19 Words that Don’t Belong in Your Resume

It’s hard to believe that a few words could irritate someone enough to make them stop reading your resume, but it’s true. Some hiring managers and recruiters admit that they have their own mental lists of words that annoy them. Resume how-to books may recommend that you pack your resume full of as many verbs, adjectives, and adverbs as you can. But if you aren’t … [ Read more ]

Ten Traits IT Managers Look for in a Job Candidate

  1. Self-starter skills
    Give me 10 thoroughbreds over 15 slow runners every time. Managers want employees that take initiative and want to do a good job. Being proactive is an excellent trait, especially when it is consistent with the company’s mission. I’ll pay more for each individual in the team of 10 than for the team of 15, but I’ll accomplish more.
  2. Adaptability
    IT is constantly changing

… [ Read more ]

Sample Letter to send to a hiring manager

[date]

Mr./Ms. [first name] [last name]

[title]

[company name]

[street address]

[city], [state] [zip code]

Dear Mr./Ms. [last name],

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me on [date] to discuss the [name of position] opening. I enjoyed talking with you and [taking a tour of the office, seeing the computer room, or … [ Read more ]

Sample Letter to potential colleague on the same level

[date]

Mr./Ms. [first name] [last name]

[title]

[company name]

[street address]

[city], [state] [zip code]

Dear [you can use a first name if the interview was informal],

Thank you for taking the time to talk with me the other day [or use the specific date] while I was visiting [company name]. I enjoyed my time … [ Read more ]

Sample Letter to the HR director

[date]

Mr./Ms. [first name] [last name]

[title]

[company name]

[street address]

[city], [state] [zip code]

Dear Mr./Ms. [last name],

Thank you for setting up my interviews [or conducting the interviews] when I visited [company name] on [date]. I enjoyed meeting you and [names of people you also interviewed with]. I appreciate the time that the staff … [ Read more ]

Get a better picture of a potential job by asking these 14 questions

  1. What do you find most frustrating about your position?
  2. Why is this position open?
  3. Can you describe a typical day in this role?
  4. Where do you see this position in three to five years?
  5. What is the company’s policy regarding training?
  6. Would the job description assigned to me be based on my interest areas?
  7. What are the company’s financial stability and future growth possibilities?
  8. Could you describe the work culture (do people

… [ Read more ]

Interview strategies for fighting age bias

The key to coping with age bias is to provide the right feedback and dismiss concerns about age right off the bat. Most times, a subtle age bias will appear in questions and comments from interviewers. The trick is identifying the questions and knowing the best way to answer them. Here are nine practice questions and suggested replies.

  1. Tell me about yourself. Focus on your

… [ Read more ]

Tools from Download.com

With a plethora of job sites, several versions of your resume, and a limited amount of time; it’s no wonder that tracking your job search is a big, confusing job. Download.com offers many free or free-to-try tools to help you keep your job search active and organized. Check out the following tools:

  • Job Search Engine Spider Software 4.0
    This tool from the Gelb

… [ Read more ]