Do . . .

· Be concise. Use powerful action verbs to maximize the impact of your words.
· Write about responsibilities demonstrating skills and abilities relevant to the job.
· List jobs in chronological order starting with the most recent.
· Be complete. Don't leave time gaps.
· Use white paper and black ink.
· Don't use bold, italics or underline formatting; modern methods of inputting resumes into computer databases rely on plain formatting.
· Use a plain font like Arial or Times New Roman.
· Check spelling. Proofread carefully.

D o n ' t . . .

· Use more than two pages for your resume; one page can be ideal.
· Include negative information.
· Include your photograph.
· Include personal references or hobbies.
· Show salary or pay information.
· Include your Social Security Number.

Click to Submit your resume for reveiw

Interviewing may be the most intimidating step in the job search and employment process, but that should not keep you from realizing its potential. The key to success is proper preparation. Knowing the right answers, what to say, how to dress and conduct yourself, and how to sell your qualifications make the difference in the interview, so be prepared.

· Research the company. Source materials include financial reports, local newspapers, business section of local library and company internet websites.
· Stay abreast of current issues. Read professional journals, business publications and current news sources so that you can intelligently comment on topical concerns an interviewer might raise.
· Actively participate in professional groups and associations.
· Know what kind of interview to expect---a screening interview, a technical interview...
· Know why you want the job.
· "Dress for Success" ~ appropriately and professionally.
· Be polite to everyone you meet. They all count.
· Use names. Remember the names of the interviewers and use them.
· Maintain eye contact. This shows self confidence.
· Take some time to formulate your answers before you speak.
· Be positive and honest in every aspect of your answers.
· Communicate clearly and confidently.
· Describe your successes and identify your marketable skills.
· Line up your references in advance and verify that they will be good ones.
· Relax and tell the interviewer that you appreciate the opportunity the interview presents.
· If you are interested, clearly indicate that you want the job.

One of the most crucial times in the interview process, is the time after the initial interview. It is the period when you can be forgotten or just blend in with the crowd. The "Thank you" letter is a very good tool to make sure that you are remembered in a positive light. They are not just a formality; they act as marketing tools that can have tremendous value in moving your candidacy forward and positioning you above the competition. Although much of what you include in your thank-you letter may have already been communicated during your interview, there is nothing more effective than the written word to etch those thoughts into your interviewer's mind.

Overcome Objections
During an interview if there were any objections raised as to your candidacy, use your thank-you letter to respond to and overcome those concerns. Demonstrate the concerns are not an obstacle but an opportunity, and you're fully prepared to meet the challenge.

Reiterate Your Expertise
If the company communicated its specific needs, issues or challenges, use your thank-you letter to demonstrate how you can meet those needs.

Highlight Your Core Professional Competencies and Successes
If the company communicated its ideal qualifications for a candidate, use your thank-you letter to outline how you meet or exceed each qualification.

Length
How long should your thank-you letter be? You can take the risk of boring your potential employer to tears or just re-emphasizing your relevant experience directly related to the position. Of course, as with anything else in a job search, there is no definitive answer. We recommend the "short and sweet" versions and have seen that they pack more punch than something that is so long it makes its way to the trash instead of the inbox. Remind yourself that you already have the company's interest or you wouldn't have been interviewing. Use your thank-you letter as a tool to communicate your interest, not re-write your resume.

Preparation
Make sure you have the correct spelling of the recipient's name along with their company title. If sending via email, be sure to verify their email address as well. It's very important to spell check your letter before sending it out. Failure to do so shows a lack of attention to detail. If you are working with a 3rd party recruiter have them proof your letter to get another opinion. When you have double-checked the spelling and grammar and are satisfied with the letter mail it out as soon as possible. Don't delay.

Ten Reasons for not accepting a Counter offer:

1. What type of company do you work for if you have to threaten to resign before they give you what you are worth?
2. From where is the money for the counteroffer coming? Is it your next raise, early? (All companies have strict wage and salary guidelines, which must be followed).
3. Your company will immediately start looking for a new person at a lower salary price.
4. You have now made your employer aware that you are unhappy. From this day on, your loyalty will always be in question.
5. When promotion time comes around, your employer will remember who was loyal, and who wasn't.
6. When times get tough, your employer will begin the cutback with you.
7. The same circumstances that now cause you to consider a change will repeat themselves in the future, even if you accept a counteroffer.
8. Statistics show that if you accept a counteroffer, the probability of voluntarily leaving in 6 months or being let go within one year is extremely high.
9. Accepting a counteroffer is an insult to your intelligence and a blow to your personal pride, knowing that you were bought.
10. Once the word gets out, the relationship that you now enjoy with your co-workers will never be the same. You will lose the personal satisfaction of peer group acceptance.

"Although you think you're staying, you're really still leaving, but now it will be on their terms, not yours"
A counteroffer is merely any type of inducement your current employer uses to dissuade you from leaving, once you have submitted your resignation. They invariably involve some type of a promise from your boss. In most situations, a counteroffer will involve higher levels of compensation for you if you stay, and your boss will usually refer to the promotion the company was planning for you, or how he or she was about to change your job description to make it more satisfying for you. Most people fail to ask themselves the obvious question, "If the company holds me in such high regard, why did I have to resign to get what I deserve?" This, of course, begs the follow-up question, "Will I have to threaten to quit in the future to get what I deserve?" The sad truth is there is an extremely high probability that you won't even be there in the future.

Believe it or not, when you announce your resignation, your employer's first thought is not about what this means to you, but rather how this will impact him or her. Just a few possible examples of your boss's immediate thoughts would be:

1. This couldn't come at a worse time. I am spread too thin as it is, my department is already behind schedule, and this going to hurt morale.
2. My review is just around the corner, and this loss is going to take a toll on my performance.
3. It is not going to be easy to replace this person on such short notice, and my department's year-to-date performance was setting me up for a nice bonus.
4. If I can keep this person in place just until I find a suitable replacement, that would make my life a lot easier and might just salvage my vacation plans.

On the other hand, what your boss will actually say to you will be a far cry from what he or she is really feeling. Some possible examples would be:

1. I'm really shocked to hear you were this unhappy, let's put our heads together to see what we can come up with so you will want to stay.
2. This really hurts, especially since I had just worked out the details of your upcoming promotion, but upper management asked me to keep it confidential until next month.
3. I was going to give you a raise next quarter. How about we make it retroactive to the beginning of this quarter? I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the size of the increase I have arranged for you.
4. I don't want to see you make a mistake here; I have heard some disturbing information about your prospective employer.
5. After all I have done for you, this is how you repay me.

Unfortunately, most bosses know a subordinate's emotional framework as well, if not better, than the subordinate does. They can be very adept at pushing any or all of your emotional buttons - guilt, greed, fear, the need for recognition, and the need for companionship. When it comes to the resignation process, if you don't maintain a "business decision mindset" (similar to the mentality of a boss who decides to downsize his work force), then you run the risk of falling prey to the superficial lure of the counteroffer.
Before you yield to the lure of a generous counteroffer, consider these undeniable truths:

1. Regardless of what a company says when it is extending a counteroffer, you will, from that moment forward, be considered a fidelity risk. You will lose your status as a team player and your place in the inner circle. This will come into play in future decisions regarding promotions and career-enhancing opportunities.
2. Statistically, over 85% of executives who accept counteroffers are gone from that employer within 18 months of accepting the counteroffer.
3. Counteroffers are usually nothing more than a means of stalling your departure to give your employer time to figure out how to replace you.
4. When the word gets out that you resigned and then accepted a counteroffer to stay, your relationship with your peer group in the workplace will become strained, as some measure of resentment will begin to surface.
The reasons that prompted you to entertain outside opportunities in the first place will still be there. Your boss's concessions will make the situation a little more tolerable in the short run, but the underlying sources of your original dissatisfaction will eventually surface again.
If, after you have learned the truths about counteroffers, and you still succumb to your boss's persuasive tactics, then there is one final reality you would do well to embrace. Although you think you're staying, you're really still leaving, but now it will be on their terms, not yours.