In the current job market, hiring managers are dealing with huge applicant pools for each job listing, as well as a shortened amount of time for reviewing each application. In fact, your resume has roughly seven seconds to leave an impression on your potential employer before it gets sent to the recycling bin.

Is your resume the reason why you’re not hearing back from potential employers? Here are eight things that may be getting your resume tossed out:

1. Simple Errors

Your search for a job leaves little to no room for error. Sending in a resume that’s riddled with spelling and grammatical errors is certain to leave a bad taste in the reader’s mouth. An error-filled resume has the potential to present you to an employer as lacking attention to detail, careless, and even uninterested in the position. It’s crucial that you triple check your resume for errors, as well as let others play editor.

2. Lies

Lying on your resume is never acceptable. Even if you feel that there’s no way your potential employer will be able to figure it out — you’re probably wrong. Stretching the truth may seem tempting, but it’s not likely to have a positive effect on getting you hired. Keep your resume truthful to stay in the running.

3. Inappropriate Information

It’s important that your resume is free of any information regarding your age, sexual orientation, religion, or even what you look like. None of this information is necessary for getting hired and is certain to immediately remove you from the hiring process.

4. Missing A Skills Section

It’s becoming all too common for job seekers to completely forget the importance of the skills section on their resume. If it’s not removed completely, it’s often placed at the bottom of their resume–the farthest place from the reader’s line of vision. A successful resume has a skills section customized to the job you’re applying for and is placed just below the heading of your resume.

5. Too Much Content

While it may seem hard to bundle all of your experience into a one or two page resume, it’s crucial. Any longer, and your resume is sure to be passed over. No hiring manager has time to read your five-page resume. To set yourself apart, keep your resume clear, concise, and customized to each job that you apply for.

6. An Objective Statement

Not only are they outdated, but they can often work against what you’re trying your best to convey in your resume. An objective statement is something that should be taken care of in a cover letter, rather than taking up space on your resume.

7. Salary

Putting your salary history on your resume is a great way to automatically remove yourself from the running. Placing this kind of information on your resume isn’t the norm, and it’s an easy way to let your potential employer see your worth and make an immediate judgment based on that information.

8. References

Don’t waste valuable space on your resume by providing your references or even a statement explaining that you will provide them upon request. In this day and age, it’s known that you have references and are willing to share them with your potential employer. Remember that the hiring manager reading your resume wants to get as much information about you in the shortest amount of time; don’t waste their time by presenting them with information they haven’t asked for.

Overall, a strong resume is clear, concise, and involves an easy-to-read formatting. Be sure the information you provide is error-free, accurate, and compelling. Keep your resume free of these mistakes and you’ll be one step closer to getting hired.

Afifa Siddiqui is the COO and Co-founder ofCareerleaf, an all-in-one job search platform that cuts the time to apply in half. Connect with Afifa and Careerleaf onFacebook,Twitter andLinkedIn.

Don’t let the clutter and disorder take a toll on your productivity. Try these five tips organize your job search to boost your results:

1. Set Goals

A great way to begin your organization process is by clearly defining and setting the goals for your job search. While the ultimate goal is to find employment, getting there means setting goals for creating networking connections and the number of relevant jobs you plan to apply to each week.

2. Embrace Lists

It’s surprising how many people overlook the simple organizational factors that a list, especially in the form of a spreadsheet, can provide during a job search. Feeling a little lost? Let a well-compiled spreadsheet of tasks guide you through the darkness. Some areas of the job search that can be made easier and more organized with a list are as follows:

• Networking contact information
• Companies you’re researching
• Job postings to apply for

3. Keep Track

The job search involves significant amounts of memory. Whether you’re trying to remember where and when you applied to a certain job or how long it’s been since you’ve heard from a hiring manager, tracking your job search progress can certainly lighten the load. Since you’ve already mastered the list, create a system to keep track of where you’ve applied, when you sent your materials, company information, and whatever you else you feel is essential to the process.

4. Manage From One Space

Online or off, an organized workspace is a must. Even if you’ve already embarked on your job hunt, taking time to carefully organize and prepare your workspaces is essential to a successful job search. If your desk looks like a small explosion took place in the vicinity, it might be time to send it to the recycling bin.

Your online workspace should be treated with the same care. Compile and organize necessary job search materials into one space on your computer. Whether you decide to use folders, Dropbox, or Google Docs, it’s important that every document has a home to be neatly tucked away in.

5. Manage Your Time

Successfully job searching relies on good time-management skills. Setting goals, creating lists, and tracking your progress won’t be effective without the ability to properly manage your time. Keep your job search in check by creating a calendar to encompass anything from everyday tasks to the specific times of day that you have allotted to spend time on your search.

What steps have you taken to organize your job search? Share your tips below!

Amit De is the CEO and co-founder ofCareerleaf, an all-in-one job search platform that cuts the time to apply in half.. Connect with Amit and Careerleaf onFacebook,Twitter andLinkedIn.

My first response to this one was what a curve ball and yet it sounds like you’ve been asked this more than once.

Here’s how I see this question: Basically this is a values and ethics question. They may want to see if they can force you into saying things you’d rather not say. This is kind of test of your character. I wouldn’t bite but I would be very polite.

I would say something like: “You know, I really worked well with my last boss. I’m sure there were things that may have bugged me now and then but nothing really stands out.” I would leave it at that.

There are simply questions that you don’t want to spend much time on and this is one of them.

Do you have a career question that Dorothy could help you with? Simply email her your question and she will return a response to you within 48 hours. Some questions and answers are periodically selected for publication. All personal information is kept confidential to ensure privacy. Email: dorothy@nextchapternewlife.com

I understand your issue which led me to develop two methods for creating elevator speeches. Everyone talks about them but no one really tells you much about how to make one. First, let me say I have 3 articles on my blog on this topic, I suggest you read them as a starting place.

Here is the quick and dirty:

1 – Start by “I______________” with a verb. Don’t use “I am” for that is very boring and categorizes you too much.

2- State a problem you solve or results you achieve.

EX: “I help people discover the path to a career they love.”

Short, sweet, to the point and sets you up for someone to ask you more questions which is what you want. Simply giving a job title = boring = no engagement about you and what you can do for others which is what an elevator speech is. An elevator speech is a form of self introduction with the intent of engaging into a robust conversation about the work you do.

I hope this helps when combined with my other articles on the topic.

Do you have a career question that Dorothy could help you with? Simply email her your question and she will return a response to you within 48 hours. Some questions and answers are periodically selected for publication. All personal information is kept confidential to ensure privacy. Email: dorothy@nextchapternewlife.com

Dorothy- I have an interview coming up. I applied to three positions with the City and am equally qualified for all three. We agreed to conduct one interview for all three positions and then determine which position I am best suited for. How shall I prepare for this interview?

It sounds like there are enough similarities with the 3 positions that you will have to identify the unique elements rather than the commonalities of those. You then need to do an assessment of yourself as it relates to those details. Clearly, they think you are a fit, which is the case usually by the time you get to an interview. For them to think you fit for 3 is a good sign, so let’s look at what they might be looking for. 1- level and depth in the unique areas and 2- your ability to fit in the organization or another way to put that: Do they like you?

To prepare, I would make sure I was clear about the unique elements of the 3 positions and get clear on what I bring to that position. Write down your thoughts and then review those points up to the interview. If you are clear and can articulate what you bring, they will be clear as well. I would also be prepared to answer the question of which one of those you prefer and why? I think they would be swayed by your ability to lead them to the same conclusion.

Aside from that level of preparation, make sure you can not only speak to your resume, but detail out your accomplishments and results – especially if you can quote numbers, like “I beat the quota by 20% for the past 5 quarters”.

To be the kind of person that is likeable, you want to be friendly without being a buddy, ensure you balance the discussion by listening, talking and asking questions. People like people that are interested which are best demonstrated by interest, questions about the position, org or company – AND be enthusiastic about your desire to work for them. Do your homework on the company, org and person if you can so you can demonstrate through your questions that you are well prepared and interested in them. At the end, if you want the job- tell them. Be relaxed without be kicked back. Look people in the eye but don’t stare. Lastly, they are listening for your values. Such things as work ethics, integrity, initiative and willingness tend to be values that most companies place great value on so if you can think of work stories/experience to demonstrate those values at the same time you outline your skills and thinking they will think they hit gold.

Do you have a career question that Dorothy could help you with?  Simply email her your question and she will return a response to you within 48 hours. Some questions and answers are periodically selected for publication. All personal information is kept confidential to ensure privacy. Email: dorothy@nextchapternewlife.com

Employers can receive hundreds of applications for every vacancy. How do you make your application stand out and get called for an interview? Learn how to shorten your job search and end the anxiety of getting that interview. We reveal the secrets to successful job applications.
What ROI can you bring to an employer – the benefit they get when hiring you? You might believe that recruiters or HR managers will “get” your value proposition from simply reading about your past jobs, but with hundreds of resumes to review, most hiring authorities won’t take the time to connect the dots in your background.

So if you’ve made a significant difference at past employers, but your resume doesn’t show the evidence, you’ll lose your shot at winning an interview (while employers hire your competition instead).

Join our next webinar from Career Studios where a top recruiter tells you the secrets to getting the “call.”:

[WEBINAR] Career Studios: How to Get More Interviews in a Competitive Job Market

In this no-cost webinar, Chris Perry and Dorothy Tannahill-Moran, will interview Margaret Buj, Interview & Career Promotion Coach and Founder of Interview Coach, who will teach you how to tailor your resume to jobs you are applying for and significantly increase your chances of being invited for an interview. You will also learn how to identify your unique selling points so that you can demonstrate what special value you bring. Result – Interview invitations!

Take action and register for FREE: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/273424806

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, October 17
Time: 11:00am Pacific/2:00pm Eastern

Access: **Note this event is a GoToWebinar event. You can use either phone or computer to attend. After registering, you will receive a confirmation with instructions. Also, enrolled participants will receive a FREE downloadable recording of this session following the seminar.

*Career Studios are owned and operated by Chris Perry & Dorothy Tannahill-Moran

Visit Career Studios to sign up for more of our FREE career seminars!

While numerous sources don’t actually agree on the number of jobs you’ll have in your whole career, everyone agrees it will be many more than what your parents had.  The future of the global economy doesn’t seem to be providing any evidence that this trend will slow down anytime soon.  The fact is you’ll change jobs many times.  So what will make that easier?

Considering you’ll change jobs every 2 or 3 years (on average) throughout your lifetime, you’ll want to position yourself as one with great technical and social skills.  You need to be seen as someone with leadership potential and a history of superior performance.  Pursuit and obtainment of the MBA helps develop that image.   The MBA highlights your desire to learn, willingness to work hard and dedication to a specific goal for two years, despite all of the other things you have going on in your life.  But, you already understand this, especially if you’re enrolled in an MBA program or are considering it.

The real challenge is to understand what strategy for changing careers will serve you best throughout your career.  You’ll experience many different situations so defining a single proactive strategy might be difficult.  Sure you can always search the web, find some great statistics and try to build a strategy from there.  However, most professionals don’t follow statistics when they are making decisions that affect their career.  Real work experience is the best teacher, so professionals often seek out their peers, friends, family and others to help them understand their current situation and how they should respond.  In our latest ebook on career change, we’ve pulled together stories that help you assess your own path by looking at what others have done.  Why take the risk of making mistakes or running into roadblocks that others can tell you about?

The MBA Guide To Career Change is designed to share experiences from MBA professionals in various situations, such as using the MBA to change companies or obtain a position in an international company.  We not only need help in assessing our situation but we also seek to figure out what options we have in making a change.  Where can we go?  Who will hire us?  What can we do? Most importantly, how can we make the change?  The first step is to look at what others have done.  You need to find out what others like yourself have done, what works and what doesn’t.  That’s exactly what you’ll find in the ebooks in the Henry Series for MBAs.  Another great tool you’ll get from this book is a method for assessing your environment.  You’ll learn how to determine if the environment you are in or would like to be in will support your goals.

It’s important to remember that you’ll spend a great portion of your life working.  Why not make it fulfilling and meaningful.  The best way to ensure that is to avoid falling into bad situations or staying in it longer that you should.  Find out what an MBA can do for you and how to use it to build a better career by developing a method for making consistent positive change.

Todd Rhoad, MSEE, MBA is Director at BT Consulting, a career consulting firm in Altanta, and author of “Blitz The Ladder” and the soon to be released “MBA Owner’s Manual.” Todd can be reached at todd.rhoad@blitzteamconsulting.com.

Many people really don’t give it too much thought to where they want their career to go. They think the education and experience got them through the door and their hard work will earn them promotions and growth. Maybe. That isn’t a good strategy for a great career.

Planning and designing a great career may sound like too much effort but it isn’t. It also isn’t that much effort compared to the work you may have to go through if you derail it – not to mention the panic you experience when that happens.

The first and most important thing you must do is to define what you short and long-term career goals are. These act as your map to the destination of your dream. Once you know the destination, you can then plan your course of action for how to best get there.

Your career growth is dependent on continuing to learn the skill of managing your career. No, you weren’t taught that in school but while you are learning the business you must learn the things that will make you successful.

Join our next webinar from Career Studios to learn more:

[WEBINAR] Career Studios: Designing a Powerful Career

In this no-cost webinar, Chris Perry will interview Dorothy Tannahill-Moran on the 5 key critical elements are to your career management.

Take action and register for FREE: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/276789446

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, September 26
Time: 5:30pm Pacific/8:30pm Eastern

Access: **Note this event is a GoToWebinar event. You can use either phone or computer to attend. After registering, you will receive a confirmation with instructions. Also, enrolled participants will receive a FREE downloadable recording of this session following the seminar.

*Career Studios are owned and operated by Chris Perry & Dorothy Tannahill-Moran

Visit Career Studios to sign up for more of our FREE career seminars!

In today’s economy, more professionals than ever are stuck in jobs where they’re only treading water. It’s hard to tell just how many people are currently underemployed, as it’s not a category tracked by theLaborDepartment. If you’re not in the right job for your skills, know that plenty of others are in the same boat. Instead of using your talents and education to succeed, it’s easy to get stuck in a job below your skill set.

It might be demoralizing but don’t give up! The worst thing you can do in a job that doesn’t allow you room to grow and thrive is to get complacent. Complacency leads to becoming the one bitter worker haunting every office. You have put time and effort into accumulating impressive experience and educational credentials, and somewhere out there is a job and a career path perfect for you. Do not give up!

The only way to find this perfect job is to be proactive in your search. Sending out resumes might not work, since you’re potentially competing with candidates with identical credentials. You need to make yourself stand out. You can’t move on up to a better job if you’re just a nameless face in the crowd. Do something interesting and you’ll be more noticeable to hiring managers.

How do you make yourself more noticeable? Network! It’s an obvious tip, but it’s obvious for a reason. Hiring managers, employers, and recruiters are more likely to remember you if they’ve had an interaction with you before. You might have a great resume, but if it arrives with no personal knowledge it’s just a piece of paper. Try to attend your industry’s top networking events. Go up to industry leaders and recruiters and introduce yourself.

Work on your personal elevator pitch prior to the event to help with nerves. You might not be a big people person, but networking is important enough to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation for a few hours. After, you will have accumulated new contacts (and even friends!) that will be able to help you on the prowl for your dream job. Your elevator pitch just could be your actual elevator to moving up your career ladder!

If you can’t get out to the industry events it’s still important to be seen. Video resumes are a great and simple way to set you apart from the pack. You won’t be replacing the traditional paper resume, but you will be enhancing it. You’ll also be performing the important task of humanizing yourself. Now you’re not just one sheet in a pile of paper sitting on a recruiter’s desk. You’re the candidate they had a great conversation with and that displayed an impressive upbeat attitude!

Indeed, video resumes can show employers that you’re willing to get creative. They can also show off those intangibles unseen on a paper resume, like the all-important communication skills. Best of all, for office drones stuck in a job you’re trying to escape, recording a video resume means you can work searching for a job in around your schedule. Once you record your resume (at your own leisure) and submit it to potential employers, they can view the resume at their leisure without needing you to be instantly accessible.

The most important thing you can do if you’re looking to move on up and out of your current underemployed situation is not to get discouraged. You are not alone. Plenty of people have been where you are. Don’t feel sorry for yourself and don’t passively accept your lot in life. Get active and get creative and you’ll find a job that utilizes your unique talents in no time. That deluxe office in the sky is just waiting for you. All you have to do is reach for it!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

1. No self promotion.  They either feel that the work speaks for itself or that self promotion is bragging.
2. Mindless bragging.  They give no thought to what they are saying or how it affects them or others; more than likely highly competitive, but low self esteem.
3. Effective self promotion. They communicate effectively with the organization, keeping key players and group up to date on activities and results; clear picture of personal branding and folds in those ideas when possible.

Often times when we’re with a mindless bragger we think that because they are doing all of that boastful chatter that they must be perceived as a real winner.  Bragging really isn’t that effective.  Sure, some of it may do some good to help that person get ahead, but generally most people don’t care to listen to that sort of thing very long.

You can self promote without coming across as a bragging jerk.  Also, people are attracted to others who are confident about themselves, which means asserting your personal brand making self promotion a good thing to do.  Let’s detail out some of the things you can do to self promote while avoiding being a bragger:

Look for opportunities.  You can easily update your boss and peers in the hallway, staff meeting or even by writing status reports.  Look for ways to let people know what you’re up to.

Stay modest.   One of the obvious characteristics of being a bragger is a sense of arrogance.  One of the biggest signs is using “I” way too much.  If you’re concerned you could be viewed as bragging, adopt a tactic of using “we” when you speak of accomplishments when at all possible.

Stay balanced.   Part of the reason we dislike braggers is they drone on way too much about how wonderful they are or details about something they did.  Keep your comments brief and everyone will appreciate it.  You can be very impactful with just a couple of well thought out sentences.

Use well-placed words.   All it takes sometimes is one word.  When you have a clear image of your personal branding, one well placed word injected in what you’re saying will reinforce or extend your brand.  Here is an example: “I champion and recruit talent.”  Notice the word champion.  It completely enriches what you know about that person.

Keep to the facts.   When what you are saying is simple, straight forward information, it isn’t bragging, nor will it be perceived that way.

Communicate your accomplishments.  You are the only one who really knows.   When we think our work speaks for itself, what we are doing is hoping someone will notice.  Hoping isn’t a good strategy for career growth.  You are the only one who truly knows what you’ve done, which means it must be you who communicates the information about your accomplishments.

Keep people in the loop.   It is good for you both.  Other people will benefit by knowing about what you’ve done or can do.  You are a resource and you can help people understand what you can do for them or with them.

Self promotion is vital for your career growth; and doing great self promotion is as much about how to do it well as it is about having the right perspective on doing it.

For more career tips and advice – FREE newsletter and eworkbook: http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com/  From Dorothy Tannahill-Moran – Your Career Change Agent from www.nextchapternewlife.com and www.mbahighway.com