Resume Tip: 5 Ways To Prevent Emailed Resumes From Getting Blocked as Spam

Get your resume to their inbox

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If you’re looking for work and creating a resume, you should not only carefully review the resume, but also consider some tactics to make sure your emailed resume isn’t getting lost in employers’ spam email filters.



If you’re on the hiring side of the desk, check for the same problem, which may be be preventing you from seeing the resumes of highly qualified candidates.



When this post was originally written in October 2004, the Wall Street Journal had just reported on this problem of the growing use of spam filtering technology and its potential interference with emailed resumes (excerpted here).



Spam-filtering technology has improved since then, while spammers have changed methods, so we’ve expanded, updated, and republished this post to help today’s jobseekers with the following resume tips.



1. When Creating a Resume, Avoid Problematic, “Spammy” Words.



According to this WSJ article, some good resumes are filtered out as spam due to the use of specific “bad” words common in spam:



The mere presence of words such as “free,” “expand,” “trial,” “mortgage,” or exclamation points or colored backgrounds — all of which might be used by resume writers as well as spammers — could trigger some filters.



The WSJ told the story of an applicant who had received his MBA degree magna cum laude. Who wouldn’t want to list that honor in their resume?

However, spam filters have a little problem with the word “cum,” because of its less honorable meaning, as this applicant learned when a company informed him that his resume had been deleted from its system because it contained an “obscenity.”



He fixed the problem: His resume now says he graduated with “high honors.”



Similarly, while creating a resume to be emailed, think about the words you use and whether you commonly see them in the spam you receive. Those “spammy” words may relate to:



◦ Types of products and services commonly marketed through spam (be careful if you’ve brokered mortgages or sold pharamaceuticals!).

◦ Sales pitch adjectives like “free” or “best.”



◦ Dollar amounts. It may be important to include on your resume how much your average sales were, how much you increased revenues, etc., but beware: dollar amounts are common to spam, either in prices or as part of the sales pitch (such as “make over $10,000 a month with Google”).



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SWAG: The World is ending and that's unfair!

www.earthtimes.org

Every Wednesday afternoon, I gather with a bunch of faculty and graduate students at the University of Illinois to discuss a journal article about social psychology, and to eat a snack. This blog post reflects the discussion we had during this week's seminar, affectionately called Social Wednesdays and Grub (SWAG).

Ever watch a video like this one? I imagine that for different people it activates very different emotions. For some, this sort of video might galvanize people, strengthening resolve for reducing their carbon footprint. For others, however, it might be a very threatening video to watch, a video that could potentially challenge some of your deeply held assumptions about the world being a fair and safe place.

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6 Annoying Habits in the Workplace

Avoid them now before it’s too late!

It’s a known fact that we spend more time at work than anywhere else, so as a result it becomes inevitable that your coworkers will sometimes get on your nerves. In fact, it is very possible that you are a source of annoyance yourself! Although we sometimes find it hard to own up to having weird quirks or annoying habits, when it comes to the workplace, it’s really important that we try to leave our annoying habits at home. While your coworkers try to be tolerant of others’ behaviors most of the time, there are a number of common annoying habits which will irritate even the most pleasant colleague!

Criticizing People 

Criticism at work can be a huge confidence shaker, and if you’re not cautious with your words it can affect your relationships with your coworkers. Learning how to give criticism in a controlled manner will increase the chance that it will be heard and acted upon. Whenever you feel the need to criticize a coworker's behavior, always provide a solution. Constructive criticism involves pointing out the weak spot while offering a solution to correct it. In both our private and professional lives, the ability to effectively deal with people is crucial to the building of our success, so make sure that your coworkers know that your constructive criticism is done because you care about them.

Claiming Credit you Don’t Deserve

One of the most annoying habits that you can do at work is to always try to personally attribute the credit for the achievement to yourself even if you weren’t responsible for it. This will not only add insult to the injury of your coworkers, but will shake your image as a credible and honest person. Get in the habit of giving others the credit and recognition they deserve as this will boost the moral of your coworkers and will position you as a fair team player.

Withholding Information

One of the most harmful and destructive mistakes that you can do at work is withholding vital information. Whenever managers or coworkers refuse to share public, timely and vital information that others have a right to know, irreversible harm is done to a company. This selfish, immature behavior impacts morale, credibility and affects creativity and teamwork. While it is true that knowledge is power, the reality is only knowledge shared and put to work is power. Knowledge sharing is definitely crucial to help you, your coworkers and your company in meeting your objectives. Practice it within your scope of influence and encourage others to do the same.

Coming to Work When Sick

You might think that coming in to work even when you’re down with the flu shows dedication and commitment, when in fact, it’s absolutely irritating. No one wants to sit next to someone who is constantly sniffling, sneezing and coughing their germs all over the office. The truth is the office will not come to a total chaos if you miss a couple of days of work. However, if you really had to go to work make sure you don't spread illnesses around your office; avoid close contact with your fellow workers, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue everytime you cough or sneeze, clean your hands regularly and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Borrowing Things without Permission

Borrowing stuff without asking or borrowing without the intention of returning is what we call stealing! Doing so will not only cause your coworkers to avoid dealing with you, but will also shake their trust in you as a person. Whenever you borrow a personal item, make sure that you return it promptly and in a good condition to avoid any annoyance or resentment that may occur. Keep in mind that any borrowing that occurs between coworkers can jeopardize your relationship no matter how small the item of interest is.

Disrespecting Coworkers’ Privacy

We are most likely to work in a cubicle or an open area so it is sometimes inevitable to invade coworkers’ privacy without intending to. For example, we sometimes overhear parts of conversations others are having. The worst thing that you can do in such cases is to decide to join the conversation with the intention of saving the day or to provide valuable insight. It is important that we respect other people’s privacy if we want ours to be respected as failing to do so is not only considered bad manners but could cost you your coworker’s friendship.

Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into but hard to get out of. It goes without saying that you should avoid the habits outlined above. Keep in mind that office environments typically require us to work in fairly close quarters, so a little consideration and cooperation can make life at work a lot easier. Concentrate on getting your work done and treating everyone as your equal, you will find that you are treated with more respect by others at work.

7 Reasons Employers Will Hire You

Job hunting pointers to keep in mind

Reprinted with permission from theundercoverrecruiter.com.



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To secure that dream job, you have to think like the person making the final decision. What is going through the manager's head when they select candidates? This is a list containing the 7 most common reasons people get hired. Use it wisely now and do let me know if you have any questions on any of the reasons.



1. A great resume



Sometimes an average candidate can be hired thanks to a brilliant resume. Your resume is your first impression and you only get one shot at this. Pick a template relevant to your industry, look at other people’s resumes, have them look at yours, get help from experts etc before you send anything out. Remember that your resume has to be updated consistently and it is a living document.



2. Your online personal brand



Personal branding is my personal favorite. Social media and networking has quickly become the preferred method of communication, and you will be found online by your potential new employer. By tailoring what information is available, you can turn social media into a positive when looking for a new job. Make sure your public profiles are employee friendly and up to date.

Establish yourself as an authority online by either starting a blog, moderating a forum or jut being active in a Linkedin group for instance. Get recommendations on your prolife and these will serve as the old school resume references. Social media and online branding will take you a fair bit of time and effort but you don’t really have a choice so my best advice is to embrace it.



3. The right skills and experience



In this economy, you will struggle to find someone willing to hire a candidate that needs training. Think about it, would you want somebody shadowing your work and asking questions for the first 6 months? Or would you want somebody that knows the score and gets busy contributing to your targets from day one? Having the right skills and experience is more important than ever and unfortunately not something you can work on overnight.



4. Staying power with the business



This is crucial as employers want people that stay in their company and work their way up the corporate ladder. This makes them useful (and useful means hard working). Employers will look for people who have multi-dimensional personalities, meaning they can work in different departments, projects or even locations one day. Your longevity with the business and personal characteristics will be the deciding factors here.



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Top 10 Hardest Interview Questions

Tricky interview questions to prepare for

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A job interview is no easy task. In fact many job seekers have trouble with the same set of questions. To ease the process of interviewing, we've listed the Top 10 Hardest Job Interview Questions. Focus on these job interview questions, study them, learn them, research them, and ace your next job interview!



1. Why did you get fired/ terminated? - This question is tricky yet needs to be answered with full honesty. The interviewer would want to hear your honesty and your side of the story. Support your answer with a very good explanation. In case you get fired due to legal issues, explain that you were currently working on it and that it does not have anything to do with your performance. Your explanation in your answer is very important; it should be direct and should not contain intersections.



2. Tell me about problems you encountered with Supervisors- Another tricky question that will test how you worked with your superiors. I suggest not to be too honest in answering this question. For example, common observations such as being bossy, opinionated, authoritarian, or being a keen observer are the common traits of a Supervisor that are incorrectly used. Instead, cite a personal experience that you had encounter with a supervisor so that the interviewer would understand why it became your problem.



3. What Qualities do you look for in a boss? - Do not answer with the most common traits that a boss should possess like "being nice to employees" or a good leader. You should relate your answer with your work. For example “My ideal boss is someone who can make time to hear employees' opinions or ideas, and a boss who cares to listen and give fair his/her opinion with my work.”



4. As a professional, do you have any disappointments? - Cite the experience that really disappoints you, as you relay the story behind it make sure that you state something that you have learned after.



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What Employers Are Looking for in a Recent Graduate

Showing employers your potential as a job candidate

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If you were an employer, what kind of people would you want to hire? Well, the perfect candidate of course! He or she would meet every aspect of the job description. Employers know, of course, that this isn’t realistic. People who have years of experience may either require a salary too high, may not have knowledge of the newest technologies, or may not possess a preferred business perspective. Reverse this and employers find that recent graduates don’t have important years of experience, professional knowledge, or highly developed skills. Employers realize they have to compromise and they usually expect to hire the person who best fits their needs with the intention of continuing to educate and mold them into the worker they desire. As a recent college graduate, you need to show employers that you’re providing them enough quality clay to work with to create that perfect mold.



Five Things Employers Desire from New College Graduates



Whether you’re on an IT job search or looking for jobs in healthcare, today’s employers want highly-skilled candidates. This is why your education (and how you enhance your education) is so important. The job market is currently flooded with experienced professionals and that is a challenge to new graduates with short resumes. So, why hire you?



• Today’s college students will often have a desired “global perspective.” As the business world changes, companies are increasingly working on an international level. This is especially true in financial jobs and careers in telecommunications. Therefore, studying abroad may be a wonderful resume booster. In addition, being bilingual is valued in many fields, especially healthcare. Showing your multi-cultural learning and experience is a bonus on any resume, at the very least it often allows for interesting conversational opportunities during interviews, making you more memorable as a candidate.



• Candidates with the newest technical knowledge are sought by employers. One of the positive acknowledgements made by people who have covered the topic of “millenials in the workplace” (Generation Y) is that today’s young employees have grown up with the latest technology at their fingertips and they often have a quicker grasp of new technologies than older candidates. Use this to your advantage. These skills are important to your resume, so be sure to highlight them. Research the field you intend to go into and see what technologies they are use and the skills they value. Take the right courses to meet these needs and if necessary find a means to fill any gaps your college education leaves.



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New Year’s Resolutions: Are You Suffering From Decision and Willpower Fatigue?

Today's guest post comes from Sarah Roberts, Ph.D. candidate in Psychology at the University of Quebec in Montreal and blogger at Psychobabble for Normal People. 

Why is it that at the beginning of January, we’re able to keep our New Year’s Resolutions—hitting the gym regularly, drinking less alcohol, wasting fewer hours on Facebook, following a budget or a diet—but our willpower wears off as the month wears on? Similarly, how come at 9am, 10am, and 1pm, we easily walk by a tantalizing plate of brownies someone left in the lunchroom at work—but at 4pm, we give in and eat six? 

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10 Words To NEVER Use On Your Resume

Make your resume flawless

This article was reprinted with permission from http://resumeguru.us .

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Here are 10 of the most overused, uber-cliché words you could ever use on a resume, cover letter or job application. Here’s why:



1) Ambitious: “If it were so, it was a grievous fault; and grievously hath Caesar answer’d it.” Ambition may be a wonderful thing for your career, but no one wants to hire someone who’s going to try to replace them or leave as soon as he gets a bit of training at the company’s expense.



2) Competent: If that’s the best you can say about your work performance maybe you ought to consider a new line of work, perhaps the Post Office. When the chips are down we want people who are awesome. Don’t tell us you’re competent, show us you’re amazing.



3) Creative: The last thing we need is more creative accountants. You’re trying to demonstrate business value. Creativity is neither measurable nor reliable. It can sometimes be turned into profit. In that case tell us how you did it and how much it was worth. Let us determine for ourselves how creative you are.





4) Efficient: So was Jack the Ripper. What we really want to know is how you’re efficiency is going to make us money.



5) Flexible: What are you, a contortionist? If by this you mean that you’re able to take on a number of different tasks then show us a range of what you can do. Better yet, show us the range of results you can get. If you mean that you can put your foot behind your head then show us that too, you’ll definitely get remembered.



6) Hard-working: We could say the same of a prisoner on a chain-gang. What an employer is looking for is results. If you achieve them by hard work or occasional bursts of brilliance doesn’t matter a whole lot. Merely working hard isn’t enough. For all we know you tend to do it at cross-purposes.



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The Art of Networking for College Grads

How to really network for a job

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Start out with a Positive Attitude - Walk through the door with confidence, having decided in advance that you will meet three new contacts and reconnect with established clients rather than spending most of the time talking with those you already know or just left at the office a few hours prior.



Snack before you arrive – The primary goal of any networking event is to make contacts and build relationships. While you certainly may partake from the buffet table, it is not your main focus. A networking event poses a valuable opportunity when searching for job leads.



Nametags Are Useful - Typically, the nametag is worn on the right side, below the shoulder. However, some companies prefer the nametag be worn on the left side if the company logo is embroidered on the right. At a networking event where you are not an “employee”, place your nametag on your right to follow the other person’s line of sight when shaking hands.



Stand-Up - Rising to greet someone shows respect for the person whom you are meeting or greeting. Both women and men must stand for a corporate introduction.



Introduce Yourself - Clearly state your first and last name as you extend your hand for a handshake. If you would prefer a shortened version of your name such as “Bob” or “Jim”, let the other person know by saying “Hello, my name is Robert Jones but I go by Bob”. Be cautious not to use a nickname that might appear juvenile such as “Skippy” or “LaLa”. Instead, choose “Melissa” over “Missy” and “John” over “Johnny” at a networking event.



Don’t Assume You May Give Another Person a Nickname - Some use this technique to appear cordial or familiar, but it is a dangerous assumption. Err on the side of caution and use an honorific until you are asked to do otherwise.



Introducing Another Person - A client takes precedence over a member of your own company, including the CEO. When making an introduction, always mention the client’s name first.



Forgetting Names - It is not uncommon to forget a person’s name, especially someone you have recently met. If you forget a person’s name, do not hesitate to be honest and say, “I’m sorry, I have just gone blank. Would you please remind me of your name?”



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13 LinkedIn Mistakes You Should Avoid

Which job interviewer are you facing?

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LinkedIn, the socially connected professional network, has made numerous changes over the past few months to become more than a job resource. The changes have made it a viable tool for people to connect, discuss, get answers to questions as well as connect with people that they just may be working with in the future. The future of social media marketing is bright and the tools we use today are building blocks for what is yet to come. Creating profiles that are complete and honest are just the beginning. Many of these have been written time and time again but as I look to connect with new people, I still see the same mistakes being made.



13 LinkedIn Mistakes to Avoid



1. Default URL. Increase your personal branding so easily by changing the default to a personal URL. Click Edit Public Profile Settings in the top right and then edit your Public Profile URL to your name. As a job seeker this is a must.



2. My Website/My Company. Keeping the default is asking people to look above to see who your current employer is and then go back and click on it. It is a simple change: On your profile, click websites, then at the drop down, click "Other" and then type in the name and descriptive terms



3. Private Profile. As social media is evolving with Google's live search, Bing/Twitter as well as Google's Social Search what was private is not anymore. Go public so people can find you as a job seeker.



4. Joining Groups. The maximum amount of groups you can join is 50. While that seems like a lot, how many people are at the max? There is so much information contained in groups - news, discussions, slide shares - that failing to join groups is basically like missing out on an opportunity to connect. 50 is not always the easiest to keep up with especially when you're job hunting but the information shared in the groups is very valuable.



5. Lack of Participation in Discussions. Social media is about connecting and building relationships - talking to people. Taking part in discussions gets you noticed as a viable job candidate well as keeps the conversation going and the sharing of information, viewpoints and knowledge.



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3 Golden Keys to Job Hunting for New Grads

Principles college grads should live by

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So you just graduated college finally and are looking for your first real entry-level job. How should you go about your job hunt? Just sit home and click away at the “submit resume” button all day? Stop what you’re doing! Find out what are the real keys to job hunting as a new grad in this economy and improve your chances out there!



1. Consistency



 Ever hear the phrase “looking for a job is a job itself”? That holds true for many people. If you want to be successful in your job search, you must have a certain job hunt process you go through every day and you must carry it out, every day consistently. Now for college grads this shouldn’t be anything new; studying in college showed you that consistency brought results. Were you more confident going into a test studying at the last minute, or reviewing content every week? Here’s a little example below of a job hunt process:



• You wake up and apply for jobs online you see posted (job boards, job aggregators, corporate sites)

• Spend a few hours reading articles on how to brush up your job interview skills, how to improve your resume. Maybe even do a mock interview with your family or friend.

• Later you spend an hour or so trying to figure out who you can network with (who do my friends know? Who does my family know? What about online networking sites like LinkedIn, who should I contact locally?).



This is just a small example, and by no means should you manage your time particularly like this – but what’s important is the fact that these are steps. You must be consistent and keep at what you are doing. If you don’t stay consistent during your job hunt, what happens is you see no results.



For example, say you start networking on Monday and apply to jobs, and then don’t follow up on networking the next few days and focus just on your resume. A week passes by, and you totally forgot about replying back to the people you networked with. Those people may now think you’re unorganized and already you lose any value you could present to them as an acquaintance. You have to stay consistent with what you do as a job seeker; show those people you’re on top of things and are eager to find work.



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SWAG: The Aversion to Harm Others

Every Wednesday afternoon, I gather with a bunch of faculty and graduate students at the University of Illinois to discuss a journal article about social psychology, and to eat a snack. This blog post reflects the discussion we had during this week's seminar affectionately called Social Wednesdays and Grub (SWAG).

This week in SWAG we read a paper on committing harmful actions by Fiery Cushman and colleagues (2012), who may have the most fantastic name in all of the academic world. Cushman was curious about why people are averse to committing harmful acts on others.

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CV Formatting Mistakes to Avoid

Make your CV look and sound great!

Applying to jobs through online recruitment websites such as Akhtaboot is a very competitive process as you are actually competing with numerous job seekers to land the same position. Hiring managers usually receive thousands of CVs and it can take days if not weeks to go through them one by one to find the person for their vacancies. In the first instance, it is your CV that will put you ahead of other candidates and get you the interview, where you can show your suitability for the job. That’s why it’s really important that you give your CV the same attention you give to the way you look and speak. Akhtaboot provides you with some CV formatting tips to follow when writing an impressive CV.

Avoid Big Blocks of Text
When describing your job responsibilities, big blocks on a CV are hard to read. Write short digestible sound bites with preferably two lines for each responsibility. Use an easy-to-read bulleted list to show rich examples of how you have helped the company you supported make money, save money or save time. To make sure your CV passes the initial scan by machine or person, make sure to include all the important keywords in your CV related to the position or industry of interest.

Avoid Tiny Font Sizes
Avoid using a font smaller than 10-point on your CV as this will make it hard to read, especially when it is in print. If you’re trying to fit more text onto one page, try re-adjusting the margins or use another font type. A 12-point font is perfect for hiring manager to read your CV easily and with no stress. Keep in mind that no one will take the time to get out their magnifying glass to read your CV.

Avoid Using Fancy Fonts 
Some fonts are more difficult to read than others. Stay away from fonts that look like script or artwork. Avoid uncommon fonts that may display differently on the receiver’s end. Arial, Times New Roman and Trebuchet MS are generally safe choices. Make sure that when hiring managers give your CV a quick look, they will be able to know what you are looking for in the first seven seconds!

Spacing is Key
Spacing is one of the top factors that contribute to creating an impressive CV. Make sure to leave consistent and proper spacing between company names, different job roles and different sections. Being consistent makes it easier for the reader to spot key breaks and major sections in your CV.

Keep it Short and Sweet
As a general rule of thumb, if you are under 30 years old, your CV should be from one to two pages long. Hiring managers don’t prefer long CVs with information that has nothing to do with the job. Remember that your CV is a snapshot of who you are; however keep it as brief and informative as possible without mentioning things that are unrelated or will harm you more than benefit you.

Writing an impressive CV is not that difficult. That said, the majority of CVs are usually dull, boring or too long. A good CV should be well written, straight to the point, neat and honest. It should not contain any spelling or grammar mistakes. After all, it’s a snapshot of who you are, so treat is as a major marketing tool.

SPSP 2013: How Much Inequality Is Too Much?

“Of all the babies that die every year, what percent should be from the richest 20% and what percent should be from the poorest 20%?” – Mike Norton

In the Saturday morning session, some of my favorite social psychologists/researchers presented their ongoing work on lay beliefs about inequality in the United States. It is encouraging to see the new generation of psychology scholars taking on important issues related to social justice and inequality!

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SPSP 2013: Notes For Starting Your Academic Career

“There is no other job that allows you to pursue questions that interests you, and then pay you to do it. But, there are tradeoffs.” –Chuck Carver

                      

In the second morning symposium session at SPSP this year, three hugely influential scholars in our field discussed some challenges that new faculty members must contend with early in their career. Having just started an academic job of my own at the University of Illinois, I found this symposium to be of particular interest. My hope was to get a bit of help and support regarding the murky waters of Assistant Professorship. I wasn't disappointed.

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SPSP 2013: How to Get Your Message Across

The team at Psych-Your-Mind is at the annual meeting for the Society of Personality and Social Psychology in New Orleans, LA bringing you the latest news from the conference!

At this morning’s symposium on science in the media called “How to Get Your Message Across,” two public relations experts discussed some of the strategies that researchers can use to be more effective in their communications with the media. I attended this symposium with great interests because my research has gone rogue in the media before, and so I came with the intent of learning something new about the ways to communicate with reporters and journalists.

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50 Tips To Get Your Resume Read

Resume qualities that will land you an interview

Reprinted with permission from blog.hiredmyway.com.



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So you’ve found a job posting for your dream position. Now what?



The job search can be a frustrating process, but it’s also a time full of possibility and potential. Each new listing is a chance for an exciting new opportunity. But once you’ve found a job that sounds like the perfect fit, how do you make sure your resume gets read? Our experienced team has seen thousands of resumes. We know what works…and what doesn’t. Here are 50 of our top resume tips.



Make a Great First Impression



1. Avoid fancy fonts. Prepare your resume in 10-point or 11-point Arial or Times Roman typeface.



2. Edit carefully. Then edit some more. Spelling or grammar can kill an otherwise strong resume. The ability to write well is expected, not seen as an extra perk.



3. Read backwards. This is a great editing trick that helps your eye catch errors.



4. Ask a friend. Another pair of eyes really helps here, so ask a friend to look it over and give you feedback.



5. Make things easy for HR. Human Resources people are overwhelmed with resumes, they take just a few seconds to skim each one. Grab their attention quickly by putting the most important information on the front page, then entice them to read more.



6. Get your resume in early. Establish yourself as a strong candidate early on, and you become the standard by which other applicants are measured.



7. Mix it up. A combination of paragraphs and bullet points is the best way to convey your experience. Start with a brief paragraph that outlines your responsibilities, followed by a bulleted list of specifics.



8. Keep it consistent. Make sure the layout, font, and margins of your resume match those of your cover letter.



9. Keep it simple. Don’t go overboard with underlining, italicizing and bolding. When used sparingly, it will highlight what’s really important.



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Debunking Job Networking Myths for College Grads

Common misconceptions about job networking

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Myth #1: Networking is simply getting a job because you know someone.



The following is not a likely scenario:



You: I know Darren – he’s a big shot at Accenture. He said you’d give me a job.



Recruiting Director: Of course, I will. You’re hired. We’ll see you on Monday morning at 9:00. I’m assuming $200,000 will work for you as your new IT Specialist salary.



Sadly, that’s not what networking is all about.



Networking is about tapping into connections you have to help you gain the opportunity to get a job. When they say that 66% of people get jobs through networking, it doesn’t mean that 2/3 of people were handed their job because they happened to know someone. It means someone helped them get the interview or helped them get their resume noticed by HR.



When it’s time to hire a candidate, recruiting directors are looking for some help. This is because the recruiting department is flooded with resumes. As a result, there’s no way to interview all the qualified applicants. There might be sixty or seventy people in the pile of 500 resumes who could do the job, but it’s tough to know who the best ones are.



If you are recommended by someone in the company, it doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a job – or even an interview. However, the fact that you come “prescreened” by someone at the organization dramatically enhances your chance of getting that interview.



At smaller organizations, the situation can be similar. Without a dedicated recruiting department, usually someone at the company says, “Hey, we need a new receptionist. Does anyone know someone?”



In either scenario, having a connection is your key to landing a job.



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Sour in the Sun? 3 Unexpected Ways the Weather May Affect Your Mood

Warm Weather = Happy Amie

Last weekend I returned from the tropics to find myself outside the San Francisco airport basically barefoot in sub-40 degree weather. As I stood there shivering in disbelief, the shock to my system made me wonder about the effect of the  weather on my mood and well-being. Like Kate, I often find myself a little more blue as winter progresses and the sun sets early in the day. But in what other ways might the weather be affecting how we feel from one day to the next? Some of what I found surprised me. Below I detail three unexpected (at least to me!) ways in which the weather may be influencing your mood…

Summer can sour your mood. Just because there is a lot of sunshine in the summer doesn’t mean it is the time when people are the happiest. In one study, rates of depression and sadness among the general population of the Netherlands were highest in the summer and fall. In a separate line of research, although participants’ moods tended to become more positive as the weather became more pleasant in the springtime, in the summer, hotter weather was associated with being in a more negative mood. Heat is also associated with increased aggression. So when you find yourself feeling sad, grouchy, or wanting to punch someone in the middle of summer, try taking a weekend trip to somewhere cool.

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Steps to a More Productive Brainstorming Session

Running a productive brainstorming session is an art form; it can also be the most productive fun that you'll ever have. However, it should be organized and conducted on a fast pace. Think big and follow these tips provided by Akhtaboot to make the most of your next brainstorming session.

Nuqul Group Launches Their Careers Section, Powered by Akhtaboot

Akhtaboot - the career network is proud to announce the launch of Nuqul Group’s Career Connect solution, “Powered by Akhtaboot”, which will provide Nuqul Group with their own fully integrated and branded jobs section with the ability to post unlimited job postings and receive job applications directly onto their careers section on their own website.

As part of Akhtaboot’s relentless efforts in providing world-class recruitment services to its clients, Nuqul Group will be able to make the most of their Career Connect solution with a single point of contact for all of their recruitment needs with a variety of CV filtration, and organization tools, making the hiring process simple, efficient and as cost-effective as ever.

Mr. Nicola Billeh, HR Director at Nuqul Group, said:

"Nuqul Group is very pleased and impressed with Akhtaboot’s Career Connect service as it will help us to find and match the right people with the available vacancies. The relationship we had with Akhtaboot as recruitment solutions provider has proven to be both successful and productive in helping us reach our objectives. We are definitely looking forward to a successful extension of our collaboration."

With Career Connect, Akhtaboot goes beyond helping companies simply find the right candidates; it actually provides companies with a one-stop recruitment gateway that is specifically designed to cater to the employment needs of companies.