**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches. Each month, all members discuss a certain topic. This month, we are talking about what job seekers can do now at the half year mark.  Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective. You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

With summer in full swing and the first half of the year gone already, it’s time to do a little inventory of your job search.

What has worked for you and what hasn’t?

First and foremost take a good, long, honest look at your resume.

What message is it conveying? Is it portraying what you excel in? Is it telling the reader what you can do for them or is it just a laundry list of what you’ve done. Is it focused on the job advertised? Sometimes I get a resume and I think, “Soooo, what does this person want to do??” Be specific and clear. Let the reader know why you are the best choice for the job. Remember, you are your product. You have to sell yourself.

Beef up your networking (especially if you don’t have one).

Have you told everyone of your decision to job search? Friends, family and colleagues? Have you updated your LinkedIn profile? What about other social networking profiles? Time to start creating some. Have you gone to any networking functions? Met any new people? If you haven’t, it’s time to put yourself out there and ‘make some new friends’ as your mother would say. Putting your resume on Monster.com won’t help you land a job.

Consider staying in your existing position – making the most of it.

So, perhaps if you’ve been job searching while still employed, and not having much luck, your existing job is looking better and better. Analyze your current situation. What is it you don’t like about your job? More money? A better boss? Bigger challenges? What is it you want to change? Can you talk with your employer and see if you can work something out? Sometimes staying put has its advantages.

With only a month and a half until September, sit down and write yourself a new strategy for the second half of the year. Having a plan will help you feel more in control of your career and more positive about what is to come.

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4 Summer Strategies to Step Up Your Job Search, @DebraWheatman, #careercollective

Putting Your Job Search Up On The Rack For Inspection, @dawnrasmussen, #careercollective

Mid-Year Job Search Checkup: Are you wasting your time? @GayleHoward, #careercollective

What is your unique value proposition? @keppie_careers, #careercollective

It is Time for Your Check-up Ms/Mr Jobseeker, @careersherpa, #careercollective

Mid-Year Career Checkup: Are You “On Your Game?” @KatCareerGal, #careercollective

How to Perform a Mid-Year Job Search Checkup, @heatherhuhman, #careercollective

Reposition your job search for success, @LaurieBerenson, #careercollective

Mid-Year Job Search Checkup: What’s working and What’s not? @erinkennedycprw, #careercollective

Mid-Year Job Search Check-Up: Getting Un-Stuck, @JobHuntOrg, #careercollective

Mid-Year Check Up: The Full 360, @WalterAkana, #careercollective

5 Tips for Fighting Summer Job Search Blues, @KCCareerCoach, #CareerCollective

Are you positive about your job search? @DawnBugni, #CareerCollective

Where Are The Jobs? @MartinBuckland, @EliteResumes, #CareerCollective

Mid-Year Job-Search Checkup: Get Your Juices Flowing, @ValueIntoWords, #CareerCollective

When Was Your Last Career & Job Search Check Up? @expatcoachmegan, #CareerCollective

Is Summer A Job Search Momentum Killer? @TimsStrategy, #careercollective

Once you’re unemployed, it can be tempting to go for that easy job that has nothing to do with your field. But maybe you should not be looking for just any job because the right one could be just around the corner. If you are trained in a certain field, it may be hard to find a position in this economy, but that doesn’t mean there are not advantages to focusing on a specific industry. In fact, you can make a case that if you position yourself correctly, you can find the right job quickly.

So what are the advantages of focusing on a specific type of position?

1. Serious job searches are time consuming. If you are unemployed, you should spend at least 30 to 40 hours a week looking for a position. Some people who are not focused put a lot of time and energy into their job search and end up feeling as though they are doing everything in their power. But, their energy is actually focused in other areas, so they are not putting forth the full effort. Focusing on a specific career will give you a leg up on the competition who are looking into different job options.

2. The more contacts you make in your search, the more likely you are to find a desirable position. The more you concentrate on these contacts, the better it will be for your job search. Putting a concerted effort will give you a better chance of something positive happening. The likelihood will be decreased if you focus on several different career paths.

3. Jobs often appear to those who use most of their energy in a specific direction. It will be difficult for people who are all over the map in their job search. HR managers look at the different careers job prospects have had and weigh that carefully when comparing candidates. Job seekers who are not focused rarely make any significant impact or impression on HR managers in order to attract the right position.

4. A productive job search requires that you present yourself convincingly to your prospective employer. Employers are not impressed by statements like, “I do not care what type of job I do” or “I’ll do anything as long as there’s a paycheck in it.” If you present yourself as professional and are focused in both written and verbal communications, you will give them more of a reason to believe in your skills. It’s important to find the right fit for both you and the company, and if you’re just doing a job for a job, you may be shortchanging yourself and the company.

5. Look at it this way–it may be hard to be enthusiastic and extremely well qualified for a 20 different jobs. So stick with what works for you and find the position that makes you happy and pays you well.

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches. Each month, all members discuss a certain topic. This month, we are talking about Social Media and our careers. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective. You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

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Today it seems that everyone from your 10-year-old nephew to your Great Grandmother Mildred has at least a Facebook account filled to the brim with information that you may or may not want them, or other people from divulging – everyone, which includes the same hiring manager you sent your last resume to. Now it’s just much easier for prospective employers to Google your name and find out information about you, your family and your habits. So, what’s the best site and the best methods to keep your personal information private?

With the vast resources of personal data so readily available through social networking sites, it is very tempting for recruiters, HR managers and even yourself, to use these methods to screen prospective employees or to just find out information about an old friend. Microsoft recently released a commissioned study that shows 79% of people will look at an applicants’ online profile. Reviewing a candidates social networking site can help companies know more about how those candidates handle themselves, both personally and professionally. It can also provide information that is illegal to ask during interviews.

It’s true that in today’s world you have to be online in order to get noticed, but what sites are right for keeping your personal information private, while still giving you a measure of freedom online? The most well known sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Myspace all have their ups and downs. Myspace has virtually vanished as a peer-to-peer social media information site in favor of it’s traditional focus as being a music house for artist. Facebook has it’s many detractors thanks to gaping security holes and the ability to gleam information quickly and easily, even after that information has been deleted. Twitter doesn’t really carry the same weight as the other sites, it’s good for quick burst of information but you cannot really customize it in order to share professional information. LinkedIn is the site that many professionals think of when they are looking for another job. People post links to jobs, information about their companies and things they are looking for. If you stay diligent and become friends with people in your industry, there is no way that LinkedIn would not benefit you.

It also presents an ethical conundrum. What if an HR manager stumbles upon your Facebook page with pictures from a wild party or of your growing baby belly? Would they be more or less inclined to hire you based on what they determine online? According to Microsoft’s study, 84% believe that it is OK to use social media to gather information about a candidate.

Do you know what that means? It means you have to stay up on what you have posted online and watch anything that could prevent you from finding that job. Make sure that you pick the right social media site and use it properly. In the right hands social media can be a very powerful thing, but it can also prevent you from gaining what you want.

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Read on for more great Career Collective articles:

Make Your Career More Social: Show Up and Engage, @WalterAkana, #careercollective

You 2.0: The Brave New World of Social Media and Online Job Searches, @dawnrasmussen #careercollective

How to Get a New Job Using Social Media, @DebraWheatman #careercollective

Social Media: Choosing, Using, and Confusing, @ErinKennedyCPRW #careercollective

How to Use Social Media in Your Job Search, @heatherhuhman #careercollective

Updating: A Social Media Strategy For Job Search, @TimsStrategy #careercollective

Your Career Needs Social Media – Get Started, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland #careercollective

We Get By With a Little Recs from Our Friends, @chandlee #careercollective

Expat Careers & Social Media: Social Media is Potentially 6 Times more Influential than a CV or Resume, @expatcoachmegan #careercollective

Social-Media Tools and Resources to Maximize Your Personalized Job Search, @KatCareerGal #careercollective

Job Search and Social Media: A Collective Approach, @careersherpa #careercollective

How Having Your Own Website Helps You, @keppie_careers #careercollective

Social Media: So what’s the point?, @DawnBugni #CareerCollective

Tools that change your world, @WorkWithIllness #CareerCollective

HOW TO: Meet People IRL via LinkedIn, @AvidCareerist #CareerCollective

Effective Web 2.0 Job Search: Top 5 Secrets, @resumeservice #CareerCollective

Jumping Into the Social Media Sea @ValueIntoWords #CareerCollective

Sink or Swim in Social Media, @KCCareerCoach #CareerCollective

Social Media Primer for Job Seekers, @LaurieBerenson #CareerCollective

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches. Each month, all members discuss a certain topic. This month, we are talking about Spring cleaning our careers. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective. You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

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Retooling your job search can be a daunting experience. You might have the feeling that you’re starting everything over from the beginning, but that’s not the case. You have tons of experience that will be valuable no matter what job you decide to take. Things like knowing how a business works, getting along with coworkers and knowing proper work habits already put you ahead of new candidates coming in. You have the advantage over workers with no experience.

So, how do you retool your resume? You have a lot of options, so before you start changing your resume try out a few other options first. One thing you can do is go back to school or get more training. But, you should do a self-assessment and see if this would actually be beneficial to you, work with a career counselor and let them help you to the right path. Look around and see what kind of options you have, don’t panic and just try to examine your situation. Then you can begin to retool your job search.

1. Start with what you enjoy

Do you have a long lost passion that you wish you had embarked on? Maybe it was teaching skiing lessons in Colorado, who knows, but just start with what you enjoy. Perhaps there’s a job related to your hobby that you would enjoy. It could be a completely different field than what you’ve ever worked in, so take a look around and don’t limit yourself. Maybe it’s time to get out there and try your luck.

2. Find a list of potential employers

There are always options out there, especially if you’re in a large city. You can find a multitude of positions that would fit your job search choice. But, try to reach out a little past your current job and find something that is different or that would excite you. Put this list together because you’re going to need it.

3. Start retooling your resume

This is definitely key. Start creating your resume to send to these potential employers, but make sure that you emphasize different aspects of your career that would be beneficial to your prospective employer. You should consider getting some help from a professional resume writer, they can take a drab old resume and create the right blend of personality and accomplishments.

4. Send out your resume to your list of employers

Starting sending that new resume out! You have to get your name out there right? So what are you waiting for, you all ready have a list of potential employers, so what’s stopping you? It’s time to get the word out about you!

5. Starting calling people back

After sending out your resume, hit the phones hard. Don’t just sit back and wait for the employer to call you, be aggressive, show them that you want this position and that you are right for it. If you’ve tooled your resume correctly towards your new career path and showed the desire to learn, then you can have the job that you want.

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I encourage you to visit some of the links below for more interesting articles.

Personal Branding to Fire Up Your Job Search, @DebraWheatman

Succeeding in a “Final Jeopardy!” World, @WalterAkana

5 Steps to Retool & Jumpstart Your Job Search, @erinkennedycprw

Your Job Search: Let’s Just Start Again Shall We? @GayleHoward

Checklist for Spring Cleaning Your Job Search, @careersherpa

5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Job Search, @heatherhuhman

Ten Surefire Ways to Organize Your Job Search, @KatCareerGal

Put Spring Into Your Job Search, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland

Toes in the Water, @ValueIntoWords

How to Revitalize a Stale Job Search, @KCCareerCoach

How to re-think your job search, @Keppie_Careers

Wake Up and Smell the Flowers: Spring Cleaning Your Resume, @barbarasafani

Spring Cleaning and Your Personal Brand, @resumeservice

Spring clean your mind clutter first, @DawnBugni

Managing Your Career 2.0: On Giving Something Up To Get It Right, @Chandlee

Clean up, Chin, up, Shape up, @LaurieBerenson

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches.  Each month, all members discuss a certain topic.  This month, we are talking about job-hunting “rules” to break and old job-search beliefs. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective.  You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

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Despite a wealth of great job-hunting advice, many prospective job seekers are still clinging to outdated job-hunting and resume writing guidelines that hinder their search for a job. If you’ve been sending your same old resume from 10 years ago with a “Dear Sir or Madam”, then you’ve probably learned that these methods have become obsolete.

If any of the following job hunting problems match you, then you need to implement corrective measures as soon as possible if you want to achieve success in 2011:

1. Not studying your competition

Candidates fail to check out their competition when they start their job search. They reason that their generalized resume worked in the past and that it will continue to work in the future, but that just is not the case any longer. You resume will be stacked against incredibly high skilled competition who probably have seen and done things that you present as standout attributes on your resume.

If you have a diverse set of skills, you’ll need to go the extra mile to get into your chosen career. You’ll need to establish connections and contacts with people in the industry to help fill in any career gaps you have and to boost your education and work experience. And you’ll need a compelling resume that clearly develops a connection to your prospective employer.

2. Not caring about your online identity

Social media is the way of the world now, and like it or not, it’s not going anywhere and people pay a lot of attention to it. Who do you think an employer is going to choose, the guy with the drunken Facebook profile picture or the business professional LinkedIn page? 10 years ago no one thought about having themselves Googled, no one really even knew what Google was but now you have to have an online profile to get noticed. You have to make yourself an online brand and highlight yourself above the pack.

3. Disregarding trends in resumes

If you can’t get past the old resume template with your list of qualifications, then you are going to find the job market in 2011 to be very harsh. Companies receive hundreds of resumes a day, so it becomes critical for potential employees to document the impact of their work and to back up their accomplishments through quantitative means. For a business to hire you they want to make sure that you are going to positively impact their business, and that means on the bottom line, are you going to make their business more profitable.

You have to have something on your resume that shows how you have positively impacted growth in one way or another. For executives or senior-level employees, personal branding has become the newest trend in the job hunt. This is a delicate process and you will need someone who understands developing a branded persona. You have to become the expert in your field.

Hopefully these tips will help you get past anything that was holding you back and put you on the road to new employment!

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Read the posts below for other great advice/ideas/tips from these top career bloggers:

• Juice Up Your Job Search, @debrawheatman
• It’s not your age, it’s old thinking, @GayleHoward
• Want a Job? Ignore these outdated job search beliefs @erinkennedycprw
• Job Search Then and Now, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes
• Break the Rules or Change the Game? @WalterAkana
• The New: From The Employer’s-Eye View, @ResumeService
• Job Search: Breakable Rules and Outdated Beliefs, @KatCareerGal
• Job Hunting Rules to Break (Or Why and How to Crowd Your Shadow), @chandlee @StartWire,
• Shades of Gray, @DawnBugni
• 3 Rules That Are Worth Your Push-Back, @WorkWithIllness
• Your Photo on LinkedIn – Breaking a Cardinal Job Search Rule? @KCCareerCoach
• How to find a job: stop competing and start excelling, @Keppie_Careers
• Be You-Nique: Resume Writing Rules to Break, @ValueIntoWords
• Modernizing Your Job Search, @LaurieBerenson
• Don’t Get Caught With an Old School Resume, @barbarasafani
• How Breaking the Rules Will Help You in Your Job Search, @expatcoachmegan
• Beat the Job-Search-Is-a-Numbers-Game Myth, @JobHuntOrg
• 25 Habits to Break if you Want the Job, @careersherpa

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches.  Each month, all members discuss a certain topic.  This month, we are talking about trends for 2011. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective.  You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

It may not seem like it but the recession seems to be tailing off. More people are willing to spend money, so lending has returned to a degree. But that doesn’t mean anything if you’re one of the ones without a job. 2011 is shaping up to be a great year for job seekers, especially if you are filling a critical need job. Sure there is high unemployment still but that does not mean that you cannot make something happen in the New Year. Having a positive attitude and staying abreast of the trends will put you in the running to find that job you want.

But, what are some of the trends for job seekers in 2011? There are a few different things to pay attention to, that are just over the horizon.

The Outlook:

Job growth is expected to be faster than average, thanks to growing demand for service sector jobs, the looming retirement of aging baby boomers, and broad efforts to create job growth. The volume of jobs is expected to increase throughout 2011, and rates are expected to continue through 2018, which are some of the fastest occupational growth rates being projected by the Labor Department.

Money:

Lending is expected to follow along current levels with some increase in lending to well-qualified applicants. But, lending can be a good thing in this economy, with more money changing hands there are more opportunities for job growth. Keep an eye out to see how the market affects your potential career field choice.

Upward Mobility:

If you want you can choose to go for additional schooling. Some jobs offer postgraduate programs for specialties in certain fields. It helps to be able to showcase strong educational history on your resume. As more people enter the workforce, employers can have the cream of the crop, so it creates incentives for potential employees to build their resume. Postgraduate work is a great thing to showcase on a resume and it can help set you apart from other potential job seekers.

Hiring Tools:

Employers are worried about salaries and specifically new salaries. In 2011 the trend is to develop talent from within, instead of spending the time to evaluate and train an outside employee. More employers are looking to promote from within. This is obviously not something that job seekers want to hear in 2011, but just focus on showcasing your skills and building your resume, and you will be on to your future job.

Job Types:

Expect a lot of graveyard shifts, weekend work and holiday work. Employers know that they have their employees in a tight spot and they are going to work their employees into the ground. Do not expect much help in the way of increased pay for this type of work. Profits are high for the top, not for the people doing the actual work.

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Read below for more tidbits and wisdom from some of our industry’s top career professionals:

Social Media Recruiting to Grow Further in 2011, @debrawheatman

Another Year, Another Job Search Begins, @GayleHoward

In 2011, Increase Your Prospects With Better Differentiation, @WalterAkana

4 Lessons Learned From Job Search in 2010, @Careersherpa

Your Career Action Plan for the New Year, @KatCareerGal

Trends Job Seekers Should Look For in 2011, @erinkennedycprw

Things Every Job Seeker Should be Thinking About in 2011, @expatcoachmegan

Let your presence be known or send out a red flag, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

How to find a job in 2011: Pay attention to emotional intelligence, @Keppie_Careers

2011 Employment Trends Supercharged with Twitter, @KCCareerCoach

3 Traits for Facing Weather, Employment and Chronic Illness, @WorkWithIllness

Everything old is new again @DawnBugni

Career Trend 2011: Accountability + Possibility = Sustainability, @ValueIntoWords

Career Tools to Check Out in 2011, @barbarasafani

What Was in 2010, What To Expect in 2011, @chandlee

The Future of Job Search: 3 Predictions and 2 Wishes, @JobHuntOrg

Many job seekers erroneously believe that searching for a job during the holiday season is a waste of time. Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, the holiday season, the time between Thanksgiving and the New Year, is often one of the best times to look for a new job.  This is true for several reasons.  First, there is often less competition because so many job seekers suspend their job search during these months.  Second, corporations with hiring budgets are often looking to ‘spend off’ their remaining budgets, making it easier to find an ideal position.  The key is utilizing unique opportunities available to job seekers during the holiday season and remaining positive.

For those looking for a job during the holiday’s, the following tips should be carefully reviewed and considered as part of their ‘survival guide’:

1. Remain upbeat: Those that have been searching for a new position for an extended period of time often find their mood flagging during the holiday season.  Depression can quickly lead to wasted job seeking opportunities, so be sure to remain positive.  If needed, create a schedule for yourself, providing at least one job-seeking task each day.  Remember to treat your job search like it is a job in itself.
2. Use holiday parties to network: You never know where the next opportunity will come from, and holiday parties offer the perfect opportunity to network and increase your visibility.  Whether attending family parties or industry events, put on your best face, be positive and network.  Holiday parties are the best opportunity for networking around.
3. Holiday greetings: While the old ‘Merry Christmas’ cards are considered politically incorrect, Holiday Greeting cards offer the perfect opportunity to reconnect with industry contacts or potential employers.  Be sure to include your business card or contact information in the card to fully take advantage of this opportunity.
4. Regularly review postings: Remember that as the year comes to a close, many businesses are struggling to fill open positions before their budget ‘resets.’  Keep checking classified ads and online listings and keep in close contact with your headhunter to ensure that you don’t miss any opportunities.
5. Consider seasonal work: While seasonal work isn’t the ideal opportunity, especially for those looking for executive positions, sometimes taking a seasonal position can be beneficial.  The act of working again can do wonders for depression and if you are lucky enough to land a seasonal position in your field or industry, help keep your name visible. Oh, and might I add one very important thing: DISCOUNTS.

Don’t use the holiday season as an excuse to forgo your job seeking activities. Instead, try to remember that the months in-between Thanksgiving and the New Year can offer plum employment opportunities.  Use your survival guide to take advantage of the unique opportunities the holiday season can present.

Above all, remain committed to your job seeking activities. Failing to do so during the holidays can quickly ruin any momentum you currently have.

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches.  Each month, all members discuss a certain topic.  This month, we are talking about common job search misconceptions. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective.  You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

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Getting ready for an interview is often the most stressful part of the hiring process. Many job seekers do not take the time to properly prepare for an interview. This can lead to more than a bad answer to an interview question. Not taking the time to prepare can make you late, nervous and less likely to land the job.

Preparing for an interview is as simple as following a few common sense guidelines:

1. Where are you going: Be sure to do a dry run to the interview location. Whenever possible make the dry run during the same time of day as the scheduled interview, or make sure your GPS is working the day before you program it–just in case. This will allow you to easily locate the office without worrying about traffic or detours.

2. What are you bringing: Carefully review any guidelines set forth by the hiring manager. Bring extra copies of your resume, your portfolio (if applicable), a list of references and anything else requested. Prepare these items in advance to prevent forgetting items. It is also a good idea to keep clean copies of your resume in your car in case of an emergency.

3. What are you wearing: Try on each item that you will be wearing to the interview. Insure the clothing fits properly, is clean, pressed and damage free. Don’t forget to check socks and shoes.

4. Grooming: If your hair, mustache or beard needs trimming take care of it several days before the interview. Leaving this to the last minute can cause delays.

5.  Phones: OFF! Consider yourself out of the running if your phone goes off during the interview… really out of it if your ring tone is “Baby Got Back”. Be smart and turn your phone off during your interview.

6. Questions: It is a mistake to assume that the only person asking question is the hiring manager. Instead, carefully craft a list of 2 to 5 questions to ask the interviewer. These questions should be thought provoking and demonstrate your knowledge of the company, its product or service and website.

7. Answers: Many interviews begin with the same questions: What do you hope to do? What are your goals? What is your greatest strength/weakness? Where do you see yourself in 5 years. Put some time and effort into thinking about these questions and prepare your answers in advance.

8. Eat, Sleep, Relax: Neglecting your health by failing to eat or sleep properly before your resume is a mistake. Try to put yourself in a relaxed state of mind. The more relaxed you are, the better the interview will go.

Other common sense suggestions include researching the hiring manager, contacting your references and bringing along a pen and paper for notes. Preparing for an interview doesn’t take much time, but it can have a big impact on your day.

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Read on for more great advice from Career Collective members. Don’t forget to follow our hashtag on Twitter #careercollective.

5 Misconceptions Entry-Level Job Seekers Make, @heatherhuhman

How “Interview Savvy” Are You?, @careersherpa

Employers Don’t “Care”, @ValueIntoWords

Misconceptions about Using Recruiters, @DebraWheatman

15 Myths and Misconceptions about Job-Hunting, @KatCareerGal

Are You Boring HR? @resumeservice

Job Search Misconceptions Put Right, @GayleHoward

Who Cares About What You Want in a Job? Only YOU!, @KCCareerCoach

How to get your resume read (sort of), @barbarasafani

The 4 secrets to an effective recruiter relationship, @LaurieBerenson

Job Interviews, Chronic Illness and 3 Big Ideas, @WorkWithIllness

The secret to effective job search, @Keppie_Careers

Superstars Need Not Apply, @WalterAkana

The Jobs Under the Mistletoe, @chandlee

8 Common Sense Interview Tips @erinkennedycprw

Still no job interview? @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

Misconceptions about the Hiring Process: Your Online Identity is a Critical Part of Getting Hired, @expatcoachmegan

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches.  Each month, all members discuss a certain topic.  This month, we are talking about “scary” career or resume mistakes. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective.  You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

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Executive or senior level positions are a different animal when compared to others. More than a simple experience, those applying for senior or executive positions have to be better, faster and more creative than the competition. Even the smallest of errors can quickly become roadblocks to future success. Understanding how to avoid scary resume mistakes is critical for those that hope to land a plum position.

Luckily, the scariest of these mistakes are also the easiest to avoid…if you simply know what you are looking for.

1. Grammar: Sounds simple, but grammar and spelling errors can be the worst resume mistake. Poorly written resumes do not advertise the applicant as a qualified individual; instead, they advertise you as lazy, unobservant and possibly illiterate. This mistake is the easiest of all to avoid. Do not rely on spell check alone; instead ask a qualified friend or professional to review the resume for you as well.
2. Poorly written objectives/career summaries: The career summary portion of a resume is often easy to overlook. Job seekers erroneously assume that those reading the resumes often ignore the section. Instead, the summary is your first and best chance to not only state your objective, but to add a sense of whom you are. Avoiding a poorly written career summary starts with putting in the appropriate amount of time writing it. Remain clear and focused on what you want to do, what you excel at, and what you can do for the reader. It is also a good idea to personalize summaries for specific jobs or positions.
3. Hiding crucial information: Functional resumes sometimes seem like they are hiding information about the job seeker’s accomplishments and skill sets by ignoring the standard chronological format. If functional is still your choice, consider creating a hybrid functional/chronological resume that will please all types of readers.
4. Being too general: Creating a generalized resume to use for every new opportunity is a mistake. Today, a general resume isn’t enough. Instead, develop a well written, grammatically correct base resume and personalize it for each new position. Carefully tweaking skills, highlighting different accomplishments and other critical areas more maximum impact is the best way to optimize your exposure to specific potential employers.
5. Honest and Accuracy: “Everyone embellishes their resumes a little bit – right?”  While that may be true for some people, inaccurate statements or outright wrong information is a mistake and not smart to do. Today’s employers are choosing from a pool of potential employees that is bigger than ever. Be sure that the information contained in your resume is accurate. Be honest and forthright in your answers. Honesty does matter. Don’t be one of the fools who use embellishment to make their resume stand out—and then get caught later.

Creating resumes that make an impact doesn’t have to be difficult. Spending adequate time, making use of a proofreader, being honest and carefully choosing your format and the information you present is the best way to avoid scary resume or career mistakes.

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Read below for more resume and career advice from the Career Collective!

Where Are the Wild Things, Anyway?, @WorkWithIllness

Is Your Job Search Making You Feel Like a Smashed Pumpkin?, @DebraWheatman

Hiding in Plain Sight, @WalterAkana,

Don’t make these frightful resume mistakes, @LaurieBerenson

How Not to Be a Spooky Job Seeker, @heathermundell

A Tombstone Resume:Eulogizing Your Experience, @GayleHoward

The Top Ten Scary Things Job Seekers Do, @barbarasafani

Oh, Job Search Isn’t Like Trick or Treating?, @careersherpa

A Most Unfortunate Resume Mistake No One Will Tell You, @chandlee

Oh no. Not the phone!, @DawnBugni

Halloween Caution: Job Seeker Horror, @resumeservice

Boo! Are you scaring away opportunities or the competition? @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

Your Career Brand: A Scary Trick or an Appealing Treat?, @KCCareerCoach

How to avoid mistakes on your resume, @Keppie_Careers

Sc-sc-scary Resume Mistakes, @erinkennedycprw

A Flawed Resume is a Scary Prospect, @KatCareerGal

Job Search Angst: Like Clouds Mounting Before a Storm, @ValueIntoWords

Does Your Career Costume Fit You?, @expatcoachmegan

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches.  Each month, all members discuss a certain topic.  This month, we are talking about favorite resources for job seekers. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective.  You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

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When you are looking for your next job, employment agencies, want ads, and networking can all be used to find leads, but you will certainly want to turn to the Internet as well in conducting your research.

What follows are some of the most popular websites for anyone seeking employment.Some I like, some I’m not crazy about, but they all have their pros and cons. Check them out and let me know what you think!

● Execunet is probably my favorite website for $150K+ executive jobseekers. It has a fantastic reputation for having the jobs they say that they will have (unlike some OTHER websites promoting the same thing) and my clients seem to have great luck with it. There is a small monthly fee, but it is nothing in comparison to the job you will get when using it.

● Netshare is another favorite for $100K+ jobs for execs. They have a database of thousands of executive jobs across all disciplines and locations.

● LinkUp With this company, the job openings are indexed from company websites, not from ‘pay-to-post’ job boards.  Thousands of jobs and websites.

● Career Builder is the country’s largest online source for jobs, posting a selection of more than 1.6 million openings. Every month 49.23 million visitors go there, knowing they can find listings for every industry and every type of job. Just remember that number though… 49 million visitors a month. You better have a darn good resume.

● Indeed is a search engine that allows those seeking employment to search jobs posted on a vast array of job boards and company career sites.

● SimplyHired, which is located in Silicon Valley, is in the process of “building the largest online database of jobs on the planet.” They also intend to make job hunting uncomplicated, enjoyable, and effective.

● Exsearches is perfect for individuals seeking government, nonprofit, health, and education sectors of the job market.

● CollegeRecruiter posts a huge number of entry-level online help-wanted listings. Its School Finder program matches individuals who want to continue their education with both traditional and online schools. You will also find a wide selection of blogs, articles, and ‘ask the experts” information here.

● SnagAJob links the United States’ hourly workforce with the jobs they need and want. After registering more than 10 million candidates, they are America’s largest job site for full-time and part-time hourly positions.

Note that you can visit job search engines frequently because they are constantly updated, and they will even tell you how many listings have been added since you last did a search, which will enable you to focus on the ones that are new.

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Other articles of interest from the #Career Collective group:

If your industry does not participate online, you can lead the way, @Keppie_Careers

6 Ideas to Put In Your Toolbox, @WorkWithIllness,

Your Best Job Search Resource? You!, @WalterAkana

In a Job Search, Knowledge is Power, @barbarasafani

Jump Start Your Job Search Now!, @resumeservice

Favourite Resources for Jobseekers, @GayleHoward

The Best Job Search Tool Ever, @careersherpa

Find What You Do Best, Know Your Stuff, and Connect, @chandlee

27 Recommended Blogs for Entry-Level Job Seekers, @heatherhuhman

Invaluable Resources for Job Search Success, @heathermundell

Favorite Social-Media Resources for Job-seekers, @KatCareerGal

Canadian Resources for Job Seekers, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland

A Self-Empowering Job Search Resource, @KCCareerCoach

Covering your bases: 5 ultra-useful online career resources, @LaurieBerenson

Favorite resources for Job seekers, @DawnBugni

Top 3 Resources for Job Seekers to Position Themselves as Experts and Increase their Visibility, @expatcoachmegan

Time as a Career Resource: How “Not” to Squander It, @ValueIntoWords

The Facts Behind Why LinkUp Is the Most Revolutionary Job Search Engine Available to Job Seekers, @GLHoffman