In this age of technology and given the increased number of people posting for positions via the Internet, phone interviews have become the easiest way for employers to start the hiring process after the resume screen. So, how can you avoid being eliminated at this stage of the hiring process…

1) Don't answer your phone unless you know who and why they are calling - hiring personnel will leave you a message

2) Prepare in advance and know pertinent information about the company

3) Find out information about the department and the position

4) Be ready and practice, practice, practice answers to common questions

5) Ask the interviewer good questions and FOLLOW UP!

Thorough preparation and practice ahead of time will allow you to present your skills in a clear, direct, and dynamic way. Make sure you highlight your leadership and teamwork skills from organization and volunteer experience too. Employers will highly value these skills, whether they are hiring for an internship, part-time job, or career opportunity.

Impactful cover letters can make the difference between a job seeker’s resume being read or deleted.  If you are using job search engines to post for positions online, there may be an opportunity to upload a cover letter along with your resume.  When sending your resume to a prospective employer via email, the cover letter becomes the body of the email. 

• Keep the cover letter short and directly focused at the job description.
• Include information that separates your skills from the competition – language, technology, specifics about training you have had.
• Note if you are being referred by an employee so the hiring manager can check with that person and get a direct reference.
• Explain your key reason for interest in the position and how your background is a fit for what they are looking for.

Having a tailored cover letter will help you get the interest of the reader to review your resume. 

As job fairs kick off 2011 nationwide, candidates should not only update their resume and get their professional attire ready, but also review social media content.  LinkedIn has added some options to their Profile content which could be relevant to the job search.

1.  Language Skills – You can now input specifically which languages you are proficient in and define your level of skill.  Employers value the multiculturalism of bilingual skills and depending on the position, the ability to speak and understand another language may be required for consideration.
2. Publications – There is an option to add a brief summary of publications as well as links to where they are available.  Be sure the ones you list are relevant to the positions and industries you are applying for.
3. Patents – If you have patents that are pertinent to your potential job, you can include the detailed information in a separate tab too.
4. Blog Link & Word Press – If you are in journalism, media or other industries where you use these communication forms, you can link all of that content to your LinkedIn Profile.

 There are other sections you can add and depending on your area of expertise they could help an employer see your work before they interview you, or they can reference it after the interview.  Here’s an example with some of the content listed above:

http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=24500985&locale=en_US&trk=tab_pro