Career Coach
CareerBoard’s Career Coach, Janice Worthington, answers your job search questions.
- Q: How many times should you follow up with the hiring manager after an interview when the hiring manager states he or she will let you know "either way" and you never hear back?
- A: Once! If you have held a strong interview and send a compelling thank you note the employer will remember you. You never know what has happened to interrupt the hiring process. People could be on vacation and decisions are postponed. If an employer wants to hire you he/she will. If you're not the chosen, no amount of follow-up will change this. You don't want to be seen as a stalker.. Keep your business cool and move on!
- Q: The question I have is that when employers say that they are now hiring and you interview with them, proceed to take all required test and travel to different places where they want you to go, and then tell you that you are over qualified for the position. Why does this happen when you get your hopes up that you are going to have a great job and never get it.
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- Q: Is it okay to ask a recruiter why my qualifications weren't a good match to their job opening when they have sent me a rejection letter? I ask them because it would be helpful information to me in pursuing other opportunities, but usually they are offended or do not respond at all.
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- Q: If a company asks me to send a resume and salary history, what should I do? I am afraid of possibly being rejected because they think I may expect too much, or the recruiter may offer me less than I deserve.
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- Q: Is it okay to have an objective/ summary on my resume? Some people are saying that recruiters think they are unnecessary and they all sound the same.
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- Q: I was employed with my last company for 6 months and then fired, for a reason that was out of my hands. This position gave me great experience, but because I was fired, I’m unsure whether or not I should include this on my resume. What is your advice?
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- Q: With companies increasingly using searchable databases of resumes to find potential matches of new employees using keyword searches, I have found that the recruiters increasing know LESS about how to evaluate a prospect’s skills and experiences. For example, companies that ask for a desired salary from the applicant without describing responsibilities, benefits or working conditions first are usually immediately viewed with diminished stature. Do you have any suggestions in methods of bypassing this layer in a company?
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- Q: When an employer requests a salary history of you, how much time or past positions should be included? I'm never really sure. Is the last position's salary enough to satisfy this request or are they looking for a pattern?
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- Q: Should I have a functional resume or one that categorizes my jobs since they were short-term positions? For example:
- Administrative
- Call Center
- Customer Service
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- Q: What would you suggest in completing an effective, and eye - catching cover letter? Or, are they even necessary?
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- Q: I'm an older job seeker and have not really given into the Social Networking frenzy, but I recently heard that some people have been able to find jobs through these sites. If this is true, which sites would you recommend for me to build a profile on and what tips can you offer?
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