According to some them, they may announce a vacancy in the morning and receive a batch of resumes they hardly can carry by noon. How about reading all of them?

Proper keywords may pave your way to the top

The really is that most hiring managers do not read all resumes. At least in big companies. More and more often these days they use resume-scanning software that ‘fishes out’ key words that indicate desired qualifications and thus suitability of applicants.

You may write the nicest cover letter and attach the best resume to it only to see them go into trash bin just because they did not have proper keywords.

That’s because cold-hearted resume scanner did not find anything of value in them.
You should look for the actual words the company used in its employment advertisement and make sure they all are in your application package.

The buzzwords may differ from industry to industry so you should do your homework to get them right.
Here’s another trick you can pull of: have a section in your resume simply titled: “Key Words”. It simpler and more efficient way of putting all the necessary keywords on your resume.

Make sure your resume is a Microsoft Word format and is addressed the human resources manager personally.

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The government jobs report issued Friday shows that businesses have slowed their pace of hiring to a relative trickle says recent CNN report.

“The job losses during the Great Recession were so off the chart, that even though we’ve gained about 600,000 private sector jobs back, we’ve got nearly 8 million jobs to go,” said Lakshman Achuthan, managing director of Economic Cycle Research Institute.

US looses 7.9 million jobs

More frequent recessions: Despite signs of slowing economic growth, Achuthan is not predicting that the U.S. economy is about to fall into another downturn later this year.

“We’ve entered a era where the United States will see more frequent recessions than anyone is used to,” Achuthan said.

One of the big problems is that many of workers who have lost jobs were in industries that are not likely to recover their former strength.

“We’ve got the wrong people in the wrong place with the wrong skills,” said John Silvia, chief economist with Wells Fargo Securities. He said construction workers in California or Florida and auto workers in Michigan will have to relocate and retrain to find new jobs.

“As many as half the people who lost their jobs will have to find something else to do,” said Silvia.
The unemployment rate is currently 9.5%. A return to the 4.4% rate it was the summer before the recession started in 2007 is out of reach.

In fact, the Federal Reserve, in its latest forecast, predicts that unemployment will stay around 7% or above through 2012, and in the 5% to 5.3% range in the long-run.

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2. Listing duties, not accomplishments
Don’t turn your resume into a boring list of places you worked at. HR managers are humans too! Your resume should consist of high-impact accomplishments statements. These accomplishments will you’re your qualifications.
Try to avoid phrases like “Duties included,” or “Responsibilities included,” or “Was in charge of”. That’s boring! Today most resumes are placed into keyword-searchable databases, you won’t find employers searching resumes for words like “responsibilities,” “duties,” or “responsible for.”
Focus on achievements that make you stand out from the rest of the candidates. In each job, what special things did you do to set yourself apart? How did you do the job better than anyone else? Your resume should indicate how your accomplishments helped your previous employers to: make/save money, improve workflow, solve a problem, be more competitive, expand the business, gain new clients, etc.

10 most common resume mistakes

3. Wrong order of resume items
The order of items on your resume may seem like an insignificant detail. However, it is important to hiring managers. You should list your jobs in this order: Title/position, name of employer, city/state of employer, dates of employment.
Education follows the same principle; thus, the preferred order for listing your education is: Name of degree in name of major, name of university, city/state of university, graduation year, followed by peripheral information, such as minor and GPA. If you haven’t graduated yet, list your information the same way.

4. Unnecessary information
Age discrimination is a reality. Many employers may think you’re too expensive if you list too much experience on your resume. If you graduate more than 15 years ago, try not to include it in your resume. Focus on more recent trainings you received.

5. Important skills not emphasized
Many job-seekers, even when applying to technology related position tend to put “Computer Skills” section at the bottom of their resumes. If computer skills are relevant to your field, list them in your Summary or Profile section. That way, they’ll catch the reader’s eye in the first third of your resume.
Similarly if language and international-business skills are important in the type of job you seek, list them in your Summary or Profile section, not at the end of your resume.

6. Weak format
Bulleted style makes your resume more reader-friendly. According to studies use of bulletsare the 2nd-highest ranked preference by employers, and density of type (paragraphs rather than bullet points) was ranked highly as a factor that would inspire employers to discard a resume.

7. Standard templates
Using Microsoft Word template for your resume is fine, but remember: you will be competing with thousands other candidates doing the same thing. Your resume simply won’t stand out. Instead you will portray yourself as someone devoid of imagination.

8. Absence of keywords
Keywords in job hunting are big these days. Thanks to the advancements in the technology employers more and more rely on keywords to find the job candidates. Today, more than 80 percent of resumes are searched for job-specific keywords.

9. References in the resume
Never listed specific references directly on your resume. List them on a separate sheet, and even then, submit them only when specifically requested by an employer.
According to Even the phrase, “References: Available upon request,” is highly optional because it is a given that you will provide references upon request. If you couldn’t, you would have no business looking for a job. The line can serve the purpose of signaling: “This is the end of my resume,” but if you are trying to conserve space, leave it off.

10. Insufficient technical testing
In the era of Macs, PCs, Linuxs and all kinds of office applications you resume may easily loose all its ‘coolness’ once it is opened in the application it wasn’t meant for. That is why, when formatting your resume, make sure the elements in the file will display correctly on other machines. Avoid using fancy backgrounds, rare fonts or complicated formatting.
If you can, see what your resume looks like on other commonly used systems. Print it out.

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Many applicants overlook the importance of cover letter which is just as significant as the resume. HR professionals say that a well-written cover letter help to make a great first impression which is an important job towards a coveted interview.

Cover letter needs to go with the resume and explain why the resume is important

“The cover letter and resume are your sales brochure,” he says career coach Mark Burch from Harrisburg (North Carolina) in an interview to The Charlotte Observer. “Cover letters should be tailored for each job,” he adds.
“It’s to your advantage to address your letter to the hiring manager or someone who can get you the interview,” Burch says.

Burch suggest that making extra efforts in your job application will get you further in your application process. For instance, try to avoid putting “To Whom It May Concern” in your cover letter. Do some research instead and find the name of the person in the company who makes hiring decisions.

The whole purpose of the cover letter is to tell the recipient why he or she should even bother to read your resume, Burch said. You have to emphasize your interest in the company and what you would bring to the position. Be specific.

“Provide examples of your accomplishments and demonstrate your ability to help the prospective employer make money by hiring you,” he said.

Just like your resume, don’t get too wordy in your cover letter.
“Your cover letter should be one page and consist of three to four paragraphs. It’s best to keep your resume at no more than two pages. Most resumes and cover letters will receive 60 to 90 seconds at the most,” Burch said. “You need to capture interest within the first 30 seconds to keep the reader’s attention.”

Think of the cover letter as part of the required preliminary work to get the interview.

“The interview gets you the job, but the cover letter and resume lead to the interview,” Burch said.

The old good editing and double checking will never hurt. Make sure you take time to read through your resume and cover letter some time after you have written them. Remember, these two taken together are the brochure that sells you.

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In 2009, alumni-generated postings, along with most of the job market, dried up. Now, only 10 percent of Brock’s class graduate with full-time employment.

Learn how to write student resume

Wanting to work in his field, he stepped up his job search efforts. He treaded his job search as a full-time job in itself, using all his connections, trying to be more creative. He’s searching for jobs through college alumni, his parents’ connections, specialized job boards and volunteer work.

“You have to do everything to stand out because the odds of a regular cover letter getting noticed are slim and none. I sent some companies a list of the Top 10 reasons why they should hire me, and got some response,” said Brock.

According to Randy Hain, managing partner and shareholder of Bell Oaks, an executive search firm, because of the recession the market is flooded by experienced applicants and  businesses have the luxury of only choosing the best.

“To compete, new graduates need to learn to flex,” said Hain. This is his advice to college grads:

• Use the right communication and social media tools. LinkedIn and e-mail, not Facebook, are the preferred tools of Gen X and Boomer professionals.
• Ask your parents for a different kind of help. Go to them for networking assistance, asking for referrals to senior executives they know through work, church or professional organizations.
• Do your homework. Before an interview, do extensive research on the company and the hiring manager using LinkedIn and Google to find talking points and things you might have in common.
• Tap into your school’s alumni group, an underused and highly effective source for leads.
• Try a more creative approach to internships. Grads can get a foot in the door by offering to help companies solve a current problem through an unpaid internship.

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Brownstein had a good job but wanted a more creative one. He came up with the list of ad agencies and creative directors he wanted to work for. He wrote a very short ad and paid for it to appear alongside search results anytime someone Googled those names.

This is how ad appeared on Google. Image by Alec Brownstein

Brownstein, who himself would regularly type his name in Google search just for the fun of it, hope guys at the ad agencies do the same thing.

Brownstein spent just $6 for the ads.

The ads, which linked to his website, addressed each individual by name. “Hey,” it read, “Googling yourself is a lot of fun. Hiring me is fun, too.”

Brownstein’s plan worked. Several weeks after the ad appeared online it was noticed by Scott Vitrone and Ian Reichenthal, the co-executive creative directors at advertising giant Young & Rubicam in New York.

“I thought it was funny right off the bat,” Reichenthal said in an interview to National Public Radio, describing Brownstein’s approach as exquisitely simple and wonders why it hadn’t been tried before.

Vitrone described the ad very personal: “It was like he was talking to us.”

But the Google ad was a different matter. In fact, Brownstein is the only person they’ve hired whose self-promotion ploy worked.

Vitrone says Brownstein demonstrated the creative talent and innovative thinking they look for in their staff.

Brownstein is now a senior copywriter at Young & Rubicam. His campaign won ad industry awards in the self-promotion category.

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The report cites the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and cites retirements, tougher safety regulations as primary factors behind truck driver shortage. The report also says, the industry will have to rely on the drivers who were laid-off during the recession.

Experts say in the next year or two, trucking companies are likely to continue to experience shortage of qualified professionals even despite with continued high unemployment

Average income of a trucker varies within $37,730 but it is supposed to grow as hiring companies will be trying to fill vacant positions.

During the recession the inflow of job applications to trucking companies increased significantly as laid-off truckers and construction workers applied for jobs, which was unusual for the industry. However, as the economy picks up that surplus of applicants has started to wane.

With the expected 4% to 6% growth in freight traffic for trucks the demand for truck drivers will only grow. Add to this the number of retirees and you’ll get over 1 million new drivers that have to come to the industry in the next 15 years.

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Tip #1: be careful on social networks

Stay away from LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. And don’t send out your resume left and right. Your resume can easily end up in the hands of your current boss because some of your well-wishing network contacts were not aware of your secret job search. So, activate your network contacts — carefully and individually — on the phone.

Tip # 2: Tell recruiter you’re hiding

Secret job search

Independent recruiters can be of great help and can also get you in trouble. Before sending out anything to them insist on informing you of each new address they thinking of sending your résumé to. You may sound like a nag but at least your cover will remain intact.

Tip #3: Cloak of invisibility

Think about removing your name and the name of your current employer from your résumé. Replace them with something more generic. For example, “Experienced network administrator,” “Large International Company.”) Get a new cell phone number and an e-mail account at one of the free e-mail servers such as hotmail or gmail. Put them in your resume as your contact information.

Google the net for “remove hidden data office document” and you’ll find plenty of tips on how to remove metadata from your Microsoft Word resume.

Tip #4: Distribution control

Avoid all résumé-sending services. They make it extremely easy to send out your resume to thousand potential employers, but use caution before signing up with them. Start by reading the site’s user policy. Then choose every confidentiality option to mask your identity. Activate blocking features to keep your résumé away from your current employer and other companies you designate. Pray.

Tip #5: Find the right recipient

Whenever you see a job advertisement, try to find who is actually hiring. Don’t risk your chances by sending out your application through a job board form. You can call the company that is hiring and ask for contact information of their HR manager.

Tip #6: Double check your references

It’s a good idea not to list your current boss among your references but if this is absolutely necessary do not allow reference-checking contact with your current employer until you receive a signed offer letter. Collect references from earlier employers, former co-workers who’ve left your current employer, and individuals whose respect you’ve gained through professional and civic activities.

Tips #7: Be smart

Stay away from online job servers that want to know too much. They may use that information to sell it to others without your consent. Don’t give out company business cards or your work telephone number (remember, you already have a cell). Go through your online job profiles several tips searching for tip-offs that may give you away. Try not to search for work during your office hours.

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According to Wall Street Journal columnist Dennis Nishi many HR managers find it hard to decipher the résumés of longtime independent consultants and contractors since they often don’t fit into traditional résumé style of company, title, years worked and responsibilities.

Here are few tips for those transitioning from free-lance jobs and independent consulting to a full-time job.

Talk to your clients
Tap into your network of employers. Connect with past and present clients who already are familiar with your work as they may be more receptive to considering you for a full-time opening or even create a new role for you. Try getting a referral from an employee or trusted third party. This will help overcome the stigma of free-lancers being flight risk or not being able to be a part of the team.

Transitioning to full time may be hard

Be ready to explain why you are ready to change from being an independent employee to a full-time worker.
“Clearly articulate why you’re at this place in your life and career that you want to make this transition from [being] independent,” says Diane Adams, vice president of human resources at Chicago-based Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions. Hiring managers need to hear that you want to contribute in specific ways and can learn something by being on staff, too.

Make sure you’re specific about your experience — both in your résumé and cover letters and in person. Even more than a regular job hunter, it’s important to portray what you’ve done “in a results-oriented way,” says Brian Drum, president of Drum Associates, a New York executive-search firm. “Companies will look at that more favorably because it’s hard to decipher when you just say you’re an accountant.”

Mr. Drum adds, “What did you do? What did you accomplish? Show them.” Even if your projects were short, list them on a résumé or discuss them in terms of revenues created, costs saved, new customers gained and the like.

You can use the job description of the position you want to apply for to prioritize your résumé and cover letter. “Usually, the skills and qualifications are listed in the order of their needs,” says Mr. Drum. Your résumé should be tailored to reflect that. “If you don’t have the right key words for that specific job, you might get bypassed, regardless of the experience you have,” he says. “Most résumé s are not only scanned electronically, they’re read electronically.”

Take some time to add key words and duties from the job listing to your résumé when they’re applicable.

Ready to be a part of the team?
Be prepared to provide examples of collaboration, including how you’ve worked with clients, vendors and other third parties.
If you’ve done community work with use those examples to show you’re a team player.
Finally, don’t shy away from promoting the skills that have made you a successful contractor. Successful free-lancers are typically driven, hardworking and independent, which are qualities that you’ll want to emphasize. Use your ability to handle many assignments or contracts as a way to show you are adaptable, say career experts.

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1. You fail to tailor a cover letter that addresses the specific requirements of the position as described in an ad. You note duties and responsibilities while ignoring accomplishments. (Step back and review why you made a difference at former places of employment.)

2. You neglect to use contacts who can make a direct introduction. Employers give greater consideration to candidates who are referred by employees, friends and acquaintances. (Referrals move you from stranger to insider — or at least not-so-strange status.)

3. You send correspondence and resumes to people at a company who are not even remotely involved in the hiring process. Even if your contact ultimately remembers to forward your self-marketing documents, they frequently do not come to the attention of a recruiter or hiring manager until long after the job has been filled. (The takeaway: Follow up with your contact.)

Six tips for gettin a job interview

4. You have unrealistic job aspirations — the little engine that could, can’t. (Stop applying for everything in sight; you know better.)

5. You price yourself beyond the salary range of the job. (Hop onto Salary.com or Payscale.com and smell the coffee.)

6. You are less than positive about your qualifications in phone screens with employers. Vague or indirect responses won’t put you in interviewing category No. 1. (Bone up on phone screening tips.)

When you’re guilty of any of these deficiencies, you know what to do.

Rea more at Townhall.com

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