I've gone to more job interviews than I can count with my hands and toes. Over the years, I've observed signals conveying that the interviewer isn't sufficiently interested in me as a candidate, whether it's because they've already chosen an internal candidate for the job, feel I'm asking for too much money, or think I lack job experience. Such signs may include wrapping up the interview quickly. For example, I was once invited to an interview for a job with my alma mater. It lasted a whopping five minutes, leading me to assume that job had someone else's name on it and they were just going through the motions to conform to hiring regulations. It's also not a good sign when I'm not asked any questions, when the interviewer arrives late/doesn't seem prepared for the interview, or when they're blatantly rude or disrespectful. Employers who are genuinely interested in you don't stoop to this level; they care about the impression th...

Despite an improved economy, job seekers are still finding it difficult to land jobs, but little do they know that they might be sabotaging themselves by failing to do two things: 1. Tailoring their resume and cover letter to every job listing they respond to: Sending out the same generic resume and cover letter for every job application is a recipe for disaster. You have to be sure that many of the keywords contained in the ad are listed on your resume -- after all, some of these companies screen the resumes for these very keywords, and if the document lacks too many of them, it'll likely be tossed in the trash bin. Different jobs call for different skill sets; while some employers may want experience in budget forecasting, others may desire candidates with experience in sales. Obviously, you want to do this without stretching the truth too much . For example, I don't recommend stating that you're an expert at Photoshop if you've never even used the program. You do...