In every interview you are an actor. Your role is the job seeker. Just as Hollywood's top stars practice and prepare, so will you. Every actor knows that verbal messages are enhanced by body language, facial expression, voice intonation and props. When the job interview spotlight shines on you, you begin a one-time-only performance. So make your words, body language, and voice work to aid you in landing the job. Here...

Lately HR folks and hiring managers are telling me that people have stopped writing cover letters, yet employers LOVE them. “Cover letters are very influential,” says Jim, an AT&T human resource manager, “and a well written letter can grab an interview just on its own merit. It’s too bad most job hunters are so lazy they don’t write one. That’s a mistake no savvy job hunter wants to make.” In my book, Winning Cover Letter...

A Human Resources Manager, working at a Fortune 500 company, asked for my help in writing her resume. She told me: “Thousands of resumes have passed through my hands but when it comes to writing my own I have a difficult time doing it.” She isn’t alone in her concerns. Most people find resume writing challenging. A resume is nothing more than a slick piece of advertising, but an important piece, especially in today’s job m...

It wasn’t being late, or even lacking company knowledge that was the biggest complaint. The number one turn-off for hiring managers was poor communication skills, according to a recent survey published in Staffing Management, a journal of the Society of Human Resource Management. Noted as particularly displeasing were inarticulate answers to interview questions, and vague accounts of past experience. Ironically, a candidate...