In case you haven't noticed - it's Awards time in Hollywood. There are numerous award shows that honor the top-performers in film and TV. There is one award given per category on each show and there are several actors and shows "nominated."

The comparison with the job interview process is that there is only one job and there are several candidates under consideration - or nominated.

If you watch any of these shows you'll notice how inconsistent or subjective they can be. On one show a certain actor will be nominated and will win. On yet another show that same actor will not even be nominated and an entirely different actor will win for that category. (Go figure -we don't know what goes on behind the scenes)

So how exactly does this fit into your job interview process?

First of all, the decisions made (behind the scenes) will always be somewhat subjective in the job process as in these award shows. A candidate at one company will be viewed as "the best fit." While at another company, the candidate will not even be considered as a contender, let alone a winner.

This does not in any way mean that there is something wrong with the candidate as a person. It just means that he or she was either not a good fit for the position or there was someone else who had more to bring to this particular position.

Behind the scenes there could be a number of reasons for the decision. Reasons will vary, and whether we like it or not there will sometimes be overt prejudice. It's not fair, but who said life was fair?

Even though the hiring managers would never admit to it, sometimes they will only be looking to hire a male (shame on them), or at another company they may only want people under 30 (big mistake). Let it go and move forward.

The next company you interview with may be the one that finds that you are best in category. Not only can you do the job, but they also like you and know that you are a good fit for the situation.

So, don't be so hard on yourself. If you are invited to an interview - consider yourself a contender and give yourself a high-five! If you get a second interview, or are a finalist for the job, consider yourself "nominated." Be proud of the fact that you have something to offer, or some expertise that is of interest to employers.

When you receive the news that you were not selected you may feel disappointed but don't give up. Ok, maybe you didn't get the job this time, but remember there is only one winner or job offer made per job. For some reason there was someone else who had something that you did not. Who knows why?

Don't beat yourself up trying to figure out why. Instead of being stuck and feeling rejected, take back the power by staying proactive. Reward yourself for being a nominee and look forward to being the recipient of the job offer in the future.

Buddhist proverb

"Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."

Resource Box:

Carole Martin is an "SME" (Subject Matter Expert) on the subject of Interviewing. As an author, trainer, and mentor, Carole can give you interviewing tips like no one else can. Get a trial copy of her "Interview Q&A Guide" by visiting http://www.interviewcoach.com/answer-guide/.  For more interview tips, visit her blog at www.interviewcoach.com/blog

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When searching for a job, there is nothing more frustrating than emailing resumes and never receiving responses. For this reason, I took the time to ask recruiters, hiring managers, and human resources representatives the mistakes job seekers make when applying for a position electronically. Below are the main points I got from the discussions.

• Not reading directions before applying. Some hiring organizations have specific guidelines. Don't dismiss the guidelines just because you don't agree with them or don't understand the purpose. When applying for a position you have to follow their rules. So when the classified states that you need to designate a specific position you are interested in or your application won't be considered, be sure to include one. This means that if you are interested in more than one position don't toy with the idea of providing a list of positions you are willing to interview for. Choose the position you are most qualified and interests you more.

• Classified ads also indicate an email address you should send the resume. The email address provided is usually of screener and I understand your hesitancy in submitting your resume to an individual who doesn't have hiring authority. Because of this, you may decide to call the company and get the manager's name for the department that has the open position and email the resume directly to her. Smart move, but your suaveness may backfire. The hiring manager may choose to delete. To cover your bases, email your resume to both the manager and the email provided in the job description.

• Cancel the email verification system you have installed. You know the program. The one where the email sender (in this case the hiring organization) receives a notice indicating that in order for the recipient (that's you) to receive the email the sender needs to click on a link and type in a verification code. Interviewers are very busy and they will not take the extra steps to ensure that you receive their email unless you are a candidate that they can't live without. And the reality is that qualified candidates are a dime a dozen so you have to make it easy for an interviewer to reach you. Cancel the email verification while conducting a job search and deal with the unwanted emails from Nigeria asking if you are interested in a business proposal. If you choose not to, it can cost you the interview you have been waiting for.

• The following tips seem so simplistic, but these mistakes happen time and time again: (1) when searching for a job don't change your email address and then email your potential employer about the change. Keep your email address until your job search is over. The likelihood that a hiring manager is going to find your resume and insert your new email address is virtually non-existent (2) your subject line should read professionally, such as Linda Matias Resume for Career Coaching or Resume Writing Position (3) don't email more than one hiring organization within the same email. Take the time to send each one out personally and finally (4) if the organization requests a Word attachment, make sure you name the attachment has a professionally, such as matias.linda.resume.doc.

Linda Matias

Author of How to Say It: Job Interviews (Prentice Hall Press), Linda Matias is qualified to assist you in your career transition, whether it be a complete career makeover, interview preparation, or resume assistance. You can contact Linda directly at linda@careerstrides.com or visit her website www.careerstrides.com for additional career advice and to view resume samples.

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The process of writing a resume can be very tedious. There are often so many jobs and responsibilities to include that many people find themselves wanting to create the simplest one possible just to avoid the grunt work.

But while creating a resume that resembles a laundry list of previous jobs and duties can be tempting, it is strongly discouraged. This is because it only offers prospective employers a vague sense of what you've accomplished and how you can benefit their company. So how can you avoid creating this type of resume? Here are a few ideas:

Refrain from Using Duty-Oriented Phrases

One practice that commonly leads people toward creating the laundry list resume is the use of duty-oriented phrases. Some of these phrases might include "responsible for" or "duties included." In your resume it is important that you give the prospective employer an understanding of what you've accomplished in the past, but by using duty-oriented phrases you only offer what you should/could have accomplished.

To avoid this issue, you can use more descriptive action words like assisted, collaborated, designed, launched, marketed, guided, edited, researched, and composed. Using these words helps to illustrate an accurate picture of your accomplishments; something the prospective employer needs to see in order to determine how qualified you are for the job.

Go Into More Depth - Focus on Your Achievements

Another great way to sidestep the laundry list resume is by taking time to focus more specifically on your achievements at previous jobs. This means not just mentioning that you were "responsible for organizing several marketing campaigns." This type of description doesn't tell the employer anything specific about your accomplishments. So instead, try going into more depth about those campaigns.

For example, you can say that you "developed and executed three marketing campaigns that included branding pharmaceutical products, creating ads, and coordinating a 15-member staff to participate in corporate trade shows over a 12-month period." This description offers specific details about your achievement and helps the prospective employer understand exactly how you can be an asset to their company.

Remember That You're Marketing Yourself

It's always a good idea to remember that your resume has a purpose, which is to market your skills in an effort to acquire a specific job. So if you had to put yourself in the shoes of the prospective employer, what would you want them to know about you? What might appeal to their interests and make them want to learn more?

You want to let this employer know that you are not just eager to acquire the job, but that you would truly be an asset to the company. Set aside some time to think about how you are qualified for the job. Then carefully illustrate them with your words so that your passion for the position is clearly recognized.

By veering away from the laundry list resume and digging deeper to focus on specific accomplishments, you can better market your skills and abilities. So take your time, think about how you can benefit the company you want to work for, and write a resume that will help you land the job of your dreams.

- Heather Eagar

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer who provides job seekers with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Compare top resume writing services to find the best one for you at www.resumelines.com.

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Each day we will give you some job tips from Don Fornes.

Don't name your resume, "resume." About a third of applicants name their resume document, "resume.doc." "Resume" may make sense on your computer, where you know it's your resume. However, on my computer, it's one of many, many resumes with the same name. I used to rename them, but then I noticed the strong correlation between unqualified candidates and the "resume" file name. Now I reject them if I don't see something really good within ten seconds. By using such a generic file name, the applicant misses a great opportunity to brand themselves (e.g. "John Doe" " Quota Crusher"). If you're qualified enough to sell or market for us, you won't miss the opportunity to at least use your name in the file name.

 

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 From an online article....

Dear Joan:

I am looking to get any advice you have regarding working for Staffing Agencies for temporary or temp-to-hire positions in my town? I plan to switch to a different field. I can use my past employment skills for the new field. I feel now is a good time to have a fresh start in a new field as many companies have downsized to reduce costs. I am also thinking that there would be more work available through the agencies. To end, do you have any specific advice for negotiating a wage when employed by the agencies? I do not have a degree and the field I refer to does not require a degree. I just want to make sure I am on the right track as I go about this.

Thank you for suggestions/advice with anything I might be missing in the thought process.

Answer:

You are on the right track-staffing agencies hold the keys people can use to unlock this tough market. Human resources departments have been scaled back and are stretched thin. They often rely on professional staffing firms to help them recruit and to hire both temporary and full-time employees. In fact, staffing agencies often get the job posting from companies first, rather than the company advertising it to the public.

"The key to getting a great position through a staffing agency is this: Treat the agency as if they were a "real" employer-because they are, says MaryAnn Raash, Milwaukee District Leader for SEEK Careers and Staffing. If they don't listen to instructions, or they dress in a sloppy way, or continually hound us, it reflects poorly on them as a candidate."

Here are some specific tips from Raash:

Follow instructions to the letter. Every service is different, so stop in or go to their website to find out what the steps are. We have people who constantly call us but we keep telling them they need to follow the instructions first before we can see them. It can feel like stalking. If they don't listen to us, they probably won't listen to an employer. The sequence is often: 1. Send in a resume or submit one online. 2. Fill out an online application. 3. Clerical or other testing. 4. Face-to-face interview.

Put a resume together, no matter what job category you are in.

Distinguish yourself on your resume. In other words, what results did you get, what did people say about your customer service, work ethic, or team attitude? What value did you bring to the company? Put a "benefit statement" on your resume. In other words, what are you going to do for the employer? Focus on how you can help the company save money, make money, serve customers, produce a quality product, and so on. This will go a long way to get your foot in the door.

Find a way to get a face-to-face meeting. Some agencies don't encourage this but how can they know how you come across unless they meet you in person? Even if you just stop in and get a few minutes with someone, you will have them as a contact.

Dress as if you could be hired on the spot-because you could be. For manufacturing-related jobs Dockers and a nice shirt would be fine. For office jobs, a blazer and nice slacks, for higher level jobs, a suit-however you would show up for work in your field.

Treat the service as if it is the only employer you want to work for. Says Raash, "I've had people say, Well I don't remember if I sent that in or not, I've called so many agencies...."

Don't be so quick to turn down project work. Project work often turns into a good job because the employer falls in love with the person. Companies are gun shy and don't want to offer jobs before they test someone out.

Write a hand-written thank you note. "I can count on one hand the number of personalized thank you notes I've received. Those people really stand out in my mind- and when you realize we can be in contact with 100 people a day-- that's a big advantage. I don't care if you go out to your car and write the note and bring it in and leave it at the front desk&it makes a difference.

The jobs dictate the salary, and the staffing service determines what the job will pay, so there isn't as much room for negotiation. However, if you do a good job for an employer, you are in an excellent position to negotiate based upon how much they can see you're worth.

Do you need answers to tough job hunting questions? Are you looking for some added punch to help you stand out from the crowd? Joan Lloyd's has developed job hunting tools that can help you to maximize your job search:

Savvy Negotiation Strategies to Get Paid What You're Worth on a New Job (Detailed, 8-page PDF by email - no shipping charge)

Easy, Step-by-step Guide to Using the Internet to Land a Great Job (Detailed, 10-page PDF by email - no shipping charge)

The Resume That Opens the Door and the Interview That Gets the Job (Detailed, 37-page PDF by email - no shipping charge)

Joan Lloyd has a solid track record of excellent results. Her firm, Joan Lloyd & Associates, specializes in leadership development, organizational change and teambuilding. This includes executive coaching, 360-degree feedback processes, customized leadership & presentation skills training, team assessment and teambuilding and retreat facilitation. Joan also provides consulting skills training for HR professionals. Clients report results such as: behavior change in leaders, improved team performance and a more committed workforce. Contact Joan Lloyd & Associates at (800) 348-1944, mailto:info@joanlloyd.com, or JoanLloyd.com

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