Metroholica

• Make first impressions count with a Firm handshake


• Appropriate and Professional Dress


• Poised body language Remember to Smile and let your Sincerity, Confidence, Enthusiasm, Poise and Professionalism shine through.


• Many employers report that first impressions still count. Poor personal appearance and careless dress at an interview are major factors leading to the rejection of applicants.
  The old adage that "first impressions count" certainly seems to hold true for Job Interviews. A recent Accountemps survey reveals that it takes only 16 minutes on average for today's executives to determine whether a Job candidate may be a good match for a position.
  Appearance MattersMany of us object to being judged for employment based on how we look. We prefer to be hired because of our skills and abilities, not because of our dress and grooming. But like it or not, appearance is important.
  In fact, in one major survey:
  95% of the employers interviewed said a jobseeker's personal appearance affected the employer's opinion of that applicant's suitability for the job.


• 91% said they believed dress and grooming reflected the applicant's attitude towards the company.


• 61% said dress and grooming had an effect on subsequent promotions as well. Whether you're preparing for job interviews or concerned about advancement in your present job, it's worth a few minutes of your time to think about what your appearance tells an employer about you. Be sure you are appropriately dressed for your company, customers and industry.

1. Send a cover letter and your resume. The cover letter should explain why you are a good fit for the position.
2. Use appropriate and professional email addresses. Never use addresses that are in poor taste such as hotchick@aol.com.
3. Be a qualified applicant. If you are over or under qualified for the position, beware of burning a bridge with a potential recruiter or employer.
4. Keep your resume factual not fluffy. Overstated accomplishments are a turn-off.
5. Attachments are acceptable, but with conditions. If you send an attachment, make sure it is a Microsoft Word document or send a plain text version.
6. Limit your number of resume pages. State things that you can backup with valid proofs.
7. Tailor your resume to the type of position to which you are applying. Decide what you want your resume to convey about your abilities.
8. Make sure there are no typing, spelling or grammatical errors.
9. Use font like Arial or Times. No larger than 12 point and no smaller than 10.
10. In most cases a cover letter should be attached to your resume.

Highlight results – Employers care about the value you can bring to the job. Don’t just list your skills and job experiences without also summarizing the results these attributes produced. Relate your results to the specific job you are applying for and qualify your impact where possible, using dollar totals, numbers and percentages when applicable. For example, instead of listing your experience as: “Account manager for advertising agency,” grab their attention with: “Managed 7 strategic accounts billing in excess of $10M annually.”

Use the right keywords -- Since resumes are often filtered by text scanning software, using the right keywords are critical. Use words from the job posting to ensure your keywords get noticed.

Boost your resume with the right action verbs – Use positive and active words to describe your experience and accomplishments. Words like prepared, managed, developed, championed, monitored, and presented will cause your resume to stand out.

Embrace white space –. Don’t crowd your resume by filling it up with unnecessary text. Can’t fill the page? Increase your line spacing to compensate and use the white space to your advantage!

Don’t go overboard – Don’t over-sell or over-hype your experience. Be detailed but don’t belabor unnecessary points.

How long should your resume be? You’re resume should be as long as it needs to be to best showcase and market your skills for your target position, but no longer. If that sounds too elusive, try this for a general guideline: If you are just entering the workforce, 1 or 2 pages are appropriate. If you’re mid-career, 2-3 pages is more acceptable.

Get a second set of eyes on it – Before you start shopping your resume around, have a trusted and professional resource review your resume and provide feedback