So you’re looking for a job and you think you’ve got your references all lined up. Before you start passing their contact information along to potential employees, you’d better make sure you can truly rely on them.

Even if you left a job in good standing, that doesn’t mean your former boss, co-workers, or Human Resources department are going to give you a glowing recommendation. Don’t take it personally. In some instances, that’s because company policy does not allow them to do so. HR, in particular, may only be allowed to verify that you were indeed employed at the company from date X to date Y. They cannot make any statements with regard to performance, professionalism or the like.

Other times, a would-be reference may not respond to calls from a potential new employer because they themselves are no longer with the company in question. It could also be that the company switched phone systems and extensions have changed.

Finally, your listed references may simply be following the old adage of “if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.” As hard as it may be to come to grips with, you may not be remembered as fondly as you would like to believe.

Many job hunters have had their dreams dashed when the people they thought of as good references either gave them a less-than-stellar recommendation or proved to be completely unresponsive. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure this unfortunate fate doesn’t befall you:

1) Obtain Their Permission: Before giving out someone’s contact information, call them yourself and politely ask if they would be willing to serve as a reference for you. If they decline or seem at all hesitant, thank them for their time but by all means, do not place them on your list. Move on to the next person.

2) Double-Check Contact Info: Nothing frustrates a hiring manager more than a list of references which leads them nowhere, thanks to countless disconnected phone numbers or no-longer-valid email addresses. Take the time to reach out to your references and verify that the contact information you have for them is still correct. Also be sure to ask if they prefer to be contacted at the office, at home, or via their cell. They may not want to raise suspicions about their own future with their employer by having a hiring manager call them at work.

3) Get Creative: If none of your former bosses or co-workers are willing or available to serve as a reference, think of other people who know you well enough to vouch for you both personally and professionally. Have you done volunteer work for any non-profit organizations? If so, ask the appropriate person there if they would serve as a reference for you. This can be especially helpful if you volunteered to perform the same kind of work you do professionally on a pro bono basis. By all means, avoid listing relatives or close friends, however.

It can be incredibly frustrating – and frankly, a little scary – when your references go MIA. By keeping your cool and following these steps, however, you can overcome this challenge.

When looking for a job, you may find it reassuring to come across a company that states it is “always looking” for talented people. Such notices are usually incredibly vague, however. There’s no job description and no indication of whether they actually have any openings at the moment. They usually only include an email address and phone number for inquiries. And they typically only include an email address and phone number for inquiries.

Understandably, many job seekers wonder if such ads are for real. More specifically, they wonder if it would be worth their time and effort to answer one. If they decide to pursue such a vague opportunity, should they call the listed phone number or take the liberty of emailing a full resume and cover letter, expressing their interest in any suitable openings?

The good news is that people do actually get jobs through these kinds of ads. However, such employers are typically looking for only the “best of the best.” In other words, the average candidate will never find a job this way. In fact, their inquiry is likely to be met with stony silence. To garner the interest of an employer placing this kind of ad, a candidate needs to really stand out from the rest of the pack. That means a stellar resume and compelling cover letter.

Typically, companies place “We’re always looking for talent people” ads for one of the following reasons: 

• They suspect a key player is going to be leaving soon and they want to identify some potential replacements ahead of time.
• They want to build a database of potential future employees.
• They are truly in need of people with key skills and are eager to hire.

If you see this kind of ad and are tempted to inquire of the company, you must first ask yourself if you are truly the kind of stand-out candidate they are probably looking for. If you honestly believe you are a solid candidate who possesses key, marketable skills, then go ahead and take a shot. Don’t waste your time cold-calling, however. Chances are you will prejudice the hiring manager against you simply because you unknowingly called at an inconvenient time. What’s more, they won’t know anything about you because they have not yet had the opportunity to review your credentials. Instead, send a resume and cover letter explaining what you have to offer. Even if they are not ready to hire anyone right now, if you make a good impression, they may remember you the next time a suitable opening arises.

When searching for a job, it becomes easy to view each hiring manager as the enemy. After all, they are the gatekeeper, the one who is keeping you from attaining your dream job (or in this economy, any job). Yet, it’s important to remember that they are in very much the same position as you – just in reverse. You have certain skills, training and expertise you wish to put to work for the benefit of a particular company. And they have been charged with finding someone who possesses the requisite skills, training an expertise that will drive the business and generate greater profits. Making the two come together in a mutually pleasing conclusion is simply a meeting of the minds.

The first thing you absolutely must understand is that the hiring manager is under a great deal of pressure to deliver just the right person for the job. Unless you are interviewing with an extremely small company, chances are you won’t find yourself sitting down with the CEO. That means the person interviewing you has to answer to someone. They aren’t about to jeopardize their job by taking a chance on an under-qualified or otherwise questionable candidate. As a result, they are going to ask the tough questions, make you prove yourself, and then perform the proper due diligence to verify that you are just as great as you say you are.

In nearly every instance, you come into an interview as a complete unknown. Your job is to make the interview feel comfortable and confident about hiring you. They are not trying to be the bad guy – or gal – they are simply seeking to assure themselves that you will be able to perform in the job in question. At the same time, their hiring decision must be one that leaves them feels safe and secure in their own career. Again, that’s why they are not about to take a chance on an unproven individual.

That’s not to suggest you must be absolutely perfect and possess a flawless job record to boot. Hiring managers understand that no one is perfect. Everyone has weaknesses and shortcomings. For that reason, you will find yourself answering questions about weaknesses, shortcomings, and difficult situations you encountered. For you, the trick lies in turning a negative into a positive. Maybe you were once assigned to manage the account of a company whose industry was a complete mystery to you. That may have been a shortcoming, but you can still win the hiring manager over if you share a gripping account of how you dove in, thoroughly researched not only the company, but its industry and key competitors, and then helped them achieve great things.

Finally, remember that the hiring manager is looking for a solution to specific pain points the company is currently facing. Once you are in the interview environment, pay close attention to what they say and ask a few probing questions of your own. Seek to uncover those pain points and then convince the hiring manager that you are the remedy, the one person that can relieve all that ails them.

Imagine you are a hiring manager weeding your way through applicants for a job listing. Each day, you find yourself deluged with another hefty batch of resumes from would-be employees. In many instances, a quick glance is all it takes to tell you whether that person should be offered an interview or not. But within that stack, you come across a number of resumes which are simply too long to be sized up with just a look. They run three, four, even five pages. You find yourself turned off by those applicants before you’ve even had a chance to review their qualifications.

Just how long should a resume be anyway? While the answer varies from candidate to candidate, there are some general rules of thumb. Rarely is it acceptable to submit a resume longer than two pages. If you have exceeded two pages, it’s time to take a second look with an eye toward trimming your resume back.

 Here are some tips: 

• Be Concise – Your resume is not an autobiography. It’s not even intended to reflect everything you’ve ever accomplished. You need not include every job you’ve held and every skill you’ve acquired. Think of it as a snapshot. If the employer wants to see more, they can ask for your entire portfolio.
• Be Current – A long career full of accomplishments is certainly impressive, but when it comes to writing a resume, it’s often best to leave off your oldest roles. Most employers won’t care what you did 20 years ago. And while blatant age discrimination may be illegal, pointing out that you entered the workforce before many of today’s college grads were even born only draws attention to the fact that you are rapidly approaching retirement.
• Be Specific – Too many people attempt to write a “one-size-fits-all” resume. This is a big mistake. Rather than trying to make your resume fit any position, you should instead customize it for the specific job you are seeking. Identify your target audience and the target position to help you decide what skills and experience to highlight. Then set out to summarize the most applicable items, usually in bullet point format. 
• Be Choosey – As recently as the 1980s, it wasn’t unusual to see a resume that included such details as marital status, church membership, and community activities. These days, it’s widely accepted that such details fall into the category of too much information. For the most part, it’s best to leave them off. If you feel civic involvement adds something to your story – demonstrating how you used your professional qualifications to benefit the community, for example – you may wish to include that on your resume. Proceed with caution, however, as highlighting any activities that point to involvement with specific religious, political, or radical groups may be ill-advised.

There’s simply not enough time in the day for hiring managers to conduct face-to-face interviews with each and every applicant. Consequently, companies are increasingly making use of phone interviews as a means of thinning the herd – that is, weeding out candidates that simply wouldn’t work out. The goal is to end up with a more manageable number of applicants.

While the prospect of a phone interview can be somewhat daunting, it’s important to view it as an opportunity for you to earn an in-person interview. Fortunately, most phone interviews are relatively short. The focus is on questions that will enable the employer to evaluate you quickly. In keeping with that goal, aim for short but concise answers, ideally less than two minutes each. If the interviewer wants to know more, they will ask.

 Here are some questions you should expect to be asked in a phone interview:

 Tell me about yourself? – Typically the first question to be asked, this one is best answered by simply giving a brief work history, along with an explanation of how your skills relate to the job for which you are applying. Whatever you do, don’t look at this question as an opportunity to tell your life story.

What experience do you have? – Your goal should be to highlight your skills and experiences as they pertain to the job in question. Endeavor to steer the discussion to specific skills which give you the ability to execute your duties well.

What are your strengths? – Again, gear your response toward the specific skill requirements of the job for which you are applying. If you find it difficult to make that connection, you should highlight transferable skills, such as multitasking, critical thinking, and the ability to communicate well, instead.

What are your weaknesses? – The question that applicants always dread, this one can easily be answered simply by responding that it’s always a challenge to stay current on technology requirements. After all, that is a challenge everyone faces. Be sure to turn your answer into something positive by explaining how you have endeavored to develop such knowledge.

What are your salary requirements? – Another tricky question, this one can take you out of the running if you aim too high right off the bat. When you are participating in a phone interview, it’s best to avoid giving a straight answer. You may state that you simply don’t know enough about the position yet to make a salary request. This answer opens the door to requesting an in-person meeting, which should be your bottom line goal anyway.

While it may seem that a phone interview does not allow for much opportunity to impress a potential employer, it’s actually a great chance to introduce yourself without all the stress of a face-to-face interview. After all, you don’t have to worry about your appearance or your body language over the phone.

That said, it’s still helpful to smile during the interview. The interviewer may not be able to see your face, but they will hear the smile in your voice. You will be perceived as more open, friendly, and enthusiastic about the job. Also, stand up and walk around while you are on the phone with the interviewer. Not only will it help you relax, walking around actually makes your voice clearer and louder. The interviewer will better understand your answers and you will come across as more confident.

Looking for a job? Then chances are you’ll come in contact with an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Nearly all major corporations now use some form of ATS to help automate the recruiting process. Even small to medium companies have begun relying on ATS applications through Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offerings.

In today’s economy, employers can easily receive thousands of applicants for a single job opening. An ATS is a software application designed to handle job applications and manage resume data. Its primary function is to provide a central location and database for the company’s recruitment efforts, allowing human resources to track applicants from their initial contact all the way through the hiring process.

For the employer, an ATS makes it easier to monitor and coordinate job openings and manage the recruitment process. Jobs are posted online and then data is either collected internally from applications or extracted from applicants on job boards. Resumes and applications are stored inside the secure database, allowing for searching, matching, and routing of applicants. This allows for faster and more reliable hiring decisions.

Job seekers benefit from an ATS because it allows them to search open positions by location and entity and upload required materials. They can even check their status electronically. Applying for positions is even easier for internal applicants because the system automatically adds information the company already has on file. Once a positions has been filled, the system automatically removes the posting, eliminating endless guessing over whether a candidate is still in the running.

Here are a few tips for increasing your chances of getting a job by optimizing your resume for an ATS search:

• Be Simple — Steer clear of a highly formatted resume. Most ATS will scramble the tables, graphs, and graphics you worked so hard to compose. Instead, stick to a simple format. If you feel you simply must exhibit your creative flair, save a highly formatted resume as a .txt (ASCII) file.

• Be Concise – Avoid the temptation to add all kinds of extra headings. Most ATS will only recognize the most common headings: Work Experience or Professional Experience, Education, and Professional Summary. Other headings won’t be stored, so include certifications, community activities, publications, and the like under the Education heading.

 • Be Uncommon – Go beyond the common keywords for your position, level, function, or industry. Many ATS will peg uncommon, unique-to-the-job-posting words or phrases as keywords.

• Be Complete – Don’t rely on acronyms or abbreviations alone. If you mean to say “unique selling points,” don’t say USP. Use the full language. Also, don’t forget to mention where you heard about the job. An ATS will track sources. Some, such as employee referrals, are ranked higher than others.

More often than not, job seekers go into an interview with a certain degree of fear. Do I look presentable? Will I answer the questions right? Do I have what it takes to get hired? What many candidates don’t realize is the interviewer has their own set of fears.

Truth be told, hiring is a scary business. The hiring manager is essentially bringing an unknown into the company. If they have done their proper due diligence and conducted a thorough interview, they can be fairly confident they have hired the right person for the job. But recruiting is a major responsibility and one which cannot be taken lightly.

As a job seeker, you can help alleviate some of the interviewer’s fears AND possibly nab yourself the job at the same time. It all comes down to understanding their fears and knowing how to respond. Read on for some advice on mitigating interviewers’ most common fears:

#1 Getting the Process Completed Promptly – When searching for a job, it often seems like it takes forever between submitting your resume and getting called for an interview. For the hiring manager, however, it usually feels like the process is dragging on and on. From determining their needs to writing the job description to posting ads, wading through resumes, and conducting interviews, the process of hiring a new employee is remarkably time-consuming. As the old adage goes, “time is money” and the pressure is on to get the position filled PRONTO! You can help the hiring manager feel less stressed by making it easy to reach you. Include multiple options, such as home, cell, or email, on your resume. And be sure to respond promptly to their communications. Answer emails and return voice mails as quickly as possible.

#2 Sharp Learning Curves – Training a new person takes time. In the meantime, there is a loss in productivity as the work team struggles to pick up the slack. Managers are understandably concerned about losing valuable employees who may be uncomfortable taking on extra work until a new employee can be found. This stresses them out even more, something they do not need when they are in the throes of selecting a new employee. Help the hiring manager by explaining that you are a fast learner. Share some stories from your past jobs that demonstrate this fact. Drop hints throughout the interview that will give them the impression you would be up to speed in record time.

#3 Hiring the Wrong Fit – Every organization has its own culture. It falls to the hiring manager to bring people onboard who are a good fit for the existing culture. Hiring someone who doesn’t mesh with the team can upset a delicate balance and put great stress on the manager. You can practically eliminate that concern simply by making sure you fit at least 75 percent of the job requirements. During the interview, share some stories that demonstrate how your experience matches up with those requirements. 

#4 Hiring the Overqualified – In today’s economy, many organizations have found themselves faced with the question of whether to hire someone who is obviously overqualified for the position. The concern is that the new employee will quickly grow bored or disillusioned. At the same time, an overqualified employee may never truly give up their job search, only hanging on until “something better comes along.” They can also upset team dynamics because the new employee may very well be qualified to manage their colleagues – or even their supervisors. Be sure to honestly evaluate your qualifications. If you are obviously overqualified, mitigate the interviewer’s concerns by toning down your resume. During the interview, inform the manager of your career goals and tell them why you are interested in the position.

The job search process has changed extraordinarily over the past 20 or 30 years. As recently as our parents’ and grandparents’ generations, the morning newspaper was the primary means of looking for a job. All resumes were written on paper using typewriters and sent via the U.S. Postal Service. Email didn’t exist and all networking took place in person – typically in the Howard Johnson’s lounge following a trade show or regional meeting.

Unfortunately, too many people still sit at their grandfather’s knee when it comes to laying the groundwork for a successful job search. No offense to Grandpa, but his advice is about as valuable as a Commodore 64.

Here are a few examples of outdated job-seeking advice:

• Resumes Must Be One Page – Conventional wisdom once dictated that job seekers stick to a one-page resume. That proved exceedingly difficult for anyone who’d held numerous positions or accomplished a great deal in their career. Unless you are a recent college grad or have limited work experience, it’s now perfectly acceptable to submit a two-page resume. Be sure to include lots of white space, however, so the hiring manager won’t be overwhelmed by text.

• Formal Language is a Must – In no instance is super-casual language acceptable on a resume or cover story, but you needn’t go uber-formal either. A potential employer is eager to meet the real you, not some stuffed-shirt who knows how to use a thesaurus. Unless your true personality is akin to those of the “Big Bang Theory” characters, strive for a relaxed, conversational tone in all your communications. Let your personality and exuberance for your chosen field – and  their company – shine through.

• Include Every Job You’ve Ever Held – Once upon a time, job-seekers went to great lengths to write the most comprehensive resume possible. They included every job they’ve ever had, even if it only lasted three months. The 21^st century resume is a marketing tool. As such, it should be carefully crafted to position you in the best possible light. Rather than making it an exhaustive compendium of every month of your professional life, focus on relevant work experience. If you are concerned about omitting information, include a brief section of “Additional Work Experience.”

• Call to Schedule An Interview – In Grandpa’s day, job-seekers would give a hiring manager a few days to peruse their resume and then call to schedule an interview. Talk about bad etiquette! Such an act is not only pushy, it’s unprofessional and inappropriate. The applicant doesn’t schedule the interview – the hiring manager does! While you may feel that calling the hiring manager will be viewed as proactive, that’s definitely not the case. You’ll just be viewed as rude and un-hirable.

• Accept Whatever Job You Are Offered – While your ultimate goal is certainly to land a job, you shouldn’t accept any offer just for the sake of having a job. You may have sold yourself to the company, but if the company hasn’t sold itself to you, you’re better off turning them down and continuing to look for the perfect fit. If you end up working in a dead-end job that drags you down, you won’t be truly productive and you’ll end up cynical and unfulfilled.

In today’s economy, every opening elicits hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes. If yours appears outdated, or the tactics you employ to get noticed are no longer deemed acceptable, you will pretty much guarantee that you don’t get the job. So when Grandpa begins offering his advice, be sure to listen respectfully and thank him profusely. But then disregard everything he has to say

The time to start thinking about who to list as references is not when a potential employer makes such a request. Unfortunately, however, many people don’t give the matter much thought until such a time. That puts them at a decided disadvantage because they have not taken the time to give careful consideration to who would be the most appropriate – and most effective – references to provide.

While many job-seekers assume that providing references is merely an exercise in futility, the fact is that most employers will contact at least one or two of the people listed. Great references can make the difference between getting a job or not. Therefore, it’s critically important to choose the right people and to present them properly.

Begin by brainstorming about who can speak most credibly about what you could bring to a potential employer. Don’t automatically assume you must list former supervisors, however. While some may give you a glowing recommendation, many company policies may prohibit them from serving as references for their former charges. In reality, former co-workers may be your best bet. After all, they’ve seen you on the job, they have firsthand knowledge of how you interact with others, and they know what you are capable of accomplishing.

Whenever possible, aim for several different types of references – those who are familiar with your accomplishments, skills, education, ethics and character. Opinions vary when it comes to whether it’s acceptable to list friends as references. It all comes down to what kind of friend (and person) they are. If you are thinking of listing someone who is basically just a drinking buddy, it’s probably best to abandon that idea. But if the friend in question is a respected professional, you’ll probably do fine to include them.

Most of the time, it is acceptable to include members of clergy among personal character references, along with former coaches, vendors, customers, teachers, mentors, and business acquaintances. However, it is never acceptable to list a family member, no matter how accomplished they may be. A potential employer simply cannot rely on them to be unbiased.

Don’t bother asking for “To Whom It May Concern” letters of recommendation. They are too generic and generally useless. Employers want to be able to contact your references themselves and pose specific questions about your strengths and weaknesses.

Before sharing anyone’s contact information with a potential employer, ask their permission to do so. If they seem the least bit uncomfortable with the idea, move on to the next person on your list. Whenever someone expresses their willingness to speak on your behalf, ensure you have their correct contact information, including name, title, business address, and email, along with daytime phone and cell numbers. Don’t forget to keep them posted about your job search and thank them, regardless of whether you get hired.

LinkedIn, the popular professional networking site, is making a strong move toward even greater relevance for job seekers and companies looking for top personnel. LinkedIn has added an option where a job seeker can apply for job with one click of a button—“Apply With Profile.” What are the implications for this in the job market?

The Internet is abuzz with commentary on all facets of LinkedIn’s new innovation. Will it wipe out other job boards such as Monster.com or CareerBuilder? It’s undeniable that the new option through LinkedIn has tremendous appeal to the job seeker. No longer does one have to go through countless online forms to get a resume submitted. One click will do the trick. For companies, not only do they get an expanded pool of candidates, but the ability to see a more complete profile.

With every innovation and benefit comes a downside and the negative to this one is instantly clear. An easier way of applying means companies will receive more unqualified resumes—which in turn means lost time sorting through the load of applications, which in turn means qualified candidates have less a chance of getting their message through. As unwieldy as the application process can be on a conventional job board, it does reward the determined job seeker, a natural winnowing out process which works to the benefit of both company and prospective employee. Therefore, while LinkedIn has made a valuable contribution to the hiring process, it’s doubtful this will become a panacea for all problems related to looking for work and finding qualified talent.

Daley & Associates fills the gaps that raw volume alone can’t fill. For a company, one highly qualified applicant is better than fifty unqualified ones. For a candidate, one right job is better than fifty where the fit doesn’t work. There’s a lot of truth to the notion that the job search is a “numbers game”, but at the end of the day the only number that matters is “1”. That’s how many good applicants it takes to fill a job. That’s how many resumes need to be sent out to find the right niche. Daley & Associates, with its personal understanding of the needs and assets of its client firms and candidates can get you to “1” more efficiently. Contact us to learn how we can help you.