Books:

Knock 'Em Dead by Martin Yate
Our survey says that it's the best book on interview techniques known--this book gets all of our votes. Visit the website here.
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, M.D.
An amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life.
Failing Forward: How to Make the Most of Your Mistakes by John C. Maxwell
The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure.
What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Boll
"The job-hunter's bible" - maybe too many words but a recognized "must," although it's hard to find anyone who has actually read this book.

Websites:

Career Journal
My Purchasing Center

Regular Stuff:

The Wall Street Journal, the Tuesday edition
  • The Marketplace section, a great guide to trends in the work place
  • In the Head, Carol Hymowitz
  • The Jungle, focuses on recruitment, pay, and getting ahead
Some Industry Trade Publications
Professional Journals and Articles

Effective Emailing, dos and don'ts

DO
use Microsoft Word format when emailing a resume attachment as it is a universal standard.
DO
have updated virus protection.
DO
send your resume to yourself to make sure it looks professional and is to your liking.
DO
label your resume attachment with your name [last_first]. Titles like "my resume," or "final resume" may make it difficult for the recipient to locate your file later.
DO
follow up with a phone call after emailing a resume.
DO
consider a free web-based email account (i.e. yahoo, hotmail, gmail, etc. They are free, efficient and stay with you forever).
DO
use the same email account throughout your search and remember to check your email regularly.
DON'T
send a resume without writing a message in the body of the email. Wordless email increases the likelihood that your email will be regarded as a possible virus source.
DON'T
use your company's email.
DON'T
use an inappropriate, or otherwise dumb, email address.
DON'T
say anything too quirky in the email's subject line, i.e. "I'm your guy."
DON'T
ask a recruiter or employer to rewrite your resume.
DON'T
email a resume multiple times to the same job listing.

Preparing For the Telephone Interview

With more and more companies adding the additional step of a telephone interview, it is important that candidates prepare for an effective telephone interview.
  1. Arrange to conduct your telephone interview from a landline. Cell phone reception is still not good enough. There is nothing worse than a conversation where you miss every fourth word.
  2. Arrange with the interviewer for you to initiate the call at the appointed time. If the interviewer is not available to take your call, make sure that you leave a message with a landline number where you can be reached.
  3. If they are calling you make sure that you are prepared to receive the call. If the call does not come within 5 minutes of the appointed time call the interviewer. There may have been a change of schedule or a miscommunication. Be sure to leave a voice mail and a call back number.
  4. Clear your interview space of all distractions including dogs, children, cuckoo clocks, Facebook and other extraneous distractions.
  5. Do not eat, drink, pop flip top cans, or smoke during your interview.
  6. Have a command of every item on your resume-the interviewer will not be impressed if you have it professionally written but are not familiar with what it says.
  7. Do your research on the company. Know the company's business and business model and be familiar with their culture. Check out the interviewer's profile on LinkedIn. "Winging it" almost never works.
  8. Have the job description and a copy of your resume printed out as well as the pens, pencils, pads, and all other note taking materials that you might need in front of you.
  9. If a potential employer calls you in response to a resume, try to avoid having that call become a spontaneous telephone interview. Tell the caller that you are very interested in the job and the company and arrange a mutually convenient time to have a well planned phone interview.
  10. Prepare a few questions that you can ask about the position. You should avoid questions about compensation, vacations and other "what's in it for me" questions.
  11. Remember - this is a sales call the mission is to convert this call into a person to person interview.

More Books We Like:

  • Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People by Roger E. Herman
  • Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't by Jim Collins
  • 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions by Ron Fry