashion sense, ask your friends for advice.

Beards are a big no-no with Ms. Waterbury because she believes they make men look older. Too much jewelry should also be avoided, she said, because it can be a distraction.

Don’t be rattled if your interviewers are under 30. “Show them respect,” Ms. Perry said. “Keep your conversation on a professional level. You’re there to convince them you can help them. But don’t overdo it and make them think you’re after their job.”

Younger workers value working in teams, so play up any experience you have with working on projects alongside colleagues of all ages, she said.

Don’t be shy, but don’t talk too much, either. “Though older workers dislike bragging on themselves, a job interview is no time for modesty,” Ms. Perry said. “No one else will walk through the door to tout your qualities, so it’s up to you.”

Still, some applicants literally talk themselves out of a job by continuing to banter long after they’ve answered the interviewer’s question, she said. “Stay focused. Talking about your children or grandchildren won’t get you a job.”

Ms. Waterbury said interviews often begin with the general question: “Tell me about yourself.” Stick with your professional life your accomplishments, your skills and how you would be a good fit for the job, she said.

Anticipate the age-related questions. Asking applicants whether they’re overqualified may be another way of suggesting they’re too old or too expensive, so how well the prospect responds can make or break the interview, Ms. Waterbury said.

“A good response is to say outright that your top priorities aren’t title or money,” she said. “Emphasize that you’re a hands-on person who, because of your experience, can hit the ground running and can be trusted to get the job done.”

Sarah Drake, who’s 60 and lives in Coppell, spent most of her life in banking but now wants to work at a nonprofit agency on housing or women’s issues. She’s thought hard about the skepticism she may encounter from interviewers.

“I’ve accepted the fact that I’m a ‘mature worker.’ To me, that means I have a lot of patience, I’m a loyal employee, I have a strong work ethic, I don’t require supervision, and I have a lifetime of experience. There’s no way I’m retiring.”

Practice, practice, practice. Older workers who haven’t looked for a job in years will find that interviewing styles have changed. Many companies now screen candidates through phone interviews, Ms. Perry said.

“Don’t be blindsided by the call,” she said. “Prepare for it as you would an in-person interview. And when the call comes, find a quiet place to talk so you’re not distracted by what’s going on around you.”

“Behaviorial interviewing” has also become popular, Ms. Waterbury said. That involves asking applicants how they would respond to specific problems or situations, such as a conflict with a co-worker.

Camille Kramer, coordinator of career and employment services at the Jewish Family Service in Dallas, conducts mock interviews, videotapes the sessions and then does critiques so her clients can work on their rough edges.

“Most people have to be talked into it, but they’re often glad they did it,” she said. “They see some silly facial expression or hear some awkward response, and they suddenly have the motivation to do better.”

Don’t leave without asking point-blank for the job. “Tell the interviewer you’re more convinced than ever that you’re the right person for the job,” Ms. Perry said.

“And then ask when the company will reach its decision.”

Finally, she advises job applicants to send a note of thanks the same day. “Make it a handwritten note. In this day and age of e-mail, that personal touch will be remembered.”

Dos and don’t for older workers in interviews

DO

-Go online and research the company.

-Leave those white shoes and belt in the closet and buy a new wardrobe.

-Stress your interest in learning new skills.

-Emphasize you’re computer-savvy.

DON’T

-Wear a beard, especially if it’s graying.

-Tell your interviewer he’s about the same age as your son.

-Talk about the “good old days.”

-Say you’d like to work for only a few more years.

SOURCE: Dallas Morning News research

Where to go for help

AARP: aarp.org

Boomers’ Job Search Guide: boomersjobsearch.net

Jewish Family Service: 972-437-9950 or jfsdallas.org

Senior Source’s employment program: 214-823-5700 or theseniorsource.org

Quit Shuffling Your Feet: Focus On That Job Search

Businesspeople constantly talk about focus, especially after they lose it. Job seekers have a particularly difficult time maintaining focus after they’ve established a target. This column will discuss three different people from the East, South and West and how their ability to focus simplified their job searches. All three spent eight to nine months job hunting.

John Maher, HR coordinator at EF Education First Ltd., in Cambridge, Mass., brought experience that worked for and against him. He’d been an HR coordinator for a leading multi-national luxury hotel for about a year and, after moving to Boston, worked at the chain as Club Lounge manager, where he managed six concierges.

“I wanted to return to HR, even if that meant leaving the bigger company I’d become a part of,” he says. “In some people’s eyes, I’d passed the level of professional experience to be an HR coordinator. In other people’s eyes, I didn’t have enough HR experience for another HR coordinator role.” Seemingly random feedback about the problem made it impossible for him to see a pattern and re-target his efforts.

His solution was somewhat simple — keeping his eye on the ball and heeding the confidence-building words of his recruiter. She reminded him, he recalls, that “any organization hiring could be looking for something very specific, that not meeting their requirements” only indicates lack of fit.

In addition, Maher networked to sharpen his resume and get ideas about how to approach his search. The fact that he was working full-time, with benefits, infused a feeling of security. He started his new job May 27, where the content of his work has a strong international component.

Brooke Welch, vice president and account director at San Francisco’s Van Prooyen Greenfield L.L.P., encountered quite a different problem. She knew exactly what she wanted — a job that wouldn’t require her to settle. However, the concept was one thing; its details, another. She hadn’t a clue, except that after five years in civil litigation, she didn’t want to work at a law firm. All she knew was that she’d be using her legal skills in a new environment.

“Where do I go to find this ideal job (I can’t describe)?” she asked herself. The few resources in her industry kept turning up jobs in law firms. After eight months, during which time she had a baby, she applied for one job that truly interested her. Her interviews at the boutique legal PR and Marketing firm “felt more like conversations with the principals,” she says. She loves the PR and media strategy for trials of high-profile cases.

Susan Hawkins, senior copywriter for e-commerce for The Shops at 24Seven in Norcross, Ga., writes articles and product descriptions for several sites and blogs. Her perceived liabilities, individually or combined, could daunt just about anyone: age, 59; obsolete job search skills (last job hunt: 1985); and lack of agency experience after a career in other types of jobs and business ownership.

So there she was, 59, out of the job market for more than 20 years and feeling insecure about not having agency experience. Meanwhile, she attended free job seminars to get up to speed. Removing the dates from her resume helped.

“Oddly enough,” she says, “I went to 1.5 job interviews before I got this job. “One was for a job that wasn’t a good fit, but I wanted to get my feet wet in the interviewing process. The other came to me through networking, a morning breakfast with short, round-robin interviews at a large PR firm looking for several freelance writers.”

“Networking was the key,” she continues, “even though I got my job through the Internet, because it was through networking that I got wind of workshops and events that were free.”

So much has been written about what you should include in your resume that it’s easy to overlook the things you should not put in your resume. These can send your resume to the trash can just as fast as the things you omit.

Here are five things to never put in your resume.

One

Any statement about a “job objective” or “career objective”.

I know this is completely counterintuitive and contradicts much of what you’ve read about how to write a good resume, but hear me out. I’ve been a hiring manager for over 25 years at several Fortune 500 corporations and have interviewed and hired hundreds of people in my career.

My advice to you is don’t bother putting an objective on your resume - it’s meaningless to the hiring manager who will be reading your resume and simply takes up space without contributing anything. Instead, focus your efforts on customizing your resume for the specific job to which you’re applying.

Read the job description in the job posting. Pay attention to the experience and qualifications they are seeking and highlight those things in your resume. What the hiring manager wants to read is how good a fit you will be for their job opening, not what your general “objective” is for a job. Including a job objective will not help and may very well hurt your resume. Your time is better spent tailoring your resume for each job.

Two

The date you graduated from college.

By all means, include the fact that you did graduate, the school you attended, and any honors you received. But leave your graduation date off. If it’s too far in the past, you may be stereotyped as being too old. If it’s too recent, you may be stereotyped as being too young. Yes, questions about age can’t be asked in an interview and age discrimination is illegal, but let’s face it: if you give a big clue about your age in your resume you run the risk of being typecast.

It’s better to sell your experience and accomplishments and take age out of the equation.

Three

Personal information such as hobbies, how you like to spend you time, etc.

The hiring manager only wants to know about your education, experience and accomplishments as they relate to the job for which you’re interviewing. Personal information adds nothing to your resume and you run the risk of stating something that the hiring manager doesn’t like. For example, if you state that you’re an avid hunter and the hiring manager is into animal rights, you are sunk before you even leave the dock.

Four

Experience that isn’t backed up with accomplishments.

Yes, the hiring manager wants to know you have the specific experience the job requires. But simply listing your experience without also giving example of accomplishments that show that the experience was successful puts you into the same league as all the other mediocre applicants.

It’s one thing to say that you have five years of marketing experience. It’s quite another thing to say you have five years experience at XYZ company and increased sales in your territory by thirty percent. Which statement do you think will lead to an interview?

Five

Page three and any page after that.

Your resume should never be more than two pages. And it should only be two pages if you have more than ten years of experience at more than three employers. Then, it’s okay to have a second page, but never more.

Actually, the hiring manager will almost always make a decision as to if your resume warrants an interview after the first page, usually after the first half of the first page. If you can’t convince me you are the right person for the job in two pages or less, I won’t be convinced by the third or fourth page and in fact will probably not read that far. I’ll usually have dozens of resumes to read and long resumes are absolute deal killers.

Force yourself to make your resume no longer than two pages, preferably one. Your resume will be much more focused and powerful.

Tom McBroom has been a Hiring Manager for over 25 years and manages the website http://www.job-search-steps.com, which is dedicated to helping you find a job quickly. Visit his site for complete information about conducting a job search, writing resumes and cover letters, and interviewing.

Over the years, I’ve occasionally hired someone who was eminently qualified as far as the specific technical skills were concerned, but who later turned out to be, well…a jerk. And the thing about jerks is that they can be very good at concealing that trait in a job interview, especially if they are otherwise very qualified.

Even if the “jerk factor” comes through in the interview, if they are the most experienced and qualified applicant it’s very tempting to overlook problem personalities and hire them for their experience. And it’s always a mistake.

The thing is, a good hiring manager can pretty easily pick up whether or not you have the specific experience and technical skills for the job. Whether it’s a high-level technology position or a simple administrative assistant position, we know the right questions to ask to probe for the proper skills and experience.

Ah, but the soft skills…that’s a much more difficult thing to assess in an interview. Many hiring managers call this the “likability factor”, which of course is the opposite of the “jerk factor”. Do you have a good attitude, a positive outlook on things, are you friendly, do you get along well with people, are you dependable, trustworthy? These are the soft skills that all hiring managers want.

Most experienced hiring managers who have been burned by hiring jerks are particularly tuned in to trying to get a read on these soft skills in the interview. They know that if you are light on the technical skills, you can be trained. But you either have the soft skills or you don’t. You can’t really teach someone to be positive and get along well with people. In other words, you can’t “unteach” a jerk to not be one.

In fact, the more experienced the hiring manager, the more they would rather miss a good person than hire a bad one.

So the question is, how do you show the hiring manager that you aren’t a jerk?

Simply put, avoid demonstrating any of these three personality traits in your interview: arrogant, condescending, and patronizing. These three traits will be the kiss of death in an interview with an experienced hiring manager.

No matter how much more you think you know than the hiring manager, no matter how much better you perceive yourself to be than the hiring manger, you simply cannot display that in an interview. The hiring manager will automatically assume that if you come across this way in the interview, when a job rides on the outcome, you will come across even stronger to your co-workers once you are on the job.

In other words, you’ll turn out to be a jerk.

The bottom line here is you have to make an effort to have yourself perceived as being friendly, positive, and likable in the interview. And hopefully, you really are!

Tom McBroom has been a Hiring Manager for over 25 years and manages the website http://www.job-search-steps.com - which is dedicated to helping you find a job quickly. Visit his site for complete information about conducting a job search, writing resumes and cover letters, and interviewing.

First impressions can “make” or “break” your job interview. Have you ever heard the saying “perception is reality?” You may be the most skilled person for the job. However, if the first impression you make on your interviewer during the initial few minutes of interaction isn’t a positive one, it just might cost you the job. Ensure the hiring decision is based on your qualifications by taking to heart the following top 5 tips for making a killer first impression at your job interview.

1. Be punctual. Showing up late for your interview sends a message to your interviewer that you don’t value his or her time and aren’t responsible. Prepare in advance by visiting the building beforehand so you don’t get lost. Scope out traffic in the area and plan your driving time accordingly. Lastly, ask beforehand if there are any security or check-in procedures that will require you to arrive early.
2. Avoid distractions. The job interview is intended to assess your qualifications for the position. In an ideal world, that’s all that would matter. In reality, diversions like chewing gum, heavy perfume, inappropriate dress and unkempt appearance destroy your professional credibility.
3. Practice your handshake. Show your confidence by maintaining good posture, making eye contact and smiling (no cheesy grins) at your interviewer while shaking his or her hand. Your handshake should be firm and never aggressive or limp.
4. Use the interviewer’s name during introductions. For example, after the interviewer introduces herself, you might say, “Hello Sally, it is great to meet you.” This simple step goes far to build rapport with your interviewer and make a personal connection.
5. Show your personality and interpersonal skills. For instance, make small talk on your walk to the interview room. Answer interview questions in a way that conveys your positive energy and attitude. Show your sense of humor. Connecting with the interviewer helps him or her envision you as a future member of the team.

First impressions are lasting and a reality of job interview success or failure. Careful planning will ensure nothing distracts from your interview responses and the focus remains on the job qualifications that got you to this step in the employment process.

B. Pink is an experienced Human Resources professional offering valuable advice and practical tips for job seekers everywhere. For more detailed tips on mastering your job interview, visit http://www.squidoo.com/job-interviewing-how-to-prepare-for-your-job-interview