Overly ornate resumes are not only distracting, they cannot be parsed and evaluated by recruiting software. 

• Keep to a simple format with essential information.
• Eliminate graphics, charts, sidebars, and color – Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used by the vast majority of recruiters and they cannot process these elements.
• Revise and edit, then do it again – ideally, you will have a 2-page document.
• Take the time to incorporate keywords and phrases from the job description.

Be concise, be specific, and keep it clean and simple.

Create a useful narrative when explaining employment gaps on your resume. It can be personal or professional, but it should leave a positive impression, for example:

• Continuing education. During this period, you were attending industry-specific technical courses.
• Volunteering. You used this time to give back in an area that has always been important to you and your family.
• Parenting. You dedicated yourself to uninterrupted time with a child or children during an important phase in their life.
• Extending your knowledge through freelancing. You worked with different types of organizations as a contractor.

You can be brief and confident when discussing your periods of unemployment if you are prepared.

More and more recruiters are asking for recorded interview videos. This helps them quickly review candidates and evaluate their fitness for the position. If you are asked to submit a recorded interview video:

• Research each question carefully and prepare your answers.
• Rehearse your answers on video until you deliver a natural and relaxed performance.
• Setup your location. Make sure it is quiet, well-lit with a neutral background. Avoid filming in front of patterned wallpaper, overly bright paints, or distracting artwork or other objects.
• Wear professional attire and go easy on makeup and jewelry. Let the recruiter focus on your answers, not your adornments.
• Speak clearly and look at the camera.

The candidate that does the best job of translating their experience into the hands-on skills that the employer wants will most likely get the job offer. Take a look at your resume and make sure you are highlighting transferable skills:

• People skills: collaboration, team building, motivating, listening, empathy
• Management: decision-making, negotiating, time-management, resource allocation
• Leadership: commitment, passion, empowerment, resilience, emotional intelligence
• Research and Planning: project management, scheduling, risk management, prioritization
• Hard Skills: Software, hardware, troubleshooting
• Additional Skills: published articles, public speaking, volunteerism, foreign languages

Make scanning your profile meaningful with the use of logos. This helps focus attention and triggers memory. 

• Incorporate logos throughout your profile. Include your schools, certifications and previous employers’ logos.
• The reader’s attention will naturally be drawn to graphic elements first, and they will more readily remember details about your background.
• Logos give you professional credibility. Search LinkedIn for easy instructions on how to add logos to your profile.

Make ageism a nonissue by employing strategies to overcome this bias:

• Only detail the past 10 years of experience on your resume
• Replace statements about your years of experience with expressions of enthusiasm: “this is my area of expertise”, or “this is what I love to work on.”
• Don’t volunteer information that indicates your age, i.e., don’t talk about your child’s college.
• Stay up to date with innovations and stay curious about new approaches in your industry.
• Commit to a healthy mind and body. Adopt popular activities that you can share such as hiking, biking or surfing.
• Project a nonhierarchical approach. Avoid discussions of titles, management realms, or subordinates. Areas that are no longer relevant in collaborative work environments.

You don’t need to wear a hoodie and All Birds but try to avoid dated styles in your wardrobe and accessories.

You’ve probably heard of power poses – they change your brain chemistry to give you more confidence. Well, the same is true of your body language during an interview. 

• Walk tall and relaxed, then adjust your seat so that you can make eye contact with everyone in the room.
• Scooch back and lean slightly forward to look engaged and interested. Breath slowly and deeply.
• Keep your feet on the ground and try not to cross and uncross your legs.
• Look at your interviewers directly but don’t have a forced stare. Let your eyes move slightly around their face.
• Relax your jaw and try to maintain a gentle smile. Picture a pleasant scene occasionally to relax your body and mind.
• Practice speaking with open hand gestures so that they come naturally. Keep your hands relaxed and in view.

You’ve reached the final round of interviews and they want to meet you face-to-face. You will need to bring printed copies of your resume and the paper you choose says a lot about you. Do you value quality, did you take the time to create a professional and impactful document? When choosing the paper stock for your printed resume:

• Select a quality paper stock in a 24-28 weight. Lighter screams “cheap” and heavier feels like a birthday card.
• The color is important as well – white, off-white, cream, or light grey is appropriate. No loud or garish colors.
• A cotton or linen-based stock brings softness and texture.

Your paper choice may not seem important, but it reflects your style and attention to detail.

Personal branding is the process of optimizing and managing the way you appear to others. How would your peers describe you? This is your personal brand. 

• Be consistent with your brand – use the same language, photo and style across all of your social and professional communications.
• Decide what you want to be known for and reinforce those attributes. 
• Engage with the community that is established around your field or industry.

With over 500M registered members, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network. It is also the most important tool for your job search. 

• LinkedIn allows you to research and connect with managers and peers within companies you would like to work for.
• LinkedIn is an ideal place to join and communicate with specific industry groups, leaders and influencers.
• Recruiters routinely use LinkedIn to find, screen and contact candidates.
• Optimizing your profile to increase your profile views will expand your network and lead to many more recruiter inquiries.