YAHOO HotJobs-The Savvy Newsletter

YAHOO: HOTJOBS – The Savvy Newsletter

MYTH: When you get a call from HR and they ask you your required salary, you should lowball to them to get the interview.
HR people envision a special pace in hell for candidates who say on the phone, “I’d love to come in interview, and I need to make $50K per year” when in fact, after three interviews, they decide that they need to earn $75k per year. You can give a range on the phone, but you can’t say that you’re OK with a number that you’re really not OK with.

Realty: If you’re asked for a salary range, be truthful.

MYTH: In a cover letter, you should quote the job as much as you can to show that you’re qualified for the job.
Quoting the text from the job ad doesn’t say you’re qualified. It says that you can read, and type. Rather than quoting the job ad, use examples from your career history that illustrate your ability to perform the job.

Realty: Don’t parrot terms from the job ad, but address the elements in your cover letter with specific examples from your past.

MYTH: If you get a call from a phone screener, you say it’s not a good time to talk—that shows that you’re in demand.
If you really can’t talk (the baby is crying, the dog needs a walk, or you’re not feeling well) then ask for a reschedule. But if you can take the call, do it! The more quickly you can get through the phone-screen process and be scheduled for a face-to-face interview, the better for you.

Reality: Don’t find excuse to delay phone screening—if you can manage to take the call when the phone rings, do it.

MYTH: You shouldn’t use a “summary” section of your resume—it’s a waste of space.
A summary on your resume is an absolutely critical element, as it ties together what you’ve done over the course of your career. A well-written summary shows your judgment, your writing skills and your ability to determine what’s salient in your background. Without it, you’re saying to the reader, “I’ve done a bunch of jobs, and here they are—you figure out what it means to your company.”

Reality: A concise, specific, and no-boilerplate summary is a critical element in your resume.

MYTH: The job market will improve this spring—you’re better off waiting out the next couple of months.
This may be the most dangerous job-search myth of all, because if you’re not working, the last thing you want to do is wait until your unemployment runs out before beginning your search. Employers won’t be impressed by your explanation of how you took time off to hang out while the job market improved. There’s no guarantee that things will get easier a few months from now. Don’t delay—get your job search engine in gear, now!

Reality: Don’t let moss grow on your job search—get your plan together now and jump into action!