Here are some good suggestions that will serve you well:

1. Teachers or professors whose classes you’ve attended. Whether you know the individuals from high school or college, these professionals are great for references. They know how you performed academically and past performance is always indicative of future performance.

2. Leaders of groups you volunteered with. Were you a candy stripper? Did you help clean up the neighborhood? Were you involved in any other civic activity? If so, ask the group leaders if you can use them as a reference.

3. Girl Scouts or Boys Scouts. Most of us were members of these youth organizations. Ask your former troop leaders for their endorsement.

4. Parents who hired you to babysit their children. Again, if these adults trusted you with their offspring, it’s likely they found you responsible. They’re a great source for references.

5. Your church or religious organization. Your pastor and others affiliated with your faith are solid choices for a reference.

The idea is to think of people you’ve come into contact with who might be able to provide a clear picture of the professional, responsible person you are. It doesn’t necessarily have to be someone you’ve worked for. Everyone has a first job and references for those will likely come from school, community or personal relationships.

Keep these tips in mind for your interview:

1. Dress appropriately. Even if the company culture is casual Friday or downright casual, it’s best to dress one step up. It shows professionalism and your seriousness about the position. The time to wear deck shoes and khakis is once you’re hired. For men, get a haircut and trim your facial hair if you have a mustache or beard. For women, keep the jewelry and makeup to a minimum and don’t wear overpowering perfumes.

2. Arrive a few minutes early. Ten to fifteen minutes is advised. It will give you time to relax before you’re called in and will show your professionalism in keeping appointments. To assure that you’ll arrive in a timely manner, drive to the office on a weekday to determine what traffic will be like, where you’ll be able to park, etc. Don’t leave these details till the last minute.

3. Be nice to the receptionist/administrative assistant. If you’re rude or demanding, they won’t forget and they may very well report it to the manager. Be courteous to all. However, it’s also wise to remember that the receptionist or secretary isn’t your best buddy. If she or he starts to talk about the company and disparages it in anyway, keep your opinions to yourself.

4. Turn off your cell phone before you’re interviewed. Nothing is more distracting or irritating than to be interrupted by someone else’s call.

5. Sit appropriately during the interview. Don’t slouch in your chair or bounce your legs up and down no matter how nervous you are. Project an image of success and you’ll be treated accordingly.

6. Never interrupt the interviewer. Yes, you want to get your points across, but barging in on anyone’s comments is rude. Once it’s your turn to speak, take a moment to reflect upon what was said and comment as well as you can.

7. Don’t have a sense of entitlement. If the first words out of your mouth are – “What’s the salary and benefits?” – you won’t be considered for the position no matter how great you believe you are. Always speak about the company’s success and how you would like to make it reach all goals.

8. For the Gen Yers – don’t bring your parents to an interview. Yes, it’s been known to happen and having your mother or father arrive with you isn’t the way to impress a hiring manager.

9. Make eye contact. Don’t stare the interviewer down, but be certain to meet his or her gaze rather than staring off into space or glancing nervously around the office.

10. Be prepared to sell yourself and to answer the usual interview questions. Don’t arrive unprepared. Practice interviewing with friends or family members.

It’s not always easy to ace an interview but it can be done with forethought and practice.

Unfortunately, that’s not the way to impress a hiring manager or a recruiter. In today’s job market, what you have to prove most is that you’re the ideal candidate for the position. That means focusing on one industry, one job (preferably from a posting you’re interested in) and dovetailing everything you’ve done toward that opening.

Some of you might now say that it’s impractical to do that if you’re submitting your resume to 20 or more openings in a week.

The truth is that your resume needs to be custom-tailored to each of those many openings. Why? Because if you’re skilled in accounting, sales, retail management, graphic arts, childcare and customer service, a firm that’s hiring for an accountant isn’t going to care about anything other than your accounting skills, as they relate to the job responsibilities of the position.

Don’t kid yourself that a hiring manager or recruiter will be impressed with all that you can do. Too much of this on your resume and you’ll confuse them as to what your skills really are and why you’re applying to their opening at all.

The best resume is focused, targeted, and relies heavily on accomplishments – not tasks – to tell the story of you.

Stay on point and be certain to tweak each resume to fit the opening. It will take some time, but it will also shorten your job search in the long run.

Don’t give them that chance. Although your background may be impeccable, the details you provide could be painting a negative view of you as a viable candidate. To make certain you’re not sabotaging your chances, keep the following in mind:

1. Don’t use cute or weird email addresses. For example, an administrative assistance should never use an email that states prettyblonde@email.com or available4fun@email.com. Someone in a fiduciary capacity would be wise to avoid outofcash@email.com. No one should use luv2party or luv2drink. You get the idea. Keep it simple and professional – your first and last name or your initial and last name.

2. Never use your current company’s email address when you’re looking for a new job. An employer will wonder why you’re taking emails and phone calls from a new employer when you haven’t yet left your current position. It strikes the average person as dishonest, so don’t fall into that trap.

3. Avoid listing hobbies or interests on a resume. Even if you want to shout to the world that you’re a diehard Trekkie, that info’s going to look downright weird on a resume, especially if you’re competing for a position in management. Never list activities that cause a hiring manager to worry about your health. This would include extreme sports. No one is apt to hire an individual who may be hurt, out of work for extended periods and eat up the company’s health care plan.

4. Never write a resume in the first person using personal pronouns (my, I, we, etc.). It’s not professional. Always use third person.

5. Don’t state ‘references are available upon request’ – that’s a given. Also, don’t provide references unless asked for them.

6. Never include high school education on a resume (unless you’re applying to the federal government). Again, it’s a given that everyone in this country has a high school diploma or a GED.

7. Don’t include a photo on your resume. The only exception would be if you’re applying for a sales position in which there’s a lot of personal contact with clients. In that case, you’d use a professional looking headshot – no vacation photos.

8. Don’t include personal info on your resume such as marital status, date of birth, religious affiliation. It’s simply not done in this country.

9. Never use an objective to open the resume. An objective is telling the hiring manager or recruiter what you want. They don’t care about that. They want to know what you can do for their company. Paint a picture of yourself as the perfect candidate in an outstanding opening summary.

The above are just a few of the many details that could trip you up in your search for a new job. By avoiding these and keeping your resume professional and on point with what you can accomplish, you’ll go a long way toward getting that coveted interview.

Although it may seem easy to answer, it’s really not. Lacking details as to what the individual’s background contains and the job being sought, there is no set response.

Unlike 10 to 15 years ago, today’s resumes aren’t a simple listing of your professional and academic experience. These documents are now targeted toward distinct industries. In other words, they’re specialized. No longer can you submit a resume that proves you are a jack of all trades, because that’s not what hiring managers and recruiters want to see. They want in-depth knowledge of your niche in a certain industry.

Therefore, there is no such thing as a one-size-resume fitting all. Something as simple as format can differ widely with candidates. An individual in accounting would choose a conservative approach, whereas a ‘creative’ would want a design and fonts with a bit more flair.

Although resumes are – and should be – as different as people’s personalities, there are certain basics that must be included in every resume. These are:

1. A strong opening summary that paints the individual as the perfect candidate for the position

2. Showcased accomplishments that are quantified

3. Professional experience that doesn’t go back more than 15 years

4. An education section – or training section – highlighting post high school academics or specialized training

In order to stand out from the crowd and to showcase what’s unique about your knowledge, skills and abilities, you need a resume that dovetails your talents to the position requirements.

Settling for anything less will only add time to your job search.

Many of you might be considering application to the federal government. It’s a good move for solid employment; however, application to any government agency can be as complicated as doing your yearly tax return.

Here are some tips to remember:

1. You must have a job vacancy announcement to apply. Unlike the private sector, you cannot simply send a resume to every federal agency and hope to be considered. You won’t. You’ll be spinning your wheels. You need to look at job openings at the government’s website (you can do a google search for it). The vacancy announcement must still be open. If it’s closed, you’re out of luck. And, you must meet the requirements for the position. You cannot state that you’re willing to learn. Agencies want individuals with the required skills.

2. You must submit a resume in the format each agency requires. That might be Resumix (plain text unformatted) or by copying/pasting your resume into fields onto an online form. Each agency has their own requirements and you must meet them. If you do not, your resume won’t be considered.

3. Your content must meet the agency’s requirements. Unlike private sector resumes, federal resumes include vast amounts of data such as your supervisors’ names, work addresses, contact numbers, your social security number, high school data, etc. Be prepared to include everything the agency asks for.

4. You may have to answer questions such as KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities), ECQ (Executive Core Qualifications), etc. These are questions that require essay type answers. Not including them with your resume, if they’re asked for, will take you out of the race for the job.

5. Meeting every agency guideline when composing and submitting the resume, KSAs, ECQs, etc. If you do not, you won’t be considered for the position.

Many individuals feel overwhelmed by all that they must do in order to work for the federal government. However, that’s no reason to give up. If you feel you cannot do an adequate job of composing your federal resume and essay questions, then use a professional resume writer who’s trained to know the ins and outs of the federal application process.

Most job seekers will use the popular reverse-chronological format. That is, you list your most recent job first, followed by the next most recent and on and on.

Others might opt for the combo format. It’s a mixture of reverse-chronological and functional. In it, you’ll list your skills in a functional style beneath the opening summary followed by professional experience in a reverse-chronological format. The functional skills are what you do in your job. For example: an accountant might list reconciliations, tax returns, AP/AR, etc.

Both the reverse chronological and combo type resumes give the hiring manager quick, easy access to what you can do.

However, the functional format hides important information from the hiring authority, mainly where you gained your experience. In a functional format, you’d list your skills, knowledge, abilities after an opening summary and then you’d simply list the name of your employers along with dates in the professional experience section. There would be no details as to where you did what.

When a hiring manager sees a functional resume, the first thought is that the candidate is trying to hide something. That might be job hopping, dated work experience, etc. What’s more, it’s impossible for them to know if you dealt with tax authorities (as stated in the functional section) at ABC Firm last year or XYZ Firm twenty years ago, as listed on your resume.

You see the problem. They don’t know you and you’re making it impossible for them to get a clear picture of your relevant and recent talents.

If you have been a job hopper or if your work experience is dated, it’s still better for you to use a combo type resume than a functional one.

One of the few times a functional resume can work is if you’re a contractor (self-employed) and the names of the individuals you work for (professional experience) isn’t as important as what you’ve done for them, especially if you’ve accomplished the same type work for each client.

Remember, you have seven seconds or less to compel a hiring manager to read your resume. Don’t put stumbling blocks in your path to an interview by choosing to use the functional format.

Unlike the days of GM (once known as Generous Motors) or a time when you could simply list your experience on a piece of paper and expect a job offer, today’s work prospects can be few and far between. The only way to safeguard your future is to be prepared for anything and have an outstanding resume at the ready.

Even if you’re not about to be laid off or don’t want to move from your company to another, a resume will come in handy if you’re seeking a promotion. In many companies, senior staff are being let go because of bloated salaries. If you have the talent, skills and knowledge to step into those roles, prove it with an achievements-focused resume. And, if you’re not looking to climb the corporate ladder, you can use your resume during your annual performance review to remind your supervisor of the stellar work you’ve done during the year.

If you are facing layoffs or downsizing, then you can’t do without a professional resume. In most industries, the newly unemployed will be competing with dozens, if not hundreds, of other equally-qualified candidates. A fraction of those individuals will get an interview and even less will be put on payroll. An impactful resume will give you a fighting chance.

At job fairs and even in your everyday life, having an up-to-date resume may be the difference between protracted unemployment and getting the job of your dreams. You never know who you’ll run into at social functions, church, your children’s afterschool activities. Those acquaintances and friends may be able to get you noticed with the hiring managers at their companies, if you have a resume that clearly showcases your skills and expertise.

Don’t make the mistake many do during this holiday season and tell yourself you’ll wait until New Year’s Day to worry about it. If you can create a stellar resume yourself, then start doing so now. If you can’t write the kind of document hiring managers want to see, then contact a professional resume writing service without delay.

This year, give yourself and your family the greatest gift of all – your job security and a solid financial future.

One of the hardest concepts for job seekers to understand is that resumes aren’t  geared towards their preferences. Rather, it’s the hiring manager or recruiter you’re trying to impress.

Which means that first you need to know what makes a great resume:

1. A strong opening summary that paints you as the ideal candidate for the position. It should be rich with keywords and contain one, preferably two, recent/relevant/quantified accomplishments. No objectives, please. Objectives are telling the hiring authority what you want. They don’t care about that. They want to know what you can do for their company.

2. Showcased accomplishments. Not a repetition of what you have in the opening summary but more in depth results of your work. The best place to highlight them is below the opening summary in their own section. Don’t bury them within tasks in the professional experience section. And remember to quantify your results with dollar figures and time periods.

3. Professional experience that focuses on results not simply tasks. Hiring managers and recruiters want to know if the action you took made the company money or saved it money.

4. Post high school education or training. If you don’t have a college degree, be certain to include any relevant job related training.

What a resume shouldn’t necessarily include is your preferences, such as:

1. Template choice: If you’ve chosen a template because you like its flair consider what a hiring manager might think. Is the template more for a creative when you’re in a conservative industry? Is the font hard to read? Does it take up too much space on the page making the resume unnecessarily long? All good points to consider. Remember, it’s not your opinion that matters here. It’s what the hiring authority thinks.

2. Is your resume too long? Although you’re proud of your lengthy list of projects, if they have nothing to do with the job you’re targeting, you’re wasting the hiring authority’s time.

3. Are you including information that has nothing to do with the job search? You may want to boast about awards you received in college; however, if you’re at a professional level your work history should speak for itself.

4. Have you put hobbies, interests and the like on your resume? If so, take them off unless they add to your professional expertise. Stating that you like extreme sports may cause a hiring manager to pause and reconsider whether you’re too much of a risk taker for the position.

When you keep in mind that your resume is written for an audience other than you, you’ll be able to hit on the points hiring managers and recruiters most want to see.

1. A federal job search is not like a private sector job search. Let’s say you’re seeking a banking job in the private sector. You tailor your resume toward that industry and send it to all the banking institutions in your area or in other states if you’re agreeable to relocation. A federal resume doesn’t work that way. You can’t write one resume and send it to various agencies (eg: DOD, FDA, FHA, etc.). Every federal job has a vacancy announcement (job position) with a unique number and requirements for it. Therefore, your federal resume will be submitted to one agency or institution only…not all of them.

2. Federal jobs may require additional documentation. These may be KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities), MTQs (Managerial and Technical Qualification Statements), or ECQs (Executive Core Qualifications). These are essay type questions that you must answer indicating how your background meets the requirements of the position.

3. Federal resumes are formatted for the Resumix system. Unlike formatted Word resumes that go to employers in the private sector, a Resumix resume does not have bolding, italics, special fonts, etc. It is unformatted, looking like an ascii or plain text resume (the kind you send in the body of an email). Some federal resumes may be formatted. It depends upon the job and the agency requirements.

4. Federal resumes may be lengthy – more than 10 pages – or they may have a strict word count.

5. They contain information you would never put in a private sector resume. That would include your Social Security Number, supervisor’s name, contact #, high school information, etc.

The above are just some of the major differences between a federal and private sector resume.

Before you begin your federal job search, it’s important to familiarize yourself with these differences. If you fail to follow guidelines, you will not be considered for the position.