Inspiration from Mr. Jim Rohn… Feel free to comment below

In most job-filling situations, the employer has the luxury of choosing from several well-qualified applicants, all of whom could probably do the job. That’s when the little things, like the common but often unrecognized mistakes described here, almost always come into play. Make sure you avoid them, so they don’t cost you a shot at the job.
1. Using a Cutesy Email Address for Correspondence

Example: cutiepie@domain.com, or — far worse — something like sexkitten@domain.com.

You Might Think: It’s a clever, memorable email address everyone will get a kick out of.

The Employer Will Probably Think: I can’t believe someone would actually list this email address on her resume, let alone use it to correspond with me. Will she do the same thing on the job if I hire her? Yikes!
2. Putting a Silly Message on Your Answering Machine

Example: A is for academics, B is for beer — and one of those reasons is why we’re not here. So leave a message, OK?

You Might Think: Mine is the funniest answering machine message this side of the Mississippi. My friends will love it.

The Employer Will Probably Think: Good lord, this person probably lives in Animal House. And I just can’t risk interviewing, let alone hiring, someone like Bluto or Flounder. Sorry, Charlie. Click.
3. Sending Your Resume and Cover Letter Without Proofreading

You Might Think: Everybody makes mistakes, even employers. So if there’s a mistake or two on my resume, no big deal. The employer probably won’t even notice, much less care.

The Employer Will Probably Think: Everybody makes mistakes, even employers. But making more than one minor mistake on a resume or in a cover letter is unacceptable, and often, even one is too many. How do I know this person will proofread the letters he writes to shareholders? What if he someday leaves a zero or two off one of our financial statements? I better put this resume aside and look for someone who’s more accurate and thorough.
4. Winging Your Interviews Instead of Preparing Thoroughly

You Might Think: I’m good at thinking on my feet, and if I get stuck, I’ll just BS my way through. Besides, they can’t expect me to know everything about the company.

The Employer Will Probably Think: This person clearly knows nothing about the company, nor has she made any effort to learn more about us and what we do. She must not really care whether or not she gets the job. I want someone who cares. Oh well, maybe the next person will be better.
5. Failing to Send Thank-You Notes After Interviews

You Might Think: A thank-you note? You’re kidding, right? Do people even do that sort of thing anymore?

The Employer Will Probably Think: This person has no follow-up skills, not to mention common courtesy. He could have at least dropped me a quick email note, like this other person did. I think I’ll invite this candidate for the second round of interviews instead. The other guy must not really want the position.

Anyone on the hunt for a new job has devoted time and attention to freshening up their resume, right? Do you realize there is another resume being updated pretty much every day by those who have a busy online life? I’m talking about our virtual footprint — the traceable trail of our comings and goings on the Internet.

Every post on a forum, every comment on a blog, every photo on Flickr, every post on our personal websites, every tweet on Twitter and every other social network we participate on — they become part of a permanent record.

Blogs and websites that have long been deleted from the web can still be accessed via the massive cache of web history anyone can browse at Archive.org. Even emails and instant messages we expect to be kept private can end up being aired in public in wrong circumstances.

Think about how things have changed. The chances that anyone I meet today has any clue of who I was and how I behaved in high school is very slim. But today’s graduates have been living life out loud and in print and on video via social networks since they were early tweens. When I read MySpace profiles of some of my son’s friends, I have to wonder what a potential employer will think of their web history of social antics, drunken videos and admissions of drug use.

Even those who should be old enough to know better are indiscreet on the web. I’ve seen everything from a record of the number of times they were late for work to discussions about office romances gone bad. What entertains online friends won’t impress the human resources manager handling your next interview.

As an entrepreneur, I don’t worry much about getting hired anytime in the future but that doesn’t mean I can forget about the importance of managing my online reputation. Who knows what could influence future partnerships? I would hate to see a past virtual gaffe ruin my chances for an advantageous association.

Think about all the things you talk about every day online. Have you complained about your boss? Gossiped about a co-worker? Have you admitted to cheating on an exam or padding an invoice? I see all of these discussions on a regular basis.

I’ll admit that I’ve made several business decisions based on my observances of social networking behavior. I don’t recommend a business coach that regularly asks questions any respectable business coach should already know the answer to, and I don’t hire a virtual service provider who bad mouths existing clients and complains about being overworked.

You certainly wouldn’t partner with someone who brags about expensive vacations in one breath and admits to being on the verge of bankruptcy in the next. These personal utterances reveal a lack of financial stability and certainly don’t inspire trust.

As we embrace a virtual lifestyle, it becomes difficult to separate the professional world from our personal life, and that is something we all need to be mindful of. Everything we do online can be reviewed and judged. You may not care what others think of you now but that can change a decade or two from now.

Do your future self a favor and think twice before you type.

During this economic meltdown, when it seems like everyone is looking for work, landing an office job can seem like an impossible task. But don’t let the competition intimidate you. Instead, step up your game — and your chances of landing that job — with these four tips you can do from home.
1. Clean Up Your Resume

Start by putting yourself in the employer’s shoes. Would you hire yourself based on your resume? To stand out from the crowd, highlight your strengths and show employers how you helped the companies you have worked for. Use statistics and percentages such as, “Helped increase quarterly revenue by 35%.” This will show employers the value you can bring to their company.

Use your unemployment time to your benefit by highlighting specific accomplishments while unemployed. For example, if applying to a green organization, discuss your participation in green projects during your time of unemployment and how this has benefited the cause.

A good cover letter increases the odds the employer will take your application seriously. Customize your cover letter for every company, pointing out why you best suit the position and how your skills and experience will help the company prosper.

Follow up on every application with a phone call. When submitting your resume, calendar a follow-up call date to show the company your dedication and how much this job means to you.
2. Do Your Research

Before applying for any job, familiarize yourself with the company so there are no surprises. Find out who works in the department you are targeting and use a social network to befriend the individual. Recognize their work and express interest in what they do. Creating relationships will take you a long way.

If a company you are interested in is not hiring, learn more about their objectives and explain in your cover letter how you can help meet their goals. When an employer sees passion and drive, they may create a position for you if they feel you will benefit the company.
3. Social Networks Are Your New Best Friend

This is especially true in today’s fast-forward web 2.0 world. Utilize social networks tailored toward careers. Websites such as LinkedIn enable you to search for local jobs and get to know more about a company. You can also post your resume on your profile and get introduced to potential employers through friends. Getting to know your competitors can be helpful as well.

Sites like Flexjobs enable you to receive alerts when specific jobs are posted. Getting updated on a daily basis provides access to the latest opportunities, increasing your chances of securing a position. Create an account on Facebook and inform your friends that you are looking for a new job. This will help get the word out that you are available, and word of mouth is key.
4. Get and Stay Organized

To get on top of your game, get organized! Whenever you send out an email or any message regarding your employment on a social network, write it down. If you make a phone call or meet someone in person (even if you accidentally bump into them), keep track of it. Use an excel spreadsheet to remember the date, person, and detailed reason for your inquiry. Store their information in your contact book so you can follow up with them in the future.

Combining these tips will streamline your job search and increase your chances of catching an employer’s attention. Remember, this is your chance to shine. So get organized, get out there, and show them why they should hire you!

You stroll into the job interview, feeling pretty confident. You’re got the qualifications the employer is looking for, and believe you really connected with the hiring manager. When you leave, you expect to be getting a call soon. You feel you’ve got this job in the bag.

But after you leave, something happens. The executive asks the administrative assistant, or secretary, to step into the office.

“So,” says the executive who interviewed you. “What do you think of the interviewee who just left?”

“Well,” says the secretary, “I don’t know what that person’s qualifications are, but I can tell you he was rude to me and looked everyone up and down who came in the door like he was already running the show here. And to top it off, I saw him swipe one of our magazines off the coffee table and stick it in his briefcase.”

At this point, your star just fell from the sky. Because for many hiring managers, your evaluation started the minute you walked in the building. That office tour you were given? It was more than a chance for you to admire the copy machine and the break room – it was also an opportunity for others to look you over.

Remember: Hiring decisions are so critical these days that many companies rely on input from a variety of people – including employees of all ranks – when making a decision. So, when you go on a job interview, here are some ways to make sure you get off on the right foot with everyone:

1. Ask a current employee to find out for you the name of the human-resources person you should connect with.Make eye contact with everyone you see upon entering the building. One manager told me the first thing she does when a job candidate leaves is consult the receptionist on how the person treated her. Was the candidate “demanding” to see the boss, or behaving in some other way that wasn’t pleasant? Managers are going to be looking to see if you have a sudden personality shift when you go from meeting administrative staff to executive staff.

2. Smile. Don’t beam a 500-watt fake grin constantly, but greet others with a friendly smile, and try to relax so it doesn’t look forced.

3. Dress appropriately. While casual dress is common in many workplaces, always follow the old rules of dress when applying for a job. Men should wear a suit and tie with shined shoes, and neatly combed hair. Women should wear nice dresses or suits, with shined shoes and neat hair. Don’t wear anything that will distract others from what you are saying. First impressions are critical when meeting potential new co-workers.

4. Be prepared. Do your homework about the company, but also be ready to converse with everyone from the administrative staff to other managers. If you’re at a loss, you can always ask the person to explain his or her job and what they do day-to-day. Be prepared to discuss industry trends. If they want to know if you have questions, be prepared to ask some. That shows your interest.

Finally, remember that you should not ask employees you meet about benefits, days off, and if the company offers memberships to health clubs. You don’t want to come off as focused only on your own wants and needs – use the time to ask questions about their jobs.