Candidate Resources

Resume Writing

Resume Format and Style

Resume Content

Interviewing

Internet Friendly

Discussing Money

Cover Letter

Asking Questions

Answering Interview Questions

In a sea of candidates for a particular job, your resume can qualify or disqualify you from the running quicker than any other step in the discovery process. It's your first chance to make an impression and, for a piece of paper, can actually communicate volumes about you--from experience and education, to even personal characteristics (i.e. attention to detail).

Resume writing should not be an overwhelming task, but taking time to understand what interviewers are looking for, how they collect and evaluate resumes, and what is and isn't acceptable resume etiquette can set you up for success.

Use the resources we've provided to educate yourself on proper format, style, inclusions and exclusions, as well as cover letter dos and don'ts. Within these guidelines, you can send your resume with confidence and be one step closer to securing an opportunity to represent yourself face-to-face in an interview.

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You want your resume to stand out, but not for all the wrong reasons. There are some standards for resume formatting that should be followed. This is not the place for your personal flair or your resume may never get viewed by the right people.

• Use a professional, easy to read typeface, white or ivory bond paper, and black ink. You may often find yourself e-mailing your resume. If so, stick to a simple font like Courier and send in text or ASCII format. (As opposed to html, or an email format that may be blocked by the interviewer's spam filter. See our Internet Friendly tips.)
• Begin with your most recent job with brief overview of job responsibilities, followed by additional work experience. Then list your education and pertinent certifications.
• Use brief bullet points to list and describe your job duties. Bullet points rather than paragraphs make it easier for the hiring manager to scan your resume.
• Make sure the limited space you have contains the most pertinent experience relating to the particular job opening.

Don'ts

• Don't use a lot of italics, bolding and underlining. Beyond cluttering up your resume, you want no excuse for various resume scanning software to misread or reject your submittal.
• Don't use colored paper. It photocopies and scans poorly.
• Don't use "I," the first person pronoun. It's understood.
• Don't use lofty language and long sentences.
• Don't include an objective on your resume unless it is written specifically for the job opening.

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Spend quality time revising the content of your resume. What you include in your resume may need to change, responding specifically to the job position you're applying for.

• Be accurate. Be honest.
• Briefly describe significant contributions at each job and achievements.
• Summarize the technologies, including hardware, software, and databases you have used in previous positions.
• Tailor the focus on your skills and qualifications specifically relating to the job opening.
• Your resume should primarily state your experience and education. Also include ties to professional, trade and civic associations, certifications, and special skills - such as speaking a second language - if they relate to the job opportunity.

It's a good idea to keep a personal file of achievements, work samples, and letters of recommendation for future resume and interview use.

Do not include the following in your resume:

• Don't state misleading information regarding education or experience.
• Don't list reasons for leaving past positions.
• Don't list personal information (i.e. height, weight, Social Security number, hobbies).
• Don't waste space on a list of references. The interviewer will assume that you will provide these contacts when asked. (Do be ready with references and current phone numbers when asked.)
• Don't state exact dates of employment at previous jobs. Months and years are sufficient.
• Don't list contact information for yourself (such as phone number or e-mail address) at your current job unless your job pursuit is common knowledge among co-workers and managers.
• Don't list your high school education if you have a college education or beyond.
• Don't provide salary information in the resume. If the job posting requests a salary range, include it in the cover letter. Otherwise, the interview is a more appropriate time to discuss compensation.

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All kinds of theories exist, and whole classes taught, on how to interview. You could easily get overwhelmed and sabotage your own success fretting over every tip you've heard. The interview process is definitely to be taken seriously, but knowing what the interviewer is looking for can turn the tables to your advantage over other candidates. Keeping this general knowledge in the forefront of your mind can help you focus on the bigger picture:

• The interviewer needs to fill this position. Represent your qualifications, but beyond that, ask questions to discover more about the need and recognize how the personnel deficit is affecting the company's maximum operation. Express understanding and a desire to help exchange ideas that demonstrate how you would suit the position.

Employers often use the imagery of a family to build camaraderie, respect, and shared responsibility within their company. Beyond having a unique set of skills, talents, or experience to offer, interviewers are looking for someone who can thrive in and even contribute to their company culture. In an interview there are simple ways to represent yourself that will help the interviewer determine how you might fit their family dynamics.

• Enthusiasm. Show enthusiasm. If it comes down to you and one other qualified candidate, the offer will go to you if you've shown a genuine spark of enthusiasm and motivation for the job and the company.
• Interest in the Details. You may be qualified, but do you love what you do? Interviewers will pick up on your interest level and enthusiasm in all the technicalities of your skill.
• Confidence. Without bragging, it's important to represent certainty of your own abilities. Confidence goes a long way in creating a standout, favorable impression.

A Few More Tips

You'll likely be nervous. It helps to remember that the interviewer expects this and will usually do his or her best to help create as comfortable an environment as possible.

Do as much research as you can beforehand concerning the company, the industry, the position, and the specific opportunity. This knowledge is invaluable-without even trying, you'll become an astute question-asker as well as leave the interviewer with the impression that you are a perceptive, interested, and motivated individual.

As an interviewee, you're not just playing defense, trying to combat questions coming at you from left and right. Think of being engaged in the whole game. On offense, you are also strategically discovering information about the company, people, and position offered and calculating how to position yourself as the best candidate to match their need. With this approach, it could be a win-win.

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Whether you send your resume by mail, by fax, or by email, today's resume must be internet friendly. The trend toward email and internet communication is almost unavoidable. These few pointers will help you become comfortable with this method of resume submittal.

To send your resume via e-mail, you'll need to save the document in ASCII (plain text) format. (Save a copy in this format, but also keep a saved copy of the original format for use in print). Here are some tips:

• Setting Line Length - Set line lengths in your text editor at 80 characters or less to make them less likely to wrap prematurely. If you're using Word for Windows, use 10-point Courier font (Fonts like Helvetica or Arial have different widths for different characters and should be avoided) and set the page width at 4-3/4". Save the file as "Text with Line Breaks" to put a hard return at the end of each line.
• Other Issues to Consider - If the design of your hard copy resume includes columns, bullets or bitmapped graphics, adapt a plaintext version for your e-mail version (Again, do save the original format for print, while saving a copy of the plaintext version for use in other email submittals). Take advantage of ASCII characters like dashes (-), asterisks (*) and arrows (>) and limit the use of bold and italics.

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During the interview, there's a good chance you'll be asked about your current and expected level of compensation. Here's the way to handle the following questions:

When asked what you are currently earning, use a range, like high-forties or mid-fifties. This generalization should suffice and for many interviewers provide the ballpark figure they're looking for. If questioned more specifically, feel free to answer candidly including salary, bonuses, benefits, expected increases, etc.

When asked what salary or compensation package you would need to take the position if offered to you, it's not usually best to throw out an exact number. You can respond that if the job seems well suited for both parties, you're certain they will make a fair offer. However, if pressed, use a range again, as in, "I would need something in the mid-to-high fifties." An exact number can potentially spoil the deal: the company may not offer the job, feeling the fixed rate is too high or too low, or you've locked yourself into a number that could have been negotiated for even better than expected compensation. A range will keep your options more open.

Discussions about compensation are best addressed when mutual interest has been expressed for the position. If you are too eager to talk money in the early stages of the interviewing process, you'll likely leave the impression that money is your main objective. Of course, money is usually a huge matter of importance in accepting the job. But give breathing room to yourself and the interviewer, spending these early meetings discovering whether the position is a good fit. Ironically, the longer you restrain from talking money-instead proving your worth to the company through past experience, solid character, and motivation--the more likely your offer will match or exceed your salary expectation without even having to ask.

Remember, once you know the job fits-and the employer sees your value-you'll usually be able to agree on a fair price for your services.

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The cover letter is the first impression. Follow these guidelines to ensure the employer will want to turn the page and consider your resume:

• The cover letter should specifically address the particular job opening and company. This is a good place to use some of the research you've done on the company; also recommended for a favorable impression during phone screenings and interviews. Briefly show your knowledge of the job position requirements and how you are the best candidate to fill the position.
• The cover letter is not a resume of your resume. In other words, concisely pinpoint a few key aspects of your experience that relate directly to the job position, rather than rehashing your resume.
• The cover letter should greet the hiring individual by name. "To Whom it May Concern" will not standout like a candidate who has obviously taken the time to verify name, spelling, and accurate job title.
• The cover letter should be spell checked-by computer, by friends or family members, and again by you after you've taken a break from writing it. With fresh eyes, you'll have a better chance at editing your words for precision and catching common spelling or grammatical errors.

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Obviously, the interviewer will be the primary question-asker. But unless you come prepared to ask a few questions of your own, this one-sided job interview will only give a narrow and unmemorable impression. Even a few intelligent questions on your part create dialogue, encourage unscripted interview direction, and further your understanding of the company and the position responsibilities.

Your questions also convey your genuine interest in the position, as well as reveal your motivation, preparedness, and intellect. Examples of effective questions are:

• What's the most important issue facing the company (or department)?
• How can I help you accomplish this objective?
• When did you discover this need?
• How long have you been trying to correct it?
• Have you tried using your present staff to get the job done? If so, what was the result?
• Is there any particular skill or attitude you feel is critical to getting the job done?
• Is there a certain aspect of my background you'd like to exploit to help accomplish your objectives?

Questions like these help you grasp the company's goals and mode of operation, and indicate to the interviewer your interest in the bigger picture of satisfying the company's objectives.

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Prepare yourself to answer these commonly asked interviewing questions. Most people don't do well when put on-the-spot, so prior to the interview, reflect on some responses to the following questions and what you want your answers to convey about you.

• Why did you apply for this job?
• Why do you want to leave your current position?
• What are some personal and professional goals?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• What do you like most about your current job?
• What do you like least about your current job? This last question is probably the hardest to answer. It's essentially the trick question of the bunch. You don't want to drone on about bad bosses, lack of teamwork, how hard you had to work-all these things convey that you were the problem, even if that's not an accurate reflection of the situation. Select carefully how you will respond. It can be truthful without being scandalous or victimizing. Or you can sidestep personal issues entirely by identifying another honest motive like, "I found myself eager for a new challenge."

There are four classic question types and knowing them can also help you feel more prepared for the interview.

• Resume questions: Relate to your past experience, skills, job responsibilities, education, etc. You are your own cross-reference to the information you provided, so stay objective, truthful, and fill in details when asked.
• Abilities and experience questions: Interviewers will ask you to self-appraise. "What's your greatest asset?" Confidence here is warranted. Own up to the strengths you or others have identified in you. Without seeming egotistical, confidence in your strengths will leave a good impression with the interviewer and help assess how you may fit.
• Situation questions: Ask you to defend past decisions or pose hypothetical scenarios to assess how you might respond to unexpected situations. Interviewers are looking for trouble-shooting skills, keeping your cool under stress, and creative thinking that can turn a potential problem into a profitable scenario.
• Stress questions: Much less common, but still potentially asked, these questions seemingly come out of left field and are totally unrelated. Examples are, "If you were to compare yourself to any U.S. president, who would it be?" or, "It's obvious your background makes you totally unqualified for this position. Why did you submit your resume?" Think. Don't be defensive, and assess how to answer in a creative, non-threatened, and possibly clever or slightly humorous way. Polite, in-check humor can release tension and help you connect with the interviewer. But carefully evaluate if it's appropriate and will help or hinder the headway you've made in your interview.

You can't possibly prepare for every kind of question. But being knowledgeable about the types of questions as well as questions that are most frequently asked can help you significantly in your poise at interview time. It's likely you'll run into a question you're unprepared for. If so, just say so, or ask for a moment to consider how you'd like to response.

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