Most resume writing guides focus on using power words or words that can persuade an employer to schedule an interview or to at least keep reading their resume. But what about those words that may cause an employer or recruiter to dump your resume in the trash?  What words should job candidates avoid using if they want to increase their chances of landing that interview? Let's take a look:

Avoid abbreviations and acronyms.  Although people at your former job may be familiar with certain abbreviations or acronyms, assuming that the recruiter/employer reading your resume is not familiar with the abbreviations or acronyms is probably the safest route.  The last thing you want is for a recruiter or employer to trash your resume because they had no idea what you were talking about. If you feel that you need to use an acronym or abbreviation, use it sparingly and offer a footnoted definition.

Avoid using negative words to describe anything, including your former job, school, co-workers or boss.  Negative words such as boring, mean, bossy, angry or stupid are all no-no's when it comes to your resume.

Avoid using personal pronouns such as "I" or "Me."  Just say, "Litigated 20 case for XYZ firm" instead of saying "I performed litigation for XYZ firm."

Avoid using words that are not commonly used and that the reader may not understand. Keep it simple. If your resume is written with a lot of $100 words that sends the recruiter or employer running for a dictionary, it's doubtful that your resume will avoid the trash bin.

During the second quarter of 2009, Eolis International Group doubled its deals for partner acquisitions over the same period in 2008, with seniors leading the way.

Increasingly, savvy firms are throwing age-based compulsory retirement for partners to the wind—recognizing that the legal community has an extensive stable of senior citizens who demonstrate high energy, a continuing flair for pulling in major client revenues, and a portfolio of clients that can be nurtured and ultimately transitioned into the fabric of the firm.

David Bernstein is a leading example. A lifer at Rogers and Wells, he was swept up into R&W’s merger with Clifford Chance, where he remained until the age of 71.

A client and longtime friend, Bernstein contacted Wendeen Eolis to consider the possibility of a new adventure, citing his love of legal practice and his continued vigor. (Bernstein’s hours and client base rivals busy colleagues twenty years his junior.

In May, assisted by her affiliated partner Alan Miles and Associates, Wendeen completed a deal between Bernstein and K&L Gates. And knowing that K&L Gates’ New York managing partner cares only about quality, EOLIS and Miles went for a double header serving up another eminent grise, Roger Crane, formerly of Nixon Peabody.

Could it be a trend that opportunistic law firms will aggressively pitch seniors (partners in their sixties and even their seventies) who demonstrate energy and wisdom and a continuing track record for revenue production? Wendeen will be writing more extensively on this issue following completion of a trend study of 20 Law firms around the country.

Do you feel like you're ready to burn out at the end of the day when searching for a job?  Maybe you're sending out hundreds of resumes, attending ten networking meetings a month and going to see every recruiter in a 20 mile radius; but still haven't secured one job offer.  If that sounds like you, then you need to consider working smarter, not harder.  Here are some job seeker tips on working smarter.

Tip #1 - Never apply for a job that you couldn't see yourself working for at least five years. Yes, I know that it's hard out there and you just want to find something to pay the bills. But honestly it takes the same amount of energy (if not more) to find a job you love as to find one you hate or can barely tolerate. Plus, if you are applying for a position that you are less than excited about, it will show in your cover letter, resume and especially in an interview.

Tip #2 - When you find an interesting job, don't delay applying for it.  Do your necessary research, tweak your resume and write your cover letter immediately. Then send out your package.  Don't set the position aside for a day or two and go back to it because you will lose momentum and you may not get back to it until weeks later.

Tip #3 - Don't work past the point of diminishing returns.  It doesn't make sense to send out 100 resumes that are poorly done when you can send out 10 resumes that are perfect and positively represent who you are as an employee. Treat your job search like a job, complete with breaks, lunch and even vacation days.  If you overwork yourself you won't be able to put your best foot forward in your job search because you will be exhausted. Create reasonable daily goals and do your best to complete them.  Don't beat yourself up if you're unable to complete everything. The important thing is that you work on your job search daily and make sure that you combine several strategies to find the type of job you really want.

It's an unfortunate sign of the times; but more and more job candidates are lying on their applications, resumes and even during an interview.  According to some candidate screening companies, more than 30 percent of job candidates lie on their applications regarding their work experience and education.

Here are the top 3 lies told by job candidates and some suggestions on how you can uncover the truth:

1. Exaggerating Dates/Responsibilities of Past Employment - As many as 35 percent of all resumes "stretch" the truth regarding job titles, responsibilities, and length of work history at previous companies.  To uncover the truth, recruiters should verify with former employers the exact dates of employment, exact job titles and the specifics of the candidate's responsibilities, duties and accomplishments.

1. Lying About a Degree or Credential - According to companies that conduct background checks approximately 20 percent of job candidates lie about their educational qualifications.  Some even go as far as creating fake diplomas. Recruiters should always check with the educational institution to make sure the job candidate's degree or credential claims are accurate. 

1. Inflating Salary History - Many candidates inflate the amount of money earned at a former job in hopes that it will increase their chances of receiving better compensation.  Recruiters should confirm salary history by calling former employers.  However, some companies may refuse to provide that information.  If so, a recruiter may want to ask the candidate for their W-2 form to confirm the salary claim.

  

The most successful recruiters use technology as a tool to help them get closer to their goals easier and faster.  Whether they want to improve candidate processing, develop comprehensive databases or solve some other problem in their business, using the right technology is critical.  Here a few rules to follow if you want to invest wisely in technology for your business:

Rule #1 - Understand that all technology/software will eventually become obsolete.  That may not mean that you need to trash the entire program and replace it; but it will definitely mean getting an upgrade or expanding the system.

Rule #2 - Use technology that will work with, not against your recruiting process. In order to achieve this you need to create an overall recruiting strategy with clear visions and goals.  Choose technology/software that will improve some aspect of your recruiting process, whether that's workforce planning, marketing, sourcing, screening, assessing tracking or on-boarding. Understand that you may need to purchase multiple technology tools to cover all of your needs. There is no single software solution for everything.

Rule #3 - Buy only the technology you need and intend to use. Don't buy all the bells and whistles if those additions won't help you achieve your goals. But do invest in systems that expandable and that can grow with you.

Rule #4 - Integrate all technology. Make sure all of your software and other technology work together seamlessly.

 

Some job seekers have been on the market for more than a year and unfortunately are finding their efforts produce few results.  Why is it that some job seekers can land a new job in a matter of weeks while others languish for months on end?  It could be that some job seekers are using more effective strategies that produce the results they want.  Let's take a look at the most effective job search strategies:

1.     Successful job seekers, treat their job search like a job.  They get up on a daily basis and commit 6 to 7 hours to their job search.  Of course given themselves breaks so they can avoid burnout.

2.     Successful job seekers commit several hours a week networking at the right events and following up with their new contacts.  When it comes to networking it is important that you target the decision makers and follow-up immediately.

3.     Successful job seekers avoid spending too much time at job fairs, which are often a colossal waste of time, especially during economic downturns.  If they do attend job fairs they make sure that they have a plan beforehand and that they research and target specific employers.

4.     Successful job seekers only apply for jobs that are a good fit.  Many recruiters and employers complain that too many job seekers apply for positions that they aren't even remotely qualified for. This is a waste of time for both the job seeker and the recruiter/employer.

5.     Successful job seekers use recruiters to help them connect to the right employers and jobs. But they don't rely solely on recruiters to find them employment.

6.     Successful job seekers post their résumés on a variety of online job boards.

7.     Successful job seekers never send out "standard" cover letters and résumés to employers or recruiters.  Each resume is customized to address the concerns of each specific employer.  Of course when posting a résumés on a general job board, a general résumé is used; but never for specific jobs.