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.

Much like the synopsis on a book’s dust jacket, a job description is intended to generate interest by providing a few critical insights into what is contained inside. Specifically, it provides clear and concise summary of the responsibilities and requirements of the job in question. Not only are job descriptions used to advertise for new employees, they are also a key component of the performance review process, as they allow the employer to compare the employee’s performance to the expectations which were set forth when they were hired.

Job descriptions typically consist of the following components: title, summary of the position, essential duties and responsibilities, qualifications, terms of employment, the title of the person to whom the employee will directly report, and any special considerations, such as working conditions or physical demands that may be out of the norm. The last piece of information is crucial in that it will be used to monitor compliance with the ADA.

It’s critical for an employer to write accurate and appropriate job descriptions. Here are some tips for ensuring that your job descriptions not only provide you with a pool of qualified candidates, but help build your company’s reputation. 

• Be Concise – The goal is to write a useable document, not the great American novel. Avoid the temptation to ramble on needlessly. Don’t make a seemingly endless list of responsibilities, for example. Limit yourself to a manageable number of duties, typically six or eight. You will find the description much more user-friendly if you keep it short and to the point.

• Be Specific – Don’t merely state that you need someone who is “computer literate.” Rather, state exactly what programs (Microsoft Word, Excel, QuickBooks, etc.) you need them to know. Likewise, if the person you are hiring will be responsible for administrative duties, list the specific duties you will need them to perform. Also be sure to state what level of proficiency you require. Use qualifiers like “basic,” “intermediate” and “advanced” to reflect exactly what you are seeking in a candidate or employee.

• Be Generic – Avoid gender-based language, even if your workforce is predominantly one sex or the other. After all, how would you feel if you were a male nursing professional reading a job description that consistently refers to “she” or “her duties?” Likewise, a female construction worker might be put off by a job description that is clearly geared toward men. Far better to take the modern –some might say politically correct – route and be gender neutral. After all, you want to attract the best candidate, regardless of gender.

When appropriately written, a job description can be a powerful tool as it relates to numerous aspects of the employment relationship. Take advantage of these tips to draft the kind of job description which will give your organization a competitive edge by attracting qualified candidates, conducting effective performance reviews, and boosting your company’s reputation.

It’s no secret companies have taken to the Net when conducting due diligence on a potential new employee. From LinkedIn to Facebook to simple Google searches encompassing every single appearance on the Web, nothing is sacred. That includes every embarrassing photo, as well as every Tweet and message board comment you’ve ever posted. Some hiring managers have even been known to review candidates’ Amazon.com wish lists. If that doesn’t concern you, either you’ve lived the life of Mother Teresa or you are completely oblivious to the potential damage you’ve done to your career.

If you’re getting a little hot around the collar, relax. I’m not trying to pass judgment on your Internet activities. The goal here is to help you overcome any online transgressions or ill-advised postings so that potential employers won’t get a negative impression of you based on what they find on the Web. The goal is to craft an online identity that reflects positively upon you as a professional.

A good starting point is to ask yourself what a potential employer would find if they were to Google your name. If you have a common name, this question may be complicated by the fact that they are likely to uncover the digital trail of many individuals in addition to you. However, they can narrow their search by filtering by location, previous jobs, etc. If you honestly don’t know how you come across on the Web, try Googling yourself. Chances are you’ve done it already, but it’s always a good idea to keep close tabs on your online presence.

If you find “digital dirt” – that is, information, comments, or images you would rather a potential employee not see – there is often nothing you can do to scrub your online reputation. In some instances, you can delete content, but for the most part, the best approach to seek to smother the dirt with positive, professional content. You should immediately start creating new and content presenting yourself as a capable professional. If you have published journal articles, add links to those sites to your LinkedIn and Facebook pages. Tweet your insights into trends and news stories that are relevant to your industry. You must be patient, however, because it can take time to achieve the desired balance.

You can further enhance your online reputation by posting a professional photo of yourself on every one of your profiles. That means a headshot taken by an actual professional photographer, not a snapshot taken by your cousin during that wild weekend in Miami. Seek to feature anything that points to involvement in community activities or that demonstrates stellar communication skills. By all means, seek to delete any previous comments that could be interpreted as critical of a former employer. Nothing turns off a potential employer faster than the possibility of hiring someone who is likely to damage their reputation.

Time is money. The old adage has never been truer. In today’s business world, companies are continually striving to do more with less. Employees are feeling increasingly pressured as a result. Constantly barraged by emails, voice mails, and faxes, they face information overload. And as companies struggle to reinvent themselves in order to stay afloat, employees find themselves faced with priorities that seem to change with each passing year. No wonder prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications are on the rise.

There are many ways to help employees work smarter and be less stressed. The most effective – and easiest to achieve – is by cultivating an environment that stresses the importance of time management.

By definition, time management is the act of “exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency, or productivity.” Indeed, experts from the American Management Association stress the impact of time management on worker productivity. Through time management courses, their experts teach people to how to delegate tasks or implement new paperwork systems and also provide suggestions for avoiding interruptions from colleagues.

Workers are encouraged to prioritize their daily activities, completely purging worthless tasks from their agendas. Some time management experts, like best-selling author Julie Morgenstern, recommend not checking email in the mornings when an employee is fresh and energetic. Instead, she says, that is the best time to concentrate on critical projects. She also recommends activating voice mail and discouraging colleagues from dropping by to chat, saving such time “nibblers” for later in the day.

Some companies have begun directing employees to keep a detailed log of their daily activities. They typically use a format that divides the day into 15- or 30-minute intervals. Employees are told to keep track of everything they do throughout the day. After a couple of weeks, they are told to tally their activities by the amount of time spent on them. The idea to identify time wasters let them see how much time they are actually spending on unimportant activities. They are then able to prioritize their activities by assigning specific times on the calendar for each day’s tasks.

In recent years, time management software has automated the task of logging employee activities, although it clearly has its limitations. For example, time spent talking with co-workers cannot be automatically logged. Such software is primarily useful for tracking computer activity, thus giving an employer insight into what staff is working on, as well as how much time they are wasting surfing the net or playing solitaire. Other software applications, such as task list applications, provide built-in task hierarchy, allowing for easy ordering of tasks.

Regardless of how you introduce employees to time management, you will clearly reap rewards in the form of a more productive workforce. Consider rewarding employees when they demonstrate they are practicing good time management practices.

Throughout the recession and continuing even today, many employers have found themselves doing more with less. Tough times led some of them to trim their staff back so far that only the very best employees remained. Retaining those valued workers took on heightened importance as they literally became the people who were keeping the company in business.

Compensating employees during – and immediately following – a recession can be challenging, as budgets make it difficult to pay the kind of wages that will keep top performers from jumping ship. While it’s certainly true that a generous salary can help make your company an employer of choice, it’s important to remember that compensation encompasses far more than just an employee’s salary. From health insurance and gym memberships to continuing education and opportunities to participate in corporate social responsibility activities, employees consider the whole picture when evaluating if an employer is giving them what they expect.

Employees who do not feel they are being fairly compensated are far more likely to be unmotivated and unengaged. They may grow hostile or they may simply jump ship. Either way, the consequences are undesirable. Thus, it’s important to ensure that your employees are receiving satisfactory compensation, through salary, perks, and opportunities.

The key lies in finding out what your employees value. Understanding what current and potential future staff members expect is crucial if your goal is to become an employer of choice. Your first step, therefore, is to ask them. This can be accomplished through a survey or in a series of departmental or town hall meetings.

When it comes to compensation, salary is always the first thing that comes to mind. Certainly, base pay is the centerpiece of any employee’s compensation. If they don’t feel they are receiving a decent salary, employees will always be looking for better opportunities. In today’s economy, however, it’s not always possible to “up the ante” for even the most top-notch employees. Still, it’s crucial to ensure that their pay is consistent with the market, so do your research and make sure you are offering competitive pay. 

Among the most popular components of compensation are opportunities for advancement. Few employees want to stay in the same position throughout their entire careers, so make sure you offer plenty of opportunities to move into new and exciting positions. Devise a system of career pathing so employees can easily see that they have a future with your company. Whenever possible, give employees access to continuing education, whether online, at company headquarters, or through a local college or university.

Studies have shown that employees place a high value on intangibles, oftentimes an even higher value than they place on base salary or benefits. These include interesting and challenging work; recognition and acknowledgement; a positive working environment; and a sense of job security. Remarkably, it is not hard to provide these factors to employees. Chances are you have already planted the necessary seeds. Now you simply need to tend to them and watch them grow.

For decades, job seekers have been instructed to focus on the same things: drafting a professional cover letter, listening closely and giving satisfactory responses to interviewers’ questions, and then following up appropriately. However, the new realities of the job market are requiring applicants to take a different approach to their job search.

These days, it’s all about knowing your value, identifying the employer’s pain points, telling a story, and showing relevance. As a result, there is an all-new list of must-have skills for job seekers:

1. Identify Pain Points – In the past, applicants could get by simply focusing on the requirements listed in the “help wanted” ad. That approach won’t cut the mustard these days. You need to dig deep and discover what kind of business pain is behind the job opening. This can be accomplished by reading the job posting and researching the employer. Their pain could be growth-related or consolidation-related. They could be losing customers to competitors who provide cheaper prices. Their industry could simply be experiencing a shortage of talent. Whatever the cause of the pain, it’s up to you to identify it and use that information to make your case for why they should hire you.

2. Tell a Story – Rambling off characteristics like “strong work ethic” doesn’t mean much in today’s overcrowded job market. Hundreds of well-qualified individuals are likely to apply for any opening. Chances are they will all claim to possess the same desirable characteristics. Rather than building your responses around catch phrases, tell a story. Seek to explain what kind of results you produce on the job. Keep it brief, but make it powerful.

3. Be Personable — Not long ago, applicants were taught to talk in business speak, using phrases like “bottom-line orientation” and “results-oriented professional.” Unfortunately, such phrases mean little to today’s hiring managers. Aim to use a human voice instead of tired, worn-out corporate speak. Don’t be afraid to begin sentences with “I.” Be proud to speak in the first person as you take credit where credit is due.

4. Nix the One-Size-Fits-All Resume – Most job seekers make the mistake of using one resume for every position. This approach does nothing to help the hiring manager envision how you will fit into their organization. Take steps to highlight accomplishments that are relevant to the position in question. Don’t be afraid to revise your resume as often as necessary.

5. Know Your Value – Earlier this year, television news personality Mika Brzezinski published a book titled “Knowing Your Value.” While her tome was geared towards the historically underpaid female sex, there’s much to be said for the concept of knowing your value, no matter what gender, race, or orientation you may be. Before you begin a job search, undertake some research to discover your fair market value. Go in with a specific salary range in your head. Even in a tough economy, your skills and experiences have a specific value, so don’t allow yourself to get low-balled. If a potential employer isn’t willing to pay what you are worth, take your talents elsewhere.

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.

Getting called for an interview is an exciting experience, particularly in today’s shaky economy. You may have been unemployed for months, even years. Understandably, the prospect of an interview fills you with a sense of hope. Perhaps your day has come. You are just one final step away from being gainfully employed.

But then suddenly, the interview’s over. Days go by and you don’t hear anything from your potential new employer. Those days turn into weeks. Maybe you receive a rejection letter, maybe not. Either way, the truth becomes painfully clear: you have not been chosen for the job. 

In many instances, this same chain of events repeats itself over and over again, leaving the job seeker completely dejected, wondering if they will ever have a job again. The secret to finding a job lies in capitalizing on identifying what the company needs and then convincing the hiring manager that YOU are the one who can meet that need. 

Begin by making a list of 10 to 25 companies you would like to work for. Many job seekers skip this step and merely hop online to visit their favorite jobs site without first taking a good long look at exactly what they want from their job search. By compiling this list first, that gives you the opportunity to study these potential employers and identify what exactly they need from their employees in order to meet their business goals.

Learn more about potential employers through LinkedIn and Zoominfo. Also, remember to Google the company in question. You may even wish to sign up for Google Alerts on the companies you have targeted. Doing so will ensure you are notified every time that company makes the news. Perhaps the most effective tactic, however, is to simply visit the company’s website. You can learn a great deal about their goals and activities by reviewing their press releases, annual report, and other key sections of the corporate website. Don’t forget to tap your personal and professional contacts for information, too.

Once you know what potential employers need, it’s your job to demonstrate that you are the one to deliver on what they want. First, do a little introspection by defining your most marketable skills. This is a key point, so spend some time really considering what you have to bring to a potential employer.

 Next, compare your list of qualifications to a potential employer’s list of needs. Find a way to weave any potential matches into your cover letter. A note of caution: Do not write, “I understand you need people with strong marketing skills. I have lots of experience in marketing.” Subtly mention your qualifications, but do NOT make the connection in your letter. Leave that to the employer. Trust me. They will.

Take advantage of similar opportunities during the interview to mention the myriad ways you are a good match for the employer. Again, don’t be too blatant about the fact that your skills and experience perfectly answer their needs. If you do, they may begin to suspect that you are merely claiming to have certain characteristics because you have read about their business. Instead, casually talk about your past jobs and experiences as a means of demonstrating the fact that YOU are the one person to meet their needs.

One of the greatest mantras of the 21^st century workplace, team building is an oft-misunderstood term. Few organizations understand what constitutes a true team. Fewer still understand how to effectively build a successful work team. 

Simply dubbing a group of employees a “team” does not make them an actual team. Sure, it is a group of people, but “team” implies a certain bond, an interdependency, and a groupthink. They share a common goal and vision and feel a sense of belonging to something larger than themselves. In return for fostering a culture that encourages, supports, and embraces teams, the employer reaps increased loyalty and engagement. 

Here are some tips for building effective teams in your workplace: 

1-      Lay the Groundwork – Create a common framework by defining the purpose of the team and its relation to the company’s underlying business goals. Allow those who will be expected to serve on the team to play a role in making these key decisions. Schedule time to brainstorm with regards to vision and goals. Encourage employees to share their ideas. Each team has its own dynamics, so allow it to form naturally. Don’t try to force some artificial concept onto it.

2-      Clarify Roles, Rights, and Responsibilities – Don’t leave anything to assumptions. Be sure to lay out the hierarchy of the team and be clear about who is responsible for what actions. Share critical information with members of the team and ensure that expectations are clearly communicated. Make sure that team members understand what tasks should take priority. Provide regular feedback with regard to performance and allow employees to share their thoughts as well.

3-      Don’t Forget to Exercise – Team-building exercises, that is! While traditional team-building activities have become the butt of many a joke, there are many benefits to be gained from regularly scheduled sessions. They don’t have to take place every week or even every month. Aim for quarterly or bi-annual team-building days. There are many choices of activities – from classroom experiential to rope-climbing. Simply choose whichever best suits your company culture and the dynamics of the team.

4-      Build Support – Nothing is more demoralizing than being asked to serve on a team only to find that senior management is openly hostile to the concept. Ensure that members of management – from immediate supervisors all the way up to the C-suite – not only support the endeavor but play a key role in making it a success. Encourage them to spend time with the team in order to learn what they value and what they need to help keep them productive and working toward a common goal.

5-      Party Hardy – Provide plenty of opportunities for the team to celebrate. Whether the occasion is a major business coup or Cinco de Mayo, the chance to enjoy a special meal and other activities only helps to build the bond between team members. If you have no choice but to schedule such celebrations outside of the regular work day, open it up to spouses or other family members in order to avoid fostering resentment at home.