5 things that kill your chances of getting a job interview

By Judith Humphrey

Today’s job market is extra challenging, and it can seems next to impossible to even get an interview—video or otherwise. I spoke with someone recently who had applied for 400 jobs and only had one interview.

No question, it is tough out there, no matter how good you are. But there are ways you can avoid some of the pitfalls that take hold early in the job application process and prevent you from ever moving closer to a recruiter or hiring manager.

These five things can kill your chances of getting that longed-for conversation with a company:

2. You don’t optimize your résumé

Another miss can happen early on when you don’t embed key words into the résumé. Over 90% of companies use machines to screen résumés, and 75 % of résumés are rejected because they don’t have certain key words.

“Every résumé you submit should have specifics that trigger a positive response from the applicant testing system,” says Chris Rodgers, CEO of Colorado SEO Pros. “This system is looking for words that relate to specific skill sets in the jobs being advertised. For example, in a junior finance position, an employer might list a specific finance software that it wants a candidate to be well-versed in.”

Rodgers says “If you see this software required in the jobs you’re applying for, that’s a clue this is a key word you should work into your résumé.” And don’t mention it just once. Rodgers explains: “That key word should appear in the top of your résumé as part of your profile, as well as in the body of your résumé.”

The ATS is very literal in what it’s looking for, so don’t try to be creative or use acronyms. If you put down that you have an MBA, or are a CFA the machine won’t necessarily recognize these credentials unless you also spell out these abbreviations.

3. Your LinkedIn doesn’t align

LinkedIn can be a great asset in your job search, but only if it aligns with your ideal job description, your cover letter, and résumé. If your profile doesn’t align, Rodgers says, “You’ll be sending the message that ‘I’m just looking for a job and even though I customized my résumé for you, in reality it’s just one of a dozen things I’m out there looking for.'”

Another reason your LinkedIn profile should align with these documents is that recruiters are constantly using LinkedIn SEO, scanning for key words that uncover ideal candidates. If your LinkedIn description conveys key words that were in your ideal job description, cover letter, and résumé, chances are higher that you’ll be picked up by recruiters for a job you’re suited for.

So make sure your LinkedIn profile aligns, and for the best results, make sure it features a professional photo and strong posts. A prospective employer will take notice of all this.

See all 5 things and the complete Fast Company article

6 Job Search Tips for the Coronavirus Era

12 Job Interview Tips from a Marketing Guru

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7.  Differentiate yourself. What can you do or say that’ll differentiate you from other applicants? What qualifications or experiences make you uniquely qualified for the position? Did you earn awards for superior performance or achieve great results in a similar position?

8.  Be yourself. Enjoy yourself during the interview. If you’re comfortable, you’ll make the interviewer feel at ease. It is important to note that preparing answers ahead of time does NOT mean being dishonest. It means that you took care to think through your responses before the interview took place. If you try to fake your way through the interview, believe me, it will show!

9.  Remain confident. Confidence comes with practice. Did you research the company? Have you identified possible interview questions and prepared responses? Did you determine how you’re going to differentiate yourself? What three points are you going to drive home? Most of all, remember: If you don’t know why you’d hire you, neither will they.

See all 12 tips and the complete article

5 steps to get your resume ready for a job search

Lily Martis

You’ve decided to start your job search, but you’ve already reached a roadblock: how to make a resume that will get results.

On the job hunt, “your resume is your number one ammo,” says Monster career expert Vicki Salemi, who spent more than 15 years in corporate recruiting. When done right, your resume can open the door to an awesome job, she notes.

With stakes that high, it’s no wonder that a resume refresh also commonly fills people with existential angst. We get it—condensing your entire work history into a perfectly-worded typo-free single-page document that could potentially determine your entire career future is maybe just a little stressful.

But what if we told you it doesn’t have to be as daunting as you think? Monster has all kinds of resources to help make the whole process easier. Like you-don’t-have-to-even-lift-a-finger-if-you-don’t-want-to easier. Skip ahead to step six if this sounds like you. But if you’re more of the DIY type, follow the seven steps below to learn how to make a resume. You’ll be on the interview circuit in no time.


1. Start with the right parameters

Resumes are not “one-size-fits-all.” The format you should use and the information you should highlight depends upon your field, for starters. So you’ll want to structure your resume to fit the industry standard for the job you’re applying to. A quick way to start figuring this out? Check out Monster’s resume templates by industry.

Your experience also plays a part in structure. The answer to the age-old question of “how long should my resume be?” is that it depends upon how much time you’ve got under your belt. As a general rule of thumb, job seekers with under three years of experience should aim for one page, but those with more years in the field could go up to two. 
Keep in mind that a recruiter doesn’t have time to sift through the next great American novel. Back in her recruiting days, Salemi says she usually spent no more than three seconds on a resume. “Being succinct is key,” Salemi says. “Recruiters will lose focus and attention if you name every single responsibility you’ve ever had."

Lastly, there’s the question of chronological (jobs listed in order by date) or functional (jobs listed by relevance). We answer that question in the article “Should you use a chronological or functional resume?” but the gist is that functional typically makes sense unless you’re a job changer, are just starting out or have gaps in your work history. Otherwise, go chrono.

3. Use keywords to help you break through

You can't learn how to make a resume without keywords. When recruiters post jobs, Salemi says, they typically don’t read every resume that comes in—they’ll often start by having their “applicant tracking system” (a fancy name for recruiting software) filter out resumes based on keywords. Those keywords are terms or phrases the hiring manager has deemed to be valuable to the job.

So you’ll want to pack your resume with keywords… but you also need to be careful not to go overboard, since a human will hopefully read your resume eventually.
Thus, sprinkle those keywords throughout and provide a little bit of context with each. For example, a social media savvy job seeker might include the names of key platforms with some explanation such as, “Leveraged Instagram to showcase happy customers, increasing followers by 10,000.”

Need help coming up with keywords? Take words and phrases directly from the job description—mirroring the ad in order of mention as the hiring manager will typically put the most coveted skill sets at the top, says Salemi. Watch the video below to learn more about using keywords on your resume.

See all 5 steps and the complete Monster article

9 Top Tips for Job Hunters

Barbara Arnold

Regardless of the unemployment rate, finding the right job can be a challenge. Volume One reached out to these experts and organizations to help compile this job hunters’ guide. Keep in mind these nine tips while seeking the job that’s right for you.

2. NETWORK

“Over 70% of today’s jobs are in the ‘hidden job market’ and are not advertised as posted positions.” –Staci Heidtke, associate director of Career Services at UW-Eau Claire

“Build relations – family, friends, acquaintances, former employers, and many more are important people when looking for a job. Most jobs are not advertised. Hiring is done through connections. Enquire within your own network, or try our network. Contact businesses directly – many appreciate your initiative.” –Candi Geist, former Market Leader at Manpower

4. CUSTOMIZE WITH KEY WORDS

“Target your résumé and cover letter to specific companies. Make changes to these application materials based on the organization and the position you are applying for.” –Staci Heidtke, UW-Eau Claire

According to a recent article on Money.com, companies now use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to pore through numerous résumés they get for any open position. The ATS scans your résumé for keywords applicable to the job you’re applying for. Approximately 75% of candidates are taken out of consideration before a human even eyeballs your résumé.

ATS software is designed to scan vertically, so résumé that are centered are the best bet. Want to get through the “bot”? Make your résumé and application match what the job is asking for, and be able to back up with your skills and experience.

6. RESOURCES

Technology is helpful in a job search, but it’s no substitute for old-fashioned human connections, such as referrals from current employees and networking in your industry.

“Find a partner – like a staffing/recruiting agency. They make it easy for you to job search. … Applying with us is like applying with 50 area businesses.” –Nicole Kauphusman, former territory general manager at Express Employment Professionals

See all 9 tips and the complete article


7-Step Guide to Writing a BULLETPROOF Resume

By Team Parle

Applying for a new job? You need a solid resume! This step-by-step guide will help you write a strong, professional resume for your job search.

A solid resume is the most important thing you can prepare when getting ready for your job search. It can make all the difference in how many interviews you land in the end.

It’s time you make your resume completely undeniable.


You want as many employers as possible to see what you bring to the table, but that won’t happen if they reject your resume for small mistakes. With these tips, you’re guaranteed to write a bulletproof job resume that can’t lose.


1) Keep the Format Simple

Make sure your resume is clean and easy to read.
Don’t clutter the page with unnecessary elements like pictures or graphics. They don’t have a place in a professional setting and will likely put your resume out of the running.

No matter how much content you’re trying to fit on the page, keep the font readable. Shrinking it down won’t do you any favors.

And make sure you use the same font throughout the entire resume.

In case you didn’t know, certain fonts read better on computer screens, while others read better on paper.
For paper resumes, use a serif font, like:

  • Times New Roman
  • Georgia
  • Bookman Old Style
For electronic resumes, use a sans serif font, such as

  • Arial
  • Helvetica
  • Calibri
You want your resume to be easy to look at and understand. Make it as readable as possible for your potential employers.

4) Focus on Your Accomplishments

Your accomplishments are the entire point of making a resume. You want to show off what you’ve done and why that makes you the best person to fill an open job.
Skip the generic responsibilities and get as specific as you can.

Numbers are your best friend on this front. Show your growth in dollars and cents. Talk about how much revenue you generated for your last employer. Use percentages to show off how much business you can bring in.

When writing about your accomplishments, always begin with an action verb.

Getting straight to the action picks up the tone of the overall resume while keeping it short and readable. A few examples of verbs you can use are managed, lead, advanced, and engineered.


5) Customize It

Using one resume for every job application just isn’t going to work. If it’s generic enough to fit all those job listings, it’ll seem like you’re okay taking any old job.

That’s not what you want. Show them that you want this job.

Do your research into the company and the position you’re applying for. Be as thorough as possible so you have enough details to work with.

Customize your resume to match each of the job listings you apply to.

They don’t have to be totally different, but they should each highlight the skills and accomplishments relevant to the job. Make sure each recipient sees what you want them to see.

See all 7 steps and the complete article

Job Search Tips When You’re Over 50

Caroline Ceniza-Levine

I have received several recent reader questions about job search tips when you’re over 50:
When you are an older unemployed professional in your late 50's how do you survive and what strategies should you use to navigate through these difficult times we are currently in? – Thea

What are the best career pivot options and tactics for workers over 60? — Ken
Is there a point in pursuing/reigniting a career at my age?... Not looking to start a business but I miss being part of something, getting out of the house and feeling productive and saving money for the future. – Wendy

I write about job search tips regularly and don’t normally break out tips by age group. The mechanics of the job search are similar across industries, functions, levels and ages. I recommend a six-step job search approach:
  1. Identify your targets
  2. Create compelling marketing (e.g., resume, LinkedIn, networking pitch, cover letter)
  3. Research companies and industries
  4. Network and interview
  5. Stay motivated and organized and troubleshoot regularly
  6. Negotiate and close the offer
I would still recommend these steps for job seekers over 50 (or right out of school). That said, life circumstances and your career path to date influence your job search, and these will be different when you have decades of life and work experience. Here are five ways I would modify a search plan for a job seeker over 50:

1 - Start reconnecting socially ASAP
Reaching out to people generally comes later in your job search when you are clearer about what you want and have prepared how to talk about yourself. However, you never want your first approach to be about your job search, when you have not been in touch for years (or decades). Furthermore, with more experience comes more connections (hopefully) and more reconnections to be made as you likely have fallen out of touch over the years. 

Therefore, while you’re gearing up for your search – identifying your targets, creating your marketing – start reconnecting with your network on a strictly social basis. Just say hello and ask about what people have been up to. Focus on having genuine interactions without talking about your job search at all. An additional practical benefit is that it cleans up your database so you can see how many people you already know and can readily contact when you are ready to kick off your search. Your network, especially with decades of contacts, will be much more critical to landing a job than unsolicited applications to job postings (one reason to stop reading job postings).

4 - Summarize your unique value proposition
Whatever you decide to go after, you will have to convince others. To find a job, you need to convince employers. If you go into business for yourself, you need to convince clients. Having decades of experience is one qualifier, but it doesn’t differentiate you from others who also have extensive experience. What is it about your experience, skills and expertise that sets you apart and solves a problem for your employer or client? For example, your decades of work mean that you have experienced both up and down economies. Have you also worked across industries, with big and small companies, in growth market and turnaround situations?

Don’t make hiring managers guess or plow through years’ worth of information to pinpoint what your superpower is. Design your story with the highlights readily available. Have clear examples and metrics to share. Be able to talk about yourself with enthusiasm and confidence. If you don’t feel competitive for a job, then do more work around your marketing, research or interview practice till you feel ready. In order to convince people to hire you, you must first convince yourself.

See all 5 Job Search tips and the complete Forbes article







The 30-Day Job Search Plan: How to Land a New Job in 1 Month

Christian Eilers

Looking for a new job can seem like a daunting task, to say the very least.

On top of that, the coronavirus crisis has upended job markets all around the world. Unemployment numbers are higher than they’ve been for quite a while, and they’re likely not going to return to 2019 levels anytime soon. Because of this, job seekers today are going to face stiff competition from other candidates. 

To make sure you go about your job search in an effective manner and to give you the best chance at landing great interviews as soon as possible, follow our 30-day job search plan.

What is a 30-Day Job Plan?

Most of us don’t have the luxury of letting the job search drag on for 3–6 months as we find that one perfect fit. And, even if you have enough savings to last that long as you look for another job, the employment gap that’ll be seen on your resume will be a weak point when it comes to future career prospects. Not to mention the increasing cabin fever you’ll have to keep at bay the longer you take finding employment.
Our 30-day job plan aims to get you prepared for a new job in just a month, from start to interview. While ambitious, it’s also quite doable if you can stick with the plan with only minor deviations.

Things to Keep in Mind as You Search for Jobs

You can find yourself a job in as little as a day, sure, but it may also take months. In 2014, recruiting software company Jobvite conducted a survey in which they found that the average time it took for a person to get employed was 43 days (just over six weeks)

However, there are also differences in each industry, as you might imagine. In the same survey, hospitality jobs took just 36 days to fill on average, an entire week less than average, while healthcare jobs needed 65 days, or three weeks more than the average. 

According to 2020 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 35% of people were able to find a job in five weeks or less, meaning a 30-day job search plan is quite feasible.

One of the most important things to do is to treat your job search as you would an actual job. Spend 30–40 hours on your job search each week and work at it each day without interruptions or side chores to give your hunt for employment the best possible chance to be successful.

Also, remember that everyone’s job search is different, so this plan (or any job plan, for that matter) can’t be a one-size-fits-all deal. Below, for example, you’ll find interview-related tasks in the later weeks, but they’re just as relevant in Week 1 if that’s when your interview is.

One final thing to keep in mind is that the job search can be quite similar to starting a new exercise regime. You’ll have to give it some time before you start seeing results, and it’ll be a lot of hard work at first. But, if you stick with it, you’re sure to have interview opportunities coming through in no time.

The 30-Day Job Search Action Plan, Week by Week

Week 1 (Days 1–7)

The first week of your 30-day job search plan will be a lot more difficult and packed with activities than the subsequent weeks. If I may put two idioms together, as you start pounding the pavement, you need to hit the ground running. However, once you get through the recommended job search tasks for this week, you’ll have an easier time in the weeks ahead as these actions begin to bear fruit.

Fix Up Your LinkedIn Profile In the professional world, your LinkedIn profile is crucial to have. Be sure your LinkedIn profile is in good shape by updating your profile image, adding your latest work history, achievements, and skills, and redefining your summary statement.

Cleanse Your Online Presence Most employers will do a quick (if not more thorough) check of each candidate on Google to see what comes up. As a candidate, ensure nothing offensive or controversial appears by searching your name on Google now. Also, clear up any material on your social media accounts which may cause a hiring manager to dismiss your application (e.g., political Twitter rants, photos of drunkenness on Facebook). 

Create a “Master” Resume Update your resume to contain the most recent information. However, this master resume won’t be the one you send, as each resume should be tailored specifically for each and every job you apply for. Use the master resume you create now to make it simpler for you to create a customized resume in the coming days.

Create a “Master” Cover Letter Similarly, a cover letter can’t be generic if it’s to wow the hiring manager. Create a master cover letter now, and later you’ll tweak it for each individual job you apply for.

Build an Online Portfolio Resumes shouldn’t be more than one or two pages in length, but, sometimes, this may not be enough. If you have project-type work in your past, such as graphic design or marketing campaigns, consider creating a website to host an online portfolio of your past work. There, you can go in-depth on each project, and the only room it requires on your resume is a simple URL.

Decide on Job Titles Before you actually begin to apply for various jobs, it’s important to know which you are willing to accept. In the modern age, job titles can vary quite differently and all mean similar things. For example, a customer service representative may be termed a “client happiness officer” at one company or a “support ninja” at another. Also, even without the fancy naming conventions, make sure you include every role you’d accept. For instance, you may be a technical writer or legal writer by trade, but a content marketing specialist position could match your interests, as well.

Set Up Job Notifications Head to a few of your favorite job boards (e.g., LinkedIn, Indeed), and do a preliminary search for your job titles. As you do so, you’ll have the opportunity to save the search to come back to it at a later date as well as the option to receive email alerts when new jobs appear which match your parameters. Doing this will make you very competitive as you’ll become one of the first candidates to apply.

Create a Spreadsheet The job search can get messy, especially the longer it takes and with the more jobs you apply for. Create a simple spreadsheet for yourself to stay organized. Have columns with the job title, company name, application status, date, and any other fields you find helpful. A job search spreadsheet will make certain that you don’t forget an important opportunity, or that you don’t double-apply to a particular job.

Take a Weekend Off As essayist Tim Kreider opined in The New York Times, “The space and quiet that idleness provides is a necessary condition for standing back from life and seeing it whole, for making unexpected connections and waiting for the wild summer lightning strikes of inspiration—it is, paradoxically, necessary to getting any work done.” Since you’re treating your job hunt as full-time employment, it’s important to also have a work-life balance as you pound the pavement. Take a weekend off each week during your job hunt just as you would once you begin working again.

See weeks 2-4 and the complete 30 plan