Q: Who gets promoted?

What do managers look for when offering a promotion? Who should you focus on building relationships with?

I answer these and more during my fourth video guest post at http://www.wallstreetoasis.com.

Update: My first video got over 40,000 views in 3 weeks!

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: How should we approach "Walk me Through Your Resume"?

I address how to answer this famous question, and how your interviewer's actions during your answer indicates what she knows about you.

This is Part III of my video guest posts at http://www.wallstreetoasis.com.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: Who gets the offer?

Which candidates do interviewers remember? How early in the interview can the decision be made?

I answer these and more during my next video guest post at http://www.wallstreetoasis.com.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: If an interviewer asks a technical question we don't know, how should we respond? Should we talk through some related information or guess?

Don't guess, and don't try to answer a related question. You probably won't get away with it. Doing so entails a significant risk; you show bad judgment and an inability to follow directions. These are both bad character traits.

Generally, these questions are not asked to find out what you know. Instead, they show your interviewer how you approach problem solving, and whether you can piece together the relevant information and come up with the right answer.

If you don't know and come clean, you run the risk of getting a "She should have know that" outcome, but this is far better than showing poor character.

It is important not to panic. Your interviewer will usually give you a hint or two to help you figure it out, and most of these questions can be answered without understanding the specifics of the question.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: How should we answer the "What is Your Biggest Weakness" question?

See my video guest post about this common yet tricky interview question at http://www.wallstreetoasis.com.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: Has a thank you letter from an interviewee ever made you hire her? How about a candidate calling HR to "check how the search is going"?

Thank you notes are another gauge of a candidate's interest in working at a particular job. However, just as some people write them more than others, some interviewers will value them more than others.

How can you tell if your interviewer will respond to a letter? If a person gives you a business card, it may be a sign that they value this form of recognition. I personally never put much weight on them.

I don't have any direct experience with the second question, but common sense would suggest that it probably won't do much good to "check in" with the HR department. The phrase, "don't call us. We'll call you" is probably a worthwhile rule of thumb.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: How should we approach alumni? How direct can we be about looking for an internship or job?

Alumni can be a great source; they can help you understand the skills necessary for certain jobs and the culture of different firms. But, be careful with a direct sales pitch.

Wanting to learn from the alum and cultivating a relationship are fine, but you will rarely get anywhere by asking directly for a job or reference. To get to this point, you cannot be direct. If they like you and think you have potential, they might just be willing to recommend you. Focus on cultivating a relationship and let things evolve as they may.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: Why do employers care about cover letters? What can I communicate with a cover letter that isn't on my resume?

A cover letter serves a number of specific purposes for an employer.

First, it is an indication of how interested the prospective employee is in a particular job. Anybody can attach a resume to an email, but a cover letter takes time. It can help provide insight into one of the most important questions an employer must answer: "Does she really want to work for me?"

I often will place a specific request in a job description, such as "please describe a team experience where you had to overcome a particular problem". I generally would really care to hear the response, but more importantly, I want to see which candidates put out the extra effort to craft an individual letter to address this issue. This has proven to be a great weeding out process!

Second, a cover letter can create an important narrative about one's qualifications and possible impact in a particular role. It better expresses character traits and passions than a resume. Lastly, it can provide insight into a candidate's communication skills and judgment.

For you, the writer, it gives you the opportunity to frame your skills and experiences in a way that is most favorable for you. Put in the extra effort. It is worth it.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: Is the "tell me about yourself" interview opener a make-or-break question, or more of a 5 minute warm-up where I can share where I was born, my story, and what I am interested in?

Well, first off, you should never spend 5 minutes answering any question. You should practice answering questions in short, concise statements that last no longer than 1 to 2 minutes.

With regard to the "tell me about yourself" question, many interviewers like to start out with a general question like this to allow you to steer the conversation in a direction that you want. You should take advantage of this, and highlight some key points from your background that accentuate your strengths and invite your interviewer to ask follow-up questions.

However, make sure you answer the question as it is asked. If your interviewer asks you to summarize your resume in a couple of minutes, make sure you answer the general question as you move from strength to strength.

It is not a "make-or-break" question. It is a "break the ice" question, and an opportunity for you to get comfortable with the interview process. Learn to use it to your advantage.

By the way, I am assuming you are kidding about going back to when you were born, but just to be clear, you should focus on relevant experiences that will show your interviewer that you will perform well in the job at hand. A little bit of local color is fine, but don't expand the question to too much detail, or you will lose the interviewer's attention and turn an advantage into a disadvantage.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

My free Ebook, How to Get Hired: Staying Out of the "No" Pile, is now yours to read, download, and share.

Learn inside:

• The secret Four-Step Method recruiters follow to choose job candidates.
• The checklists employers use to make hiring decisions.
• The insider's step-by-step guide for success.

Q: How should we answer "tell me your biggest weakness"? I have heard we should work in a strength as the answer.

Bad advice. The “it's-a-weakness-but-really-a-strength” response will highlight a true weakness: a lack of self-awareness.

The purpose of this question is generally to learn about your character. Mature, self-aware people know what they do well and where they need support, and they have enough self-confidence to admit it.

In answering this question, you should not belabor the point or be self-deprecating, but you should answer the question honestly. Responses like, "sometimes I need help managing multiple deadlines" or "sometimes my first response is to act without thinking through thoroughly" are perfectly acceptable and will not hurt you.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: For interviews and cover letters, I've heard that the best way to show interest in a firm is to give historical facts (founding date, important deals) or logistics (number of employees). How often should we work these in?

Yikes, what bad advice. That is the last thing I want to hear. When I am reading your cover letter, I do want to know that your letter has been written specifically to answer my job description, and that it is not a form letter. Likewise, when I am assessing you in both your cover letter (and resume) and during your interview, I am looking for evidence that you would want to work for me and my firm.

But, regurgitated facts are not the way to show it.

Experiences and skills that are aligned with what I do are much more relevant to me. I am never going to leave an interview thinking, “Wow, she was able to name all three of our founders and knew when their birthdays were!” But you will be heading towards an offer if I am thinking “Wow, that research project she worked on covered exactly the type of problems we deal with every day!”

Dazzle me with your skills and evidence of interest in my industry; don’t bore me with memorized facts about my firm.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: If an interviewer asks if I have applied to other companies, including competitors, should I be frank?

Yes, it is okay to tell them that you are interviewing with their competitors. This will actually give them some level of comfort, since it shows that you are focused on their particular industry.

But, don’t elaborate on the point; this is a common mistake. Keep it short and sweet. Since this is a general question, you only have to give a general response. Specifically, don’t go into detail about your other opportunities, their relative fit, and your assessment of them.

If someone asks you this level of detail—which they may near the offer stage of the process—keep it positive. Never “diss” another company – even to a perceived rival. This would be viewed as unprofessional.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: Should I make a new resume for each company I apply to? How different should each cover letter be?

It is perfectly fine to customize your resume and cover letter for each opportunity. Your goal when doing this will be to highlight your particular skills and strengths as they relate to the individual opportunity. For example, if giving presentations will be a key part of the job, make sure your presenting experience and skills stand out over less related information.

Just be aware of the logistical problem of remembering which version went to whom.

With regard to cover letters, once you have done four or five of them, you usually have covered most iterations and can cut and paste the right pieces together. Keeping your information general, but tayloring it to each particular opportunity, is the best combination.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: I keep being told that good interview skills are equivalent to good social skills. Isn't preparation basically for people who cannot carry on a normal conversation? I mean, we are just giving a few soundbites and talking about ourselves, right?

Well, I guess that would be equivalent to convincing yourself that you don't need to study for finals, because you "know the material". If you ever talked yourself into this frame of mind, you know how well it turned out. Expect the same level of success if you do not adequately prepare for your interviews.

Interviews are not a normal form of interaction. They are one of the most uncomfortable, nerve-wracking experiences you will ever endure. When caught off-guard with a question one is not prepared to answer, a common response is panic and a spewing of blabber from one's mouth. No social skills or any other innate ability will help you after this, but the confidence of being well-prepared will save you.

Be aware that you have very little time during an interview to present your case for why you should get the job. You have to be ready to articulate your top selling point under all the possible scenarios your interviewer may throw at you. You have to practice answering many iterations of possible questions and be able to deliver your message in a fluid--but not over-rehearsed--way.

Like everything else in life, you get better with practice. Interviewing is no different.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: How should I answer the infamous "Why are you interested in this field?" question?

First off, the general reason for this question is that the interviewer wants to determine how serious you are about the particular field he or she is interviewing you for. You typically will get this question if you are new to the field (for example, a career-changer or recent graduate). This is the number one uncertainty that we recruiters face with first-time job seekers; are they really serious about a career in health care or consulting or zoology? You guys are a big risk because most of you lack a track record that we can point to for guidance.

We are looking for you to mitigate this risk with your answer.

You want to address this concern head-on with proof that you understand what it means to be “a health care professional” or “zoologist”. You can do this by reiterating past experiences--or even conversations--that you have had that show that you are aware of what it will take to be successful in this career path. If you can speak to your passions and how this particular field touches them, all the better.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Q: Should we Google our interviewer before an interview? I want to make a connection, but recently my interviewer seemed creeped-out.

I think the problem stems from the impersonal nature of the interviewing process. What is the average success rate for interviews? Over my career, it has to be in the low single digits. Your interviewer knows this, too.

Aware that the odds are pretty high that she is going to say “no” to you, she rightly does not want to get too personal - saying “no” to people is more difficult if you have a personal bond with them. This is why she may have been “creeped out”. Other than the obvious concern that you may be a stalker.

Personally, I applaud taking the initiative and trying to find out information about your interviewer. This is a good trait of successful people. Keep it up, but in light of the “creeping out” factor, we have to explore a better way to use this information to help you land the job.

One way is to search for experiences or aptitudes that you have in common with your interviewer. Then, focus on less personal ways of bringing these out in the interview. If you find out that your interviewer was an accounting major, when she asks, “tell me about a project that you worked on that you really enjoyed”, give her an analytical one that she can relate to.

Or, if she is from your home state, find a way to weave this into your conversation. If you can do this without seeming like a brown-noser, you will help her get comfortable with including your name on the callback list.

Don’t shy away from doing these sorts of things. Much of the interviewing process is intuition and feel. It is not devious or dishonest to create positive rapport with your interviewer. It is good self-marketing.

Information is power. Don’t be afraid to use it to promote your own cause - just don’t get too personal!

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Topic: Excellent, Superior and other Superlatives

When describing their skill levels, I often warn job seekers to refrain from using words like “excellent” and “superior” for four reasons:

1. These words are their opinions not mine. I don’t want to hear opinions. I want to see facts and examples and formulate my own conclusion.

2. Chances are I have a different, and likely higher, expectation of what it means to have “excellent communication skills” or “superior understanding of business marketing”. If there is not corroborating evidence to support these statements, they are likely to go in the “no” pile.

3. These statements of opinion are extra words that make it harder for me to find their relevant skills.

4. If they do make it to an interview, you can be assured that I am going to drill down very hard on this area and see if they meet my interpretation of these words.

Of course if you meet my definition of what an expert is, I want you on my team, but trust me, unless you have at least 5 years of work experience under your belt, you won’t . Best not to go there.

Btw, here is an easy fix. Change “excellent” or “superior” to something like “honed my”. This simple change makes the statements actions not opinions.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

David: While you were recruiting, how did you feel about candidates asking you for feedback on their performance?

I do not mind if candidates ask me for feedback. However, many recruiters are instructed by their legal departments not to give specific feedback to candidates, so do not be surprised if your yield from such inquires is not very high.

Try focusing your requests to address additional skills or experiences which would make you more attractive, as opposed to soliciting direct feedback of why you did not make the cut. You may get a better response.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Topic: Cover Letter Body Paragraph(s)

For those of you struggling to formulate a cohesive message in your cover letter, try answering the following question. Generally, this is what recruiters are really asking you to tell them in the letter:

"Please describe for me in one or two paragraphs why you think you will add value to my team. Please give clear examples, not opinions, as to how:

1. Your skills will lead to success in the position we are offering.

2. Your strong character and intellectual capacity will propel you to future advancement."

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

David: I'm in a fraternity, and I was wondering what your thoughts are on whether fraternity membership should be on a resume. Does including it help or hurt?

It is OK to mention fraternity membership, but only at the bottom of your resume. Perhaps, you will get lucky and make a connection with an alumnus.

In general, fraternities are good for building leadership and communication skills and suggest a well-rounded, social person. If you stay away from the rah, rah brotherhood stuff, mentioning it should be a net positive.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Topic: Cover Letter Focus

The purpose of your cover letter is to introduce yourself to a prospective employer and articulate how you will add value to her firm. Many job seekers feel compelled to focus a meaningful part of their letters on what they hope to gain from the experience of working at a particular firm or in a particular role.

This is at best irrelevant information and should not be included unless it is explicitly asked for (e.g. some educational internships or non-profit opportunities, offering “an experience”, may actually encourage this).

It is not that employers do not care about this information, but it is not relevant to the process of deciding whether you should be called in for an interview. It only dilutes your message and may introduce risk, i.e. “I hope to gain intimate industry knowledge so that I can start my own firm”. Yikes!

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Justin: With less experience, what magic can I do to impress employers?

It's not about magic; it's about understanding what you are good at and crafting a message that accentuates these skills. Start by asking yourself what you like to do and what you are passionate about. Populate your resume and cover letters with examples that illustrate these things.

The true you will come out and someone is bound to recognize your talent. It is a tough market out there. You cannot be passive. You must work hard at it and make it happen yourself.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Kyle: I recently had a political internship with the Democratic mayoral campaign. Does the fact that I supported a single person/party hinder or help my chances of getting hired? Should I seek to balance this out by taking an internship with a Republican?

If you enjoy campaign work and you feel that it is providing you with skills that will help you land a future job, then by all means keep at it. Affiliation with a major party should not hurt (or help) you as long as you do not come across as too ideological or extreme: such people are not very good team players.

Of course, you might want to avoid the risk completely and simply mention the candidate’s name and leave off the party affiliation all together. When you think about it, it really isn’t relevant. When a prospective employer is evaluating your qualifications, she is focusing on your skills: what you did, not who you did it for. Leave it off and then you don’t have to worry.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Gurbir: In terms of securing internships and getting jobs in the years to come, should I take relevant courses over the summer [or try to] get an internship?

Your future employers will be looking for clues as to whether you will be successful doing what they want you to do. The closer you can get to performing some of the skills that they will find valuable, the better off you will be.

Two future questions they will ask themselves about you are:
1) Do you have the skills necessary to be successful at my firm?
2) Will you find the work rewarding?

An internship can provide clues to both of these questions. Summer school can only offer insight into the first. An additional idea might be to approach a professor in the field you are curious about and see if you could help her with some of her research. This might shed light on both.

All are preferred to sitting on the couch and vegging over the summer!

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Mac: I don't really want to waste my time with internships or 'research' opportunities. Can I still get a job?

As a college student or first-time job seeker, you need to develop skills that an employer will find valuable. There are many different ways to do this. However, the more related your choices are to the roles for which you will be interviewing, the more relevant they will be to your prospective employers.

If you find yourself thinking that certain internship opportunities are a waste of time, you may be looking in the wrong places. Ask yourself what you really enjoy doing and look for internship or research opportunities that allow you to express these skills. Success is highly correlated with doing things that you enjoy: Richard Branson, Bill Gates... You can see the passion whenever they speak about their companies.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Diane: Uh oh. My resume is 2 pages. The whole thing is in 11-point font, with headlines a bit larger. At what point in one's career, if ever, are 2 pages justified?

The answer to this is somewhat industry and job specific. Generally, after about the 10th year of your career, you have enough relevant information to justify extending your resume to a second page. Mine is a page and a half.

Just make sure that you scrutinize your dated and less important information in the same way that you did when you were trying to fit things onto one page. If the details of one of these older sections have become fuzzy and unfamiliar—so that you cannot defend them during an interview—they should not be there.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Topic: Font Size

A big mistake a lot of resume writers make is that they shrink their font size when they add something new. Yes, you want to keep everything on one page, but never go under 11 point font to do so. By definition, if you have something "new and relevant" to add, something else has just become "more dated and less relevant", and can be minimized or deleted.

A well-organized resume suggests a well-organized worker!

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Ryan: [How should we answer] "What questions do you have about working at xyz"?

The questions you ask at the end of your interview should primarily serve you, and help you decide if the job is a good fit. Culture or work environment questions are good for that. Yes, if you do not ask a question, it could be interpreted negatively, but you should not worry about trying to impress your interviewer with a pithy question to make a strong impression; you have already done this or not!

Just don't say anything risky or inappropriate. I once had a candidate ask me to comment on a recent legal issue concerning my company. I guess she thought that she would win points for doing her homework, but I didn't take it that way.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Ryan: I have always wondered what exactly to say when, during the interview, you are asked something like "Why do you want to work for xyz?"

This is a "bow and scrape" question, and I am sorry that you have to be subjected to this sort of thing. Some interviewers want you to grovel a bit and prove that you are worthy. Nonetheless, you still have to come up with a solid response.

The first thing to recognize is that this is an aggressive question, and aggressive questions should be answered with aggressive answers. Since this is a rather stupid aggressive question, you would be best off tactfully redirecting your response by answering a slightly broader, and better, question. What your interviewer really should be asking is why you are interested in a particular field, not a particular firm. Answering this question will get you where you need to go, but with more useful, honest content:

"From my past work experience and independent research, I realized that my skills are a strong fit for advertising and I am confident it is the right career direction for me. Being an assistant brand manager would be a great way for me to enter this business and I would be very excited to start my career at Acme, a recognized leader in this field."

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Matt: How should I indicate an award on a resume if I only have one?

If it is education-related, you can add a bullet under your "Education" section:

Bachelor of Arts in French with a concentration in Zoology
- Awarded 1st place prize in national French contest

If not, you can simply change your "Interest" section to "Interest and Awards" or "Interests and Accomplishments" and add a line there:

- Los Angeles Times, Paper Carrier of the Year 2010

Just make sure that the award is relevant - if you are thinking about whether to include it, make sure it says something about your character or capacity. The former example speaks to capacity: the latter speaks to character.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Ryan: I've read that you should try to express your enthusiasm for a position through your cover letter. But how do you do that in one paragraph without coming across as a phony?

A good point. The key is not to say that you are enthusiastic; that can sound phony. Instead, let your enthusiasm show through your description of past achievements.

Phony: "I would really love to work for your company. I know that I will excel in its fast pace environment, and if given the chance, I will do a great job".

Genuine: "During my summer internship, I very much enjoyed answering calls and helping solve customer problems. The experience was fascinating; it honed my communication skills and taught me to think on my feet."

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Patrick: What are your thoughts on adding [an] interests section? Some people say it's good because employers are asking themselves if they would want to spend a long plane ride with you. Others say it should be left for the interview.

I am in the former camp. I am always looking for interesting people with a high capacity to learn. An interest section can add a little extra in this regard. Sometimes it can be useful for making a personal connection with your reviewer.

If this happens she will read your resume with a heightened interest. Just be careful and don't add anything too provocative or controversial. "Political argument" is far less risky than "right-wing political argument."

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Patrick: Nearly everyone who applies to jobs [has] the same resume format. What are some ways to stand out?

Your resume format is not how you want to stand out. You want the first thought of your reviewer to be one of familiarity. Definitely avoid the risk of raising any subconscious "red flags".

Fancy fonts and colored text are a good way to get dismissed as immature.

Don't take risks on your resume format. Focus on keeping your content well organized and easy to read. Let your skills and accomplishments differentiate you.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

David: How should we indicate getting a minor on a resume? [Is it worth adding?]

A minor is a good thing. It shows that you are well-rounded and have a high capacity to learn. Definitely, include it. However, I like "concentration" or "specialization" better than "minor". I note concentrations on my resume! Here are two examples:

Bachelor of Arts in French with a concentration in Zoology

or

Bachelor of Arts in French
* Specialization in Zoology

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Patrick: I have a big interview coming up on Wednesday. What are some things I should do to prepare and what should I be sure to do during the interview?

First impressions are key. Make sure that you are on time (which means getting there early!) and make sure that your appearance is smart. This will give you a boost of confidence. Also, practice answering possible interview questions in your head the night before. You want your delivery to be fluid but not scripted.

The most important thing during the interview is to make sure that you answer the question asked and don't ramble. Good luck!

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Henry: I was on another site and it stressed displaying "tasks" [on resumes and cover letters]. You stress "skills" and discourage listing "tasks". What gives?

If you are an inexperienced job seeker (a college student, recent graduate, or someone changing to a new field), it is my opinion that you are better off giving examples of your skills for one simple reason - skills are often transferable to different situations, whereas tasks are not.

For example, if you had a summer job working in a biology lab, your analytical and analysis skills may be similar to the skills needed in marketing, advertising, finance or administration. However, your tasks of running tests and documenting your experiments are specific to a science laboratory and most likely will not be seen as transferable.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Sheila: You discourage people from using words like "excellent" in their resumes. I think I have "excellent" communication skills. Why wouldn't I want to advertise this?

First, your claim that you have excellent communications skills is an opinion. If I am reading your resume (or cover letter), I am not looking for your opinions. I am looking for your skills, and evidence that you are a good fit for the particular job for which I am hiring. I want you to give me the supporting evidence. Then, I will make my own decision as to the level of your skills.

Second, superlatives are a source of risk. People have widely different definitions of what "excellent" means and you will not always fit with their definition. If you fall below their expectations, you have seriously compromised your chances.

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Polished: Adding Shine to your Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Skills is a complete job search guide written specifically for college students and other first time job seekers.



Here's the official description from my website:

"Written by R. Scott Morris, former CEO of the Boston Options Exchange and Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, Polished outlines the methods for success and the many pitfalls that doom most job seekers.

Scott has been working with the students in the Chicago Careers in Business program at the University of Chicago for the past three years. Polished is the culmination of his teaching and their insight. Many of the examples in this workbook are based on actual participants from this program.

Scott puts his experience to work for you!

Polished reveals invaluable tips that will make employers notice you! Real life examples from a seasoned executive will teach you how to put your best foot forward in all stages of the job search, including

* Cover Letters - create focused, concise prose that highlights your skills and advances you to the interview
* Resume - develop insightful techniques that make it easy for employers to find and understand your key selling points
* Interviewing - leverage the value of your first impression by crafting your appearance and articulating your words for maximum effect
* Career Choice - assess careers and organizations to find the best match with your own personality and professional goals

Polished gives you the tools you need for a successful job search. Author R. Scott Morris tells it like it is from his unique perspective as a hiring decision maker who has seen thousands of resumes and conducted hundreds of interviews. This book puts his experience to work for you!"

Let me know what you think!

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!