Job Searching, Resumes & Interviews

What I look for in your job application

19 Dec 2013 | Dan Bobinski

Over the past few weeks, I've been screening applicants for several high-level positions. But despite their seniority, some of the submissions I've seen have been horrible. Here's what I'm looking for – and don't want to see – when I review an application.

Screening social media alienates job candidates

27 Nov 2013 | Brian Amble

Companies that invade the privacy of job applicants by prying into their social media activities risk alienating and driving away the very top job candidates they hope to attract , new research has shown.

Tattoo taboo: what employers think about ink

04 Sep 2013 | Brian Amble

Having visible tattoos can be the kiss of death for job-seekers, new research from the UK has found, with managers worried that visibly tattooed staff may be perceived by customers to be 'untidy', 'unsavoury' and even 'repugnant'.

Print is dead. Long-live LinkedIn

07 Aug 2013 | Brian Amble

In just five years, social media has become an integral part of job searching as well as a crucial tool for recruiters. According to a new survey, LinkedIn is now the dominant force as far as recruitment is concerned, with print media now all-but extinct.

The evolution of resumes: are you keeping up?

11 Apr 2012 | Dan Bobinski

The workplace is changing and the use, style and format of resumes is changing along with it. So let's take a look at where you might be on the evolutionary timeline and where we might be heading in future.

Resume lies lands woman in jail

12 Apr 2010 | Brian Amble

If you're tempted to lie on your resume to land that all-too hard to find job (and something between a third and half of us are happy to do just that), here's a salutary story from the UK that might make you think twice.

Alphabet soup

03 Mar 2009 | Bryan Alaspa

If you have looked at peoples' resumes recently, many seem to be made up of a new kind alphabet soup. You see acronyms all over the place such as 'CMP,' or 'PMP' or 'CTC.' What do they all mean?

Protecting your CV

26 Jan 2009 | Bryan Alaspa

Considering all the things you have to worry about when putting together your CV, whether or not you have protected your identity is probably the last thing on your mind.

Grasp a new job with both hands

07 May 2008 | Nic Paton

It doesn't matter how well you perform in an interview, if you get the opening handshake wrong it's all downhill from there - particularly if you are in line for for a senior position.

Avoiding résumé blunders

28 Apr 2008 | Bryan Alaspa

If you have had it with your job and there just doesn't seem to be anyway to fix the situation you're in, it might be time to get your resume in order. But since it may have been years since you last looked at it, what should you avoid?

Things not to say on your resume

22 Feb 2008 | Bryan Alaspa

It is still early in the new year and perhaps you have been given (or not given) your annual raise. But if you're planning on updating your resume and cover letter, there are some things you're better off not writing.

More tales from the interview room

05 Dec 2007 | Bryan Alaspa

It's time, once again, to check in on the crazy things some people experience while interviewing people for a job.

Interview entertainment

05 Oct 2007 | Bryan Alaspa

Interviewing potential new employees can be a real pain and, sometimes, a total waste of time. But it can also be an endless source of entertainment – as this piece from Monster.com illustrates.

Bad credit score can show you the interview door

17 Sep 2007 | Nic Paton

It's not only Northern Rock investors in the UK who should be worried about the global crunch on credit. Defaulting on a loan, mortgage or credit card can also seriously harm your chances of landing a new job.

Help me in my graduate job-search

10 Aug 2007 | Carl Gilleard

Despite graduating from a top-10 UK university, Seb has yet to land a graduate job and is worried that his strategy is flawed. Carl Gilleard, boss of the Association of Graduate Recruiters, has some valuable advice.

Interviewing nightmares

06 Aug 2007 | Bryan Alaspa

Having to interview job candidates can be a real nightmare. You never know exactly who will come marching into your offices and managers often have to wade through a lot of dross to get to the buried treasure. Speaking of which, the Washingtonian.com has a list of interview horror stories that have to be read to be believed.

Red-handed, red-faced

15 Jun 2007 | Brian Amble

Just in case you needed reminding that having some harmless 'little inaccuracies' on your résumé can backfire spectacularly, remember the name 'Patrick Imbardelli'.

The Pinocchio syndrome

12 Jun 2007 | Derek Torres

A recent study by Monster.co.uk suggest that up to two-thirds of the British workforce lies or lied about job qualifications in their CVs.

The wackiest résumé blunders

26 Apr 2007 | Brian Amble

A new U.S. survey by CareerBuilder.com has revealed what it calls the twelve wackiest résumé blunders that hiring managers have come across in their years of sifting job applications.

Smile - you're on video

29 Mar 2007 | Nic Paton

American workplaces could be a step closer to becoming like American Idol, with the majority of managers saying they would positively relish watching job applicants strutting their stuff on video before hiring them.