This is very brief but will last indefinitely in your mind…



It seems I continually hear this complaint, “They aren’t hiring me because I’m overqualified.” So what should you do if you’re credentialed with good experience and advanced education, are looking to become re-employed and are even willing to take a lower-level position?

Here are a few tips:

Don’t Be Tempted to “Dumb Down!”
This strategy moves your career backward. You typically end up frustrated, not hired or worse — you find a new job you can’t wait to move out of. Most employers today actually want you working at your highest ability level since productivity is key to everyone’s success. They also want to retain you past the many months it takes to train you for the job, so you can begin to make a contribution to the company.

Do Some Soul Searching and Savvy Preparation.
Acknowledge that employers are reluctant to hire a person who is overqualified because they think the person is unlikely to be happy, won’t stay long, might want the interviewer’s job or may expect fast promotion. Remember that you can be threatening to the interviewer, especially if you are truly suited for the interviewer’s job! He may think you aren’t seriously interested in doing the job for which you’re being hired — nor do employers want someone who’s burned out or sees the job as an easy paycheck.

Examine why you want the position. “I need a job!” is not a response that will endear you to him. You must use your communication skills to convince him why a demotion is a good option. You must create a reasonable explanation.

Don’t Show Desperation.
You may feel it, but it will work against your getting hired if you show how frantic you are to get a job. Too often an executive says, “I’ll start at any job just to get my foot in the door.” That won’t work — it’s an outdated strategy. Being willing to take any job often makes the interviewer disqualify you. She needs a competent person to perform the specific job she’s hiring for.

So, you must show not only that you can do it but also that you want to do it. You can offer some advantages, gained from your experience, such as: “My ability to solve problems and train others would be a major plus in the position.” Many employers are slow to hire, yet pay well when they select someone for the position, so patience is essential.

Look Harder for Positions for Which You Are Qualified.
Employers want a good fit and an individual who delivers results. Customize every cover letter you write and tweak your resume to match the opportunity. Be sure to address the major needs required and demonstrate results you’ve achieved in line with the level requested. A former CEO at a smaller company might only be a midlevel executive at a larger organization, so be clear as to how you’re leveraging past experience and leadership to help a potential employer excel.

Networking Is Key to Hearing About and Landing a New Job.
Ask colleagues, friends, former employees, college alumni, and other contacts for referrals to new people who can help you uncover unadvertised positions. An introduction to a senior executive can open new doors and even create a job when no advertised one was available. Department of Labor statistics reveal that 63 percent of all jobs last year were found through contacts, so network, network, NETWORK!

For the long-term unemployed or those workers looking for a change, getting an interview in today’s market may feel like a win in itself. But once you’re in the door, interviewers often put you through an obstacle course of deceptive questions with double meanings or hidden agendas. Do you know how to read the subtext?

“On the other side of the desk, hiring managers spend countless long hours interviewing candidate after candidate,” says Joyce Lain Kennedy, a nationally syndicated careers columnist and author of Job Interviews For Dummies. “A tricky question may be used as a time management tool to quickly eliminate a less qualified candidate.”

Kennedy says that even if job hunters have rehearsed anticipated topics, an unexpected question may jar loose an authentic answer that exposes hidden problems. She outlines the top 10 most common questions designed to trick you.

No. 1: Why have you been out of work so long, and how many others were laid off?

This question may also be followed by the more direct, “Why were you laid off?” Kennedy says it is an attempt to figure out if there’s something wrong with you that your former company or that other potential employers have already discovered. The interviewer may be trying to determine if themes of recession and budget cuts were used to dump second-string employees, including you. Rather than answering the question directly and chancing an emotional response or misinterpretation, Kennedy advises punting. Respond: “I don’t know the reason. I was an excellent employee who gave more than a day’s work for a day’s pay.”

No. 2: If employed, how do you manage time for interviews?

“The real question is whether you are lying to and short-changing your current employer while looking for other work,” says Kennedy. The interviewer may wonder: If you’re cheating on your current boss, why wouldn’t you later cheat on me? She suggests placing the emphasis on why you’re interested in this position by saying you’re taking personal time and that you only interview for positions that are a terrific match. If further interviews are suggested, Kennedy advises mentioning that the search is confidential and asking to schedule follow-ups outside of normal working hours.
No. 3: How did you prepare for this interview?

The intention of this question is to decipher how much you really care about the job or if you’re simply going through the motions or winging it. Kennedy says the best way to answer is by saying, “I very much want this job, and of course researched it starting with the company website.” Beyond explaining how you’ve done your homework, show it. Reveal your knowledge of the industry, company or department by asking informed questions and commenting on recent developments.

No. 4: Do you know anyone who works for us?

This one really is a tricky question, says Kennedy, because most interviewees expect that knowing someone on the inside is always a good thing. “Nothing beats having a friend deliver your resume to a hiring manager, but that transaction presumes the friend is well thought of in the company,” she says. Because the interviewer will likely associate the friend’s characteristics and reputation with your merits, she recommends only mentioning someone by name if you’re certain of their positive standing in the organization.

No. 5: Where would you really like to work?

“The real agenda for this question is assurance that you aren’t applying to every job opening in sight,” says Kennedy. She advises never mentioning another company by name or another job title because you want to highlight all the reasons you’re perfect for this job and that you’ll give it all of your attention if achieved. A good response would be: “This is where I want to work, and this job is what I want to do.”
No. 6: What bugs you about coworkers or bosses?

Don’t fall into this trap. Kennedy says you always want to present yourself as optimistic and action-oriented, and hiring managers may use this question to tease out whether you’ll have trouble working with others or could drag down workplace morale and productivity. “Develop a poor memory for past irritations,” she advises. Reflect for a few seconds, and then say you can’t recall anything in particular. Go on to compliment former bosses for being knowledgeable and fair and commend past coworkers for their ability and attitude. It will reveal your positive outlook and self-control and how you’ll handle the social dynamics in this position.

No. 7: Can you describe how you solved a work or school problem?

Kennedy says that, really, no one should be too taken aback by this, as it’s one of the most basic interview questions and should always be anticipated. However, all too often interviewees either can’t come up with something on the spot or miss the opportunity to highlight their best skills and attributes. Kennedy says what the interviewer really wants is insight into how your mind works. Have an answer ready, like how you solved time management issues in order to take on a special assignment or complicated project, that showcases an achievement.

No. 8: Can you describe a work or school instance in which you messed up?

This one is a minefield. “One question within the question is whether you learn from your mistakes or keep repeating the same errors,” says Kennedy. Similarly, the interviewer may be trying to glean whether you’re too self-important or not self-aware enough to take responsibility for your failings. Perhaps even more problematic, if you answer this question by providing a list of all your negative traits or major misdeeds, then you’re practically spelling out your insecurities and guaranteeing you won’t get the job. So you don’t want to skirt the question or make yourself look bad. “Briefly mention a single small, well-intentioned goof and follow up with an important lesson learned from the experience,” she advises.

No. 9: How does this position compare with others you’re applying for?

“The intent is to gather intel on the competitive job market or get a handle on what it will take to bring you on board,” says Kennedy. There are two directions to take: Coy or calculated. “You can choose a generic strategy and say you don’t interview and tell, and respect the privacy of any organization where you interview,” she notes. Or you could try to make yourself appear in demand by confirming you’ve received another competitive offer, which may up the bidding for your services. Always bring the focus back to this position, by asking: “Have I found my destination here?”

No. 10: If you won the lottery, would you still work?

Admittedly, this one’s a little silly. Even so, it’s another opportunity to underscore your motivation and work ethic. Kennedy advises acknowledging that you’d be thrilled to win the lottery but would still look for meaningful work because meeting challenges and achieving make you happy. And say it with a straight face.

If at any point in an interview you’re uncertain or caught off guard, don’t panic, Kennedy warns. Deflect a question by saying you’d like to mull it over and come back to it, or by being honest that you don’t know the answer and, as a careful worker, would prefer not to guess. “If you’ve otherwise done a good job of answering questions and confidently explained why you’re a great match for the position,” she says, “the interviewer probably won’t consider your lack of specifics on a single topic to be a deal breaker.”

The question can strike fear in even the most confident candidate. Whether your answer is simple or complex, being asked to talk about it puts you on the spot, and it can be tricky to balance the truth while still painting yourself in the best possible light to your hopefully-soon-to-be employer.

But, it doesn’t have to be as painful as you might think.

Aside from wanting to know that you’re not a flake, your interviewer is asking this question to find out why you’re interested in the opening. So, there’s an art to formulating your response that’ll enable you sail through smoothly and come out ahead (even if the circumstances were a bit dicey!). Here’s how to craft an expert answer.

Be Honest
This should go without saying, but you absolutely have to be up front about your reason for leaving, particularly if you were terminated—a prospective employer can (and in many cases, will) call your references or your last supervisor. And if you’ve been let go, don’t panic: It doesn’t mean you’re out of the running. Your best bet is to chalk it up to a learning experience and showcase what you’ve gained from it. People are often able to overlook mistakes if you admit to them and prove that you’ve grown in the process.

Stay Positive
Even if you suffered under the wrath of a Devil Wears Prada-type of supervisor, do not rant about a previous boss or company during an interview. And if you think were laid off unfairly, you still don’t want to paint yourself as a victim. According to corporate recruiter Deborah Osbourn, it’s fine to say the job wasn’t a good fit, but be prepared to give some concrete reasons to back up that statement—for example, you want to work in a more team-oriented environment, or the position didn’t make the best use of your skill set.

Keep it Short
Once you’ve answered the question, there’s no need to keep elaborating. The longer you continue talking, the more likely you are to start opening up about things that aren’t necessary. Yes, your back-stabbing co-workers, the CEO’s anger management problem, and the company’s “creative” reporting practices are all good reasons to leave, but they’re not appropriate to share during an interview.

And if you’re leaving on good terms and are simply looking for a new challenge, that’s all you need to say on the matter. If the interviewer wants more information, she’ll ask you to expand.

Focus on the New Job
The best way to conclude your response is to spin it back to what’s most important—why you are interested in the job you’re interviewing for. “The person interviewing you wants to know that you want that job and will be interested in it for a while,” says Osbourn. “You would be surprised how many people are unable to clearly express their interest in the job.”

Highlight job duties for the new position that spark your interest (“in my last role, I didn’t have much opportunity to collaborate with other departments, so I’m excited about working on cross-functional teams here”). And definitely beware of citing any dislikes from previous jobs that are clearly defined in the job description for this role. Hated cold calling prospects? Be sure that’s not listed as a requirement before spouting off!

Remember, every question you’re asked is a chance to showcase your qualities, personality, and interest in the position. You’ve already passed the initial screen, and the interview is your time to shine. So when asked about your previous job, just keep your answer short, honest, and positive, and you’ll be on to the next question in no time (and hopefully, the job!).

Your resume needs an update — that is, if your resume is like that of most people, it’s not as good as it could be. The problem is language: Most resumes are a thicket of deadwood words and phrases — empty cliches, annoying jargon and recycled buzzwords. Recruiters, HR folks and hiring managers see these terms over and over again, and it makes them sad. 

Wouldn’t you rather make them happy? It’s time to start raking out your resume, starting with these (and similar) terms.

1. “Salary negotiable”

Yes, they know. If you’re wasting a precious line of your resume on this term, it looks as though you’re padding — that you’ve run out of things to talk about. If your salary is not negotiable, that would be somewhat unusual. (Still, don’t put that on your resume either.)

2. “References available by request”

See the preceding comment about unnecessary terms.

3. “Responsible for ______”

Reading this term, the recruiter can almost picture the C-average, uninspired employee mechanically fulfilling his job requirements — no more, no less. Having been responsible for something isn’t something you did — it’s something that happened to you. Turn phrases like “responsible for” into “managed,” “led” or other decisive, strong verbs.

4. “Experience working in ______”

Again, experience is something that happens to you — not something you achieve. Describe your background in terms of achievements.

5. “Problem-solving skills”

You know who else has problem-solving skills? Monkeys. Dogs. On your resume, stick to skills that require a human.

6. “Detail-oriented”

So, you pay attention to details. Well, so does everyone else. Don’t you have something unique to tell the hiring manager? Plus, putting this on your resume will make that accidental typo in your cover letter or resume all the more comical.

7. “Hardworking”

Have you ever heard the term “show — don’t tell”? This is where that might apply. Anyone can call himself a hard worker. It’s a lot more convincing if you describe situations in concrete detail in which your hard work benefited an employer.

8. “Team player”

See the preceding comment about showing instead of telling. There are very few jobs that don’t involve working with someone else. If you have relevant success stories about collaboration, put them on your resume. Talk about the kinds of teams you worked on, and how you succeeded.

9. “Proactive”

This is a completely deflated buzzword. Again, show rather than tell.

10. “Objective”

This term isn’t always verboten, but you should use it carefully. If your objective is to get the job you’ve applied for, there’s no need to spell that out on your resume with its own heading. A resume objective is usually better replaced by a career summary describing your background, achievements and what you have to offer an employer. An exception might be if you haven’t applied for a specific job and don’t have a lot of experience that speaks to the position you’d like to achieve.

#1.   What type of company do you work for if you have to resign before they give you fair market value for your skills.

#2.   Where is the money for the counter offer coming from?  Is it your next raise early?  (All companies have strict wage and salary guidelines which must be followed).

#3.   Your company will start looking for a new person at a lower salary price, immediately.  The wheels are in motion to replace you, ASAP.

#4.   You have now made your employer aware that you are unhappy.  From this day on, your loyalty will always be in question.

#5.   When promotion time comes around, your employer will remember who was loyal, and who wasn’t.

#6.   When times get tough, your employer will begin the cutback with you.

#7.   The same circumstances that now cause you to consider a change will repeat themselves in the future, even if you accept a counter offer.

#8.   Statistics show that if you accept a counter offer, the probability of voluntarily leaving in six months or being let go within one year is extremely high.  National statistics indicate that 89% accepting counter offers are gone in 6 months.

#9.   Accepting a counter offer is an insult to your intelligence and a blow to your personal pride, because you know that you were bought.

#10.  Once the word gets out, the relationship that you now enjoy with your co-workers will never be the same.  You will lose peer group acceptance, and forever be that defector who was brought back!

It’s counterintuitive, but counter-offers are almost always counterproductive for your career. I’m not talking about the give-and-take involved in a salary negotiation.  I mean the kind of counter-offer you might get when you announce you’re resigning to take another job. Sure, it’s an ego boost, but a backhanded one, when you think about it.  If you were so valuable all along, how come you had to quit to get your employer to recognize it?

That must be the case because they’ve made you a counter-offer.  It looks like you’re in the driver’s seat now. But you’re not.  You just think you are.

Trade Marketing Analyst, NJ

Trade Marketing, NJ �
Trade Marketing Manager, Northern Cal.

Key Account Manager Delhaize, Ma. Looking for 3-5 years and willing to relo for career progression
Key Account Manager, Walgreens, Chicago “”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"
Key Account Manager, Target
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Market Research Manager- Market Analytics, NJ  Manage relationships and initiatives wit IRI, Nielsen. Must be able to hold their ground internally with senior sales and marketing team in providing rationale in the strategy they are looking to deploy . No direct reports but works with RB analyst and sales and marketing functions. Comp $110-$120’s + 15% Bonus (max 30%).

Customer Category Manager, Walmart  -
Customer Category Manager Drug, NJ
Customer Category Manager Target, MN 

Brand Manager- South Carolina

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Could you have resume-itis?

Resume-itis is “a mental condition where the job seeker assumes that all problems with their job search can easily be solved by changing a few words on their resume,” says Patricia Phillips, executive director of career management at the University of Rochester’s Simon Graduate School of Business.

Pennsylvania career consultant Ford Myers calls it something else: analysis paralysis. That’s a seemingly endless stream of resume feedback from well-intentioned friends, relatives and colleagues who provide opinions but rarely offer any expertise.

Fortunately, there is a quick, two-step cure for resume-itis/analysis paralysis: Limit the number of people critiquing your resume, and be smart about the people you choose. Here’s how to do both.

Quality Beats Quantity

Stetson University business communication professor Katharine Hansen helps many students and alums with their resumes. But perhaps none stands out more — for the wrong reasons — than the young grad who took analysis paralysis to new heights.

“It is not too much of an exaggeration to say that he brought me his resume 100 times for review,” says Hansen, author of several career-related books, including A Foot in the Door.

Turns out he was getting resume critiques from other professors at the same time, Hansen says. So the student would end up changing things Hansen had already fixed on another critiquer’s advice and then would bring his resume back to Hansen, who would once again point out trouble spots she’d addressed previously — or so she thought. “It was definitely counterproductive,” Hansen says.

Solution? Limit both the number of people critiquing your resume and the number of times they critique it, says Carly Drum, managing director of New York City executive search firm Drum Associates.

“I recommend having one individual who understands what you do critique the accomplishments and achievements you list on your resume,” Drum says. “From a knowledge standpoint, have this person critique whether the information flows and/or describes accurately what you do and the level that you are at.”

Then you can have your resume evaluated by someone who doesn’t really understand you or your skills but still has plenty of corporate experience. “He or she can look at your resume to see if it shows what you do and what type of position you’re looking for,” Drum says.

Seek True Expertise

One of the inherent problems in asking people to critique your resume is that all of them believe they’re qualified to do so. “Seemingly, it’s one of those ‘guy things’ — all men seem to think they know how to a) start a charcoal fire, b) score inside the 10 and c) write a resume,” says organizational psychologist Jim Hazen, president of Pennsylvania-based Applied Behavioral Insights.

Not true — on all counts. So when you want to have your resume critiqued, find someone, preferably in your chosen field, who knows what he’s talking about.

“A critique by an industry expert helps, especially if your skills fit into several categories,” says Carol Vellucci, assistant to the president for communications at Towson University and former director of the school’s career center.

For example, if you’re looking for a job as an advertising agency traffic manager, try to have your resume reviewed by someone in that role, Vellucci says.

Once you’ve had your resume evaluated by two or three knowledgeable people, it’s time to start sending it out to the critiquers who matter most: prospective employers.

“Ask a trusted source to critique your resume, then get going on your job search,” advises human resources consultant Roberta Chinsky Matuson, president of Massachusetts-based Human Resource Solutions and a former Monster contributor. “It’s about results, not perfection.”

Beef up your résumé.
Write a résumé with strong language that emphasizes results. Replace hackneyed expressions like “strong team player” and “possess organizational skills” with strong, active verbs that demonstrate results. Whenever possible, use numbers to indicate performance. Instead of saying “Managed a team of three” say “Managed a team of three employees who interacted with clients and had a 100% client retention rate over two years.”

Include keywords related to your skill set and background, since many big companies use computers to screen résumés for phrases like “analyst” or “financial modeling.” Have a friend double-check your résumé for spelling and grammatical errors, and always be honest. “You cannot succeed in this competitive market if your résumé isn’t 100% accurate,” says Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio, a career coach and former chief operating officer for Merrill Lynch Campus Recruiting.

Write a killer cover letter.
Write a one-page cover letter that makes a compelling case for why you should be hired. It shouldn’t be a regurgitation of your résumé. The introductory paragraph should state the position you’re applying for. The middle few paragraphs should highlight the critical three elements of the job description, explaining why you’re a good fit for the job. Use the hirer’s language. If the job ad says the candidate needs 10 years of experience using communication skills, describe how your communication skills brought in new business at a previous job.

Focus your job search.
Make a list of the companies where you’d most like to work, and use your personal network and sites like LinkedIn to find connections at each one.

Be smart about social media.
First, make sure that your online reputation is clean. Either set your Facebook settings so prospective employers can’t see your updates and photos, or choose to post information that presents you in a positive, professional light. Post your résumé and a good photo on LinkedIn.

Start a Twitter account that you use professionally, and follow human resources people at companies that interest you. Retweet what they write when it’s good, and comment on any interesting posts. After a few weeks of following them, send them a message directly, saying, “I’d love to talk about your company. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to work, and I’d love to hear about your experience there,” suggests Dan Schawbel, author Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success.

Ace your interview.
Learn as much as you can about the company and the position before you go in for an interview. Always prepare at least three smart questions in advance. In the actual interview, don’t be afraid to look eager. Be enthusiastic, and convince the hiring manager that you truly want the job. Don’t boast, but boldly state your accomplishments, and tell stories that illustrate your best qualities. Never badmouth a former boss, co-worker or company. Try to mirror the interviewer’s tone; if he or she is casual and friendly, try to loosen up.

Be prepared for common questions like “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” The key to answering the weakness part–and you should always have an answer–is to spin it in a positive light. You might say, “I’m not the strongest analytically, but I’ve been working on that, and when I put together a report, I always have someone check it.” “The interviewer wants to know that you’re self-aware and mature enough to talk about your weaknesses,” says Thanasoulis-Cerrachio. “You have to know how to describe a weakness the right way.”

Stay in the game.
Use the time between jobs to keep existing skills fresh and develop new ones. If you have the resources, take a class in a topic that’s relevant to your field. Volunteer or find freelance work through your network or on Craigslist. “The worst thing to do is go into an interview, and when they ask what you’ve been doing, you stare at them with a blank face,” says Schawbel.

Network, network, network.
Develop your network, and don’t be shy about broadcasting your job search. Ask your friends and contacts who they know and whether they can make introductions for you. Spin your situation in a positive light by telling people you’re excited to have new opportunities. Prepare a 15- to 30-second “elevator pitch” that summarizes your job experience and ambitions, and that you can use in social situations, like an alumni cocktail hour.