I’m referring to the words that show me a lack of effort, determination, leadership or confidence. These words make me want to disqualify the applicant from consideration whenever I see them and sometimes I delete it.

Without further delay, here are the seven words I never want to see on a resume:

1. Approximately

You have to approximate? You don’t know what you did or how you did it? Or you do know but creating a good first impression wasn’t a big priority for you when the resume was sent to me. If you don’t know – find out. If you do know – show some confidence and tell me exactly what you accomplished.

2. Assisted

Unless you work in a dental office or vets, I don’t want to read about how you assist. We hire leaders here, so I want to know that you were the one being assisted. Tell me what you did, how you did it, and how many you lead in the process.

3. Attempted

Never tell me what you wanted to do. Tell me what you did in an emphatic tone, including a quantitative statement, Good examples: “Increased customer satisfaction by 115%” and “Exceeded quota by an average of 31.2% every quarter”

4. Team player

We like team players; we do. However, can’t we find a creative way to demonstrate that you are, indeed, a team player? For instance, you could say that you take great pride in being a mentor; that 9 of your 12 team members went on to receive promotions. Or, you can tell me that your organization held a 76.5% retention rate. Anything but not team player

5. Implemented

Implemented – like “followed” and “applied”; even “executed” – is a “monkey” word. As in, “any monkey could do that job.” We don’t hire monkeys, or followers, or implementers. We recruit people who think for themselves and can improve existing processes while getting the job done. The exception to this rule: if “implemented” is preceded by “planned and…”

6. Professional

Is anyone going to admit they were less-than-professional during their previous jobs? In your career, isn’t “professional” in the same obvious realm as “I breathe air”? Can’t we come up with a better word to describe how we conducted ourselves? Yes, we can. And I’d like to see a little more imagination.

7. Hopefully

Especially in today’s economy, we’re seeing way too much of this. I don’t get angry, because I understand that people are hungry for work – and are just hoping for a chance to show what they can do. Do yourself a favour, however: remove this word! There is no hope, at least from me, when you use “hopefully”. Instead try “certainly”, “will”, “always” etc.

Candidates: review your resume, cover letter and online presence. Do any of these words appear? If yes then get creative and word your CV in a way that demonstrates confidence and the ability to do what the job description asks for. Then monitor the response rate-you will certainly get a few more interviews.

When you’re looking for a new job, don’t just stumble around; be purposeful and knowledgeable about your hunt. This is a big decision and one that should not be entered into lightly. Common, seemingly small mistakes can make the difference between landing the dream job and an endless search, wondering why you’re not getting the call back. Odds are this isn’t your first, or your last job hunt so keep these do’s and don’ts of job seekers tips in your arsenal.

Do Network (but do it the right way)

How many times have you been at the bar and the same drunk guy keeps handing you his business card. Don’t be him. There is a time and place for networking. Don’t get me wrong, that place can be the bar or golf club but display some control and know when you’re over that threshold.

It turns out that an incredible 80 per cent of jobs are landed through networking. But not everyone is born networker; some of us aren’t good at it but the biggest mistake you can make is not networking at all.

Don’t Wait Around

Statistics say an average job seeker spends about 40 minutes per day on their job search and a ridiculous 200 minutes watching TV. Every minute you spend watching the box could be the minute that your dream job has just been grabbed by a jobseeker more prepared and organised.  This statistic is just pathetic; if you need a job, go and get it! Fifty per cent of new hires applied for the position within the first seven days of the job listing. Time to fill is in the forefront of every hiring manager’s and recruiter’s mind, so get on it.

Do Use Social Media (but again, do it the right way)

Social media is a fantastic way to stay connected and keep some irons in the fire. But it’s not only a networking tool. Sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ are used by employers, hiring managers and recruiters to catch a glimpse of you, see what you’re about and who you’re in circles with. So keep it clean. Keep your professional networking sites professional, and control what you want others to see. These sites also work the other way. The best way to get a feel of a company’s employer brand or company culture is to check out their sites. You can learn a lot about a company just from searching around their social media for a few minutes.

According to a Forbes article, “How Social Media can Help (or hurt) you in Your Job Search”, of the 37 per cent of employers who use social media to screen candidates:

•  65% said they do it to see if the job seeker presents himself or herself professionally.
• About half (51%) want to know if the candidate is a good fit for the company culture.
• 45% want to learn more about his or her qualifications.
• Some cited “to see if the candidate is well-rounded” and “to look for reasons not to hire the candidate,” as their motives.
• A third (34%) of employers who scan social media profiles said they have found content that has caused them not to hire the candidate.

Don’t be Afraid to Negotiate Your Salary

Eighteen per cent of employees never took the time or opportunity to negotiate their salary. This can be a scary thing. As the new hire, you are sometimes made to feel that the ball is entirely in their court. This simply isn’t the case. They spent time and money on recruiters, reading your resume, arranging and executing the interview, deliberating over the choice of hire, and doing a background check. They aren’t going to give you the boot if you start talking numbers. If you’re prepared with a counter offer, you’ll know exactly what’s on the table, instead of walking out never knowing, and waiting for a 6 month review.

Do Edit

Nothing will kill your chances before you even get in the door like an error filled CV or profile. Check and recheck any and all materials that can be potentially seen by a hiring manager. If you didn’t pay attention to detail in your job search that sends a clear message that you aren’t thorough.

Don’t be a Downer

If you take nothing else from these do’s and don’ts  please take this: Eighty-five per cent of the decision to promote or hire an employee is based on that employee’s attitude. Be relaxed, confident and positive in all interactions with your hiring manager.

And it’s worse now than ever before. Everyone has a ‘terrible recruiter’ story. They are ‘lazy, sleazy, pushy and incompetent’. And those are just the nicer things said. Every day brings more abuse and increasingly, gleeful predictions of the demise of the recruiter.

Well, enough!

It’s about time the world offered respect to the thousands of honourable, ethical and hard-working career professionals that make up our ranks. Let’s talk about these recruiters for a change, and let’s make sure we don’t tar every recruiter with the broad brush of disdain that often gets heaped on our industry.

And while we are about it, let’s shine a light on some of the reasons recruiters deserve respect instead of derision.

For a start, it’s a tough job! It’s brutally competitive and hugely stressful. It comes with long hours. Base salaries of those employed are usually low and the self-employed have to take risks and so often recruiters work long and hard for a tiny return. It’s scary too, cold calling is not fun. As much as clients complain about unreliable recruiters, try working the other side of the fence!  Clients, who tell you it’s urgent, make you jump through hoops, then don’t return your calls. Clients who invite you for a meeting, and then don’t have the manners to show up! Job requirements changed in mid-search, or cancelled when weeks of work have been done. Some clients lie about their commitment to the brief. Some candidates play one job off against another and leverage job offers for salary increases.  Candidates who beg for a chance and then don’t turn up for the hard-won interview secured with the client, leaving the recruiter to take the flak.

If every client or candidate who heaps abuse on recruiters for ‘wasting my time’, did an honest little balance sheet of who wasted whose time the most through the process, I know where the deficit would be! Perhaps that is why only the very best clients pay retainers and in return get the very best service!

But even more than that, what recruiters do is basically good. We find people work! And that’s a good thing isn’t it? And it is something to be proud of. It makes an impact. We change people’s lives. We solve companies staffing issues making them more profitable benefitting the economy. We help people further their career ambitions.

We create jobs. Yes we do. The often-quoted criticism of our industry, that there are ‘no barriers to entry’ has an upside too. Our industry breeds entrepreneurs who have the courage to start their own businesses, and hire people. I remember doing that myself and having endless sleepless nights, paying myself a pittance, while employing people to get the business going. I have no complaints, I took the risk, as do thousands of other recruiters, who leave the restraints and discrimination of bigger corporates to create their own businesses and secure their futures. That is something to be proud of, surely? Does it happen in banking much for example? Or law? (oh, and if you think I am making this stuff up, then reflect on the fact there are 128,000 private recruitment agencies, globally, with 176,000 branches, employing 908,000 internal staff, worldwide.)

And what about the service we provide candidates? Our industry gets hammered for poor ‘candidate care’, and often it’s deserved. But let’s have a reality check. Recruiters invest millions of hours advising, counselling and supporting candidates on their job search. Some of that is very tangible assistance, like CV preparation, salary information, or interview training, but often it’s a morale boost or good career advice, or just a sane sounding-board. And we act as an advocate for the candidate who does not shine through the CV, but can in the interview. That’s us that make that happen. And candidates don’t even get charged!

Play to win. It’s been said that you cannot win the lottery if you don’t play your numbers. Similarly, you won’t be offered your dream job if the company’s hiring managers or their recruiters do not know that you exist. When you see an opportunity that interests you, even if you do not have every single one of the listed qualifications, apply!

Explore your options. Rather than seeking to climb the corporate ladder, explore it. The workplace is becoming increasingly focused on diversification. Writers have become designers and programmers; singers are actors and designers; marketing professionals are public speakers and tech geeks. Those who make it to the top diversify, and looking “outside the box” for your next job may allow you to use your skills in a new and engaging way.

Don’t plan too far ahead. It’s easy to plan your entire career before you’ve even graduated from school: five years as an assistant, three years in middle management, and from then on . . . world domination. Instead, embrace the opportunities in front of you and don’t worry about how it may affect your life ten years down the road. If you find a job you like, go for it.

Share your success. Hiring managers don’t know your job history, so you’ll need to enlighten them when the time for an interview comes. Don’t be afraid to share your contributions and achievements, especially how these have impacted the bottom line at previous companies.

Be honest with yourself. It is important to be honest on your resume, but it may be even more important for job seekers to be honest with themselves – especially about their skills and abilities. If you have poor written communication skills, for example, practice writing every day and invest in tools to help you check your work and increase your accuracy. Think about starting a blog.

Your career is a reflection of your professional accomplishments. In a similar way, the choices that you make in your job search are a reflection of your ambition, your sense of personal motivation, and your future career aspirations. Head hunters look for someone who aims high, is open to new opportunities, and is grounded.

Firstly, don’t be apologetic. You set the tone for how this employment gap will be perceived. If you present it as a negative, it will be seen as negative. Instead, inform them about how you used that time to grow in other fields or highlight the fact that you stayed up-to-date and relevant in the space. If you volunteered or consulted, say so! (Better yet, put those opportunities on the resume if they are long enough periods of time.)

Do ask your former employer or colleagues for reference letters. Be specific about what you would like them to include. A short handwritten paragraph about what a great person you are isn’t going to cut the mustard with a professional recruiter. Maybe they can think of a specific instance in which your skills and experience helped the team. Ask them to concentrate on your strengths as they apply to the workplace. Check your LinkedIn profile-is it up to date and can you get more people to endorse you?

Don’t lie about it. Before you know it, you can speak Mandarin and you’re a risk management expert. It’s a slippery slope and it’s not worth going down. In today’s job market, layoffs and redundancies are pretty common place. Unemployment gaps have lost the stigma that they once had. There are so many people in the workforce that have dealt with a layoff personally or in their circle, that there is less judgement surrounding layoff employment gaps. So there’s no reason to hide it.

Do tell them what you did while you weren’t employed. Did you further your education? Did you maintain your presence in the field? Volunteer work, consulting and freelancing are all relevant things to mention in this gap. List these things just like you would another position on your resume. Even if you were working on a personal project that would be relevant to your work, you should mention it. Demonstrate how you’ve been keeping abreast of events in your niche.

Don’t bad mouth your former employer. Everyone knows that suffering a layoff is a very bitter pill to swallow. By speaking badly about your former employer, or even alluding to a negative departure, you pretty much just took a big red “Negative” stamp and plopped it down on your resume. Surprise your interviewer by staying positive about your experience and time with the company, a much better way forward.

Do read and learn from job listings. Listing generic strengths (hard worker, determined etc.) and experiences that hiring managers see fifty times a day, in no way sets you apart. Instead, get on the job boards and consider what skills and experiences hiring managers in your field are specifically looking for. Now use those credentials in your own resume for a far more tailored presentation. Present yourself in the best way you can, a one size fits all CV is no use and it stands out a mile-for all the wrong reasons!

Don’t skim over the gap.  It can be helpful to cover the reason for your employment gap in your cover letter and again you must tailor your cover letter for each job you apply for. No one has time to read about your failing marriage or dog dying. Keep it short and to the point.

Do let them know how you stayed up-to-date in your industry. The biggest concern that any hiring manager has when they see an employment gap is that you no longer have any idea what you’re doing. Especially as technology relates to any field, if you’re gone for any amount of time, there’s a good chance that you missed some sort of relevant technological change in your industry. Whether it’s the latest new app that everyone is using or current common engineering practice, bone up and display your knowledge with confidence. This particularly applies to older candidates, your experience and knowledge will be apparent but prove that you are bang up to date!

It is very tough job market so do all you can to get yourself noticed and land that job!

Rules that were made to be broken

From the convoluted hiring process to the increasingly complex policies of the average company, there is seemingly no end to the number of rules and regulations we necessarily live by in order to conform to the rules of career building. There are rules for resumes, rules for interviewing, rules for the workplace once you land a job…so much time is invested to learn the rules that it isn’t surprising that we become so risk averse as our job experience and careers mature. But one of the most overlooked rules of all is that sometimes, some rules should be broken. This rule is especially relevant to the following list of conventions so many professionals accept as corporate gospel.

1. If you look for career advice most anywhere (blogs, public forums, professional advisors), you’ll probably be told that “salary” is a four-letter word; especially during a job interview. But is simply inquiring about an intended salary really so presumptuous? Not in the least. In fact, ignoring the issue of salary until the last possible moment can potentially be a huge waste of time for both employer and candidate. Salary is a major consideration when accepting any job and going through the slog of the hiring process only to have to turn down a job offer due to an insufficient compensation package can be both demotivating and emotionally exhausting.

Nobody wins in this situation: you end up back in the job pool all the worse for wear and your potential employer ends up back at square one. So, how does one politely go about approaching the topic with minimal fuss? You can initially defuse the awkwardness of the situation by first acknowledging that the topic is, indeed, awkward but making the point that your financial situation requires you obtain at least some information about a projected salary range. Also, try framing the question as a way to avoid wasted time on the employer’s part.

2. After you have broached the subject of your salary, now it’s time to break a second rule: avoid awkward salary negotiations. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes salary negotiations are a reasonable tactic to undertake as part of the hiring process, but sometimes this behaviour may backfire or be completely inappropriate for your situation. The primary takeaway here is that many employers don’t follow the same rules as those offering hard-core corporate jobs. Sometimes part of your compensation package is the perks and other benefits you gain through employment in addition to your base salary. If you know your field and have done some research on both the company and average salaries, you may at least avoid some embarrassment and possibly even being overlooked.

3. Instead of sitting on the side-lines while you wait for others to figure out your values, toss this final rule out the window and embrace your impulse to brag about yourself and push for promotions. In the real world, it is not a simple matter of serving your time while you patiently await your reward. Climbing the food chain requires asking for feedback, sharing your questions and plans for your careers, and generally making sure that everyone around you knows just how hard you work. Though the philosophy of not rocking the boat is largely ingrained in us from birth, when it comes to matters of progression in your career, you need to be assertive. Downplaying your contributions and value will never lead to a swanky promotion or top-flight projects. Be recognized by not selling yourself short due to fear of being the center of attention.

It will always be necessary to know the rules of your field and employer. But by fundamentally understanding these rules, you can more easily identify those that can and should be broken at opportune moments and help push your career to new (and possibly unexpected) heights.

Go for it!

From the start I should make clear this blog is about the executive search end of the market.

I’ve been thinking about what I do, what value I add and how as a headhunter I make money.  Of course one could argue it’s a fairly simple model, sell a retained piece of work, find a top candidate, and get paid.  It’s elegant and simple, if not always particularly exciting.  Is that it though?  Is that all work amounts to?

Actually the bits I enjoy about my job and the bits that interest me the most aren’t really the day to day bits of search ( I have a very capable research team for that) it’s the personal interaction and commercial aspects of what I do that excites me.  I like talking to or meeting a Chairman, CEO or Director who tells me something interesting about what they do or what they’re looking to do. I connect them with other businesses or individuals who can help them achieve their career goals.  Those are the most interesting aspects of my work but they’re not really what you’d call traditional search work like trawling through job boards recycling candidates that 100 other recruiters have seen. In fact 90% of my candidates do not make it widely known they are even interested in a move, when I call them and tell them about the searches I am engaged on they tend to be interested, what do they have to lose by having a headhunter working for them?

By building business relationships with influential figures within my sectors I match top talent to the best companies. If my work leads to a placement then it actually changes the sector I work in for the better.

If I call you, rest assured your profile is head and shoulders above the rest-engage with me. Discretion is guaranteed and you only stand to benefit!

Candidates always complain that they send their CV’s to a number of recruiters but never hear back from them. Possible reasons could be that the recruiter never saw their resume or the applicant’s email never made it to the recruiter’s inbox and instead landed in the spam. Here are a few other possible reasons for this early break-up of recruiter-candidate relationship:

Unprofessional E-mail addresses: While applying for serious positions it essential to create a professional first impression. Email ID’s like “innocent moon” and “dare devil” really turn off a recruiter. I ignore emails from such odd email addresses so set up an email ID with your own name and apply for jobs using that. You can use your “cool” email address for personal and not professional mail.

Not Mentioning the Position Title in the Subject Line: Another deadly mistake often made by job applicants is that they do not mention the position they are applying for and send email with subjects like “CV” or “application for employment”. My inbox is busy and on average I get around 100 applications per day so why make it hard for me to assess if you are right for the job you applied for? Mention the job title or my job reference to be sure your CV gets read!

Begging for Job:  I receive many emails from the applicants literally pleading for the job. Never lose your composure and grace while applying for any position no matter how badly you need a job. Employers like the candidates who exhibit confidence and self-control. Do not appear overly keen!

Applying for a role you are not suitable for; do not fire your CV out hoping someone will give you a chance. Carefully study what the job description is asking for and point out in your cover letter why you think you are the right candidate for the job. If you want a recruiter to find you work but are not applying for an advertised role then make that clear. Send your CV informing the recruiter what you are looking for BUT, make sure the agency you send your details to operates in your sector.

There are few things more daunting than attending a job interview. That’s why it’s good to prepare by considering some of the questions you might be asked. Just make sure you don’t end up giving any of these answers….

Interviewer: What is your greatest accomplishment?
Interviewee: Finishing Phantom Mutant Death Fighter 3 for PC – and in work time too! Have you played it?

Interviewer: Could you sell me this pen?
Interviewee (shouting): Get your pens, only 50p. Everything must go. Come on sweetheart, you know you want one!

Interviewer: If our roles were reversed, what question would you ask?
Interviewee: Where did you get that terrible blouse?

Interviewer: Who in the world, living or dead, would you most like to meet?
Interviewee: Oooooh that’s a difficult one. Er, I’d have to say ‘living’ I think.

Interviewer: Describe a complex problem you have had to deal with.
Interviewee: I had a STD once, but don’t worry, it cleared up ages ago.

Interviewer:Do you prefer delegation or hands on control?
Interviewee: Er, what are they? Boy bands or something?

Interviewer: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Interviewee: Shouting up at the window ‘get a life’ to anyone who’s sad enough to be working late

Interviewer: Are you prepared to relocate?
Interviewee: Certainly. Where would you like me to sit?

Interviewer: What do you think you can contribute to the company?
Interviewee: Well it depends how much I have left at the end of each month

Interviewer: Can you act on your own initiative?
Interviewee: I was in the school play once, but to be honest I’m no Sir Michael Caine.

Interviewer: ‘What would you say is the biggest risk you ever took’?
Interviewee: Probably unprotected sex’.
Interviewer: I meant in the workplace.
Interviewee: Yes, funnily enough it was. You know what Christmas Parties can be like!

Interviewer: What are your career goals’?
Interviewee (proudly) 15 in 155 appearances for my local pub team!

Interviewer: What would you like to avoid in your next job?
Interviewee: It’s not so much a case of ‘what’, more ‘who’. Honestly, there were some right sad sacks at my last place!

Interviewer: How do you cope with change?
Interviewee: I put it in a piggy bank and buy myself something nice with it at Christmas

Interviewer: Are you willing to travel?
Interviewee: Duh? How else am I going to get here in the mornings?

Interviewer: Describe the best boss you ever had.
Interviewee: About five eight, a petite blonde, breasts like beach balls

Interviewer: Do you prefer working with a male or female boss?
Interviewee: Oh please. Give me a man every time. I mean women. Temperamental or what? Actually just make that ‘mental’…… Your good self excepted of course.

Interviewer: What unfinished business have you left behind that you wish you had concluded?
Interviewee: I had a bit of an altercation with one of my colleagues. But don’t worry, I know where he lives. He will get his.

Interviewer: Tell me about a time when you didn’t get on with your colleagues.
Interviewee: Time? How long have you got? I’ve got plenty of stories where that’s concerned.

Interviewer: What’s your relationship with your former employer?
Interviewee: Purely platonic. Mind you she looked like she knew every branch of the ugly tree intimately.

Sometimes it can feel like a tough balancing act protecting the best interests of my clients and candidates and they are both my customers.

It is almost a protective human instinct to shy away from the hard questions or those that we don’t want to know the answer to.  In the business of placing candidates in jobs, we often look for the reason to say yes and avoid all the reasons we should say no.  Saying NO can make you the best asset to both your candidates and clients, and they don’t even know it yet.

So please don’t be offended if I ask you;

1. Are you currently interviewing with anyone else?
2. Would you consider a counter offer?
3. Have you told your current employer you are unhappy? Asked for wants?
4. What were you last earning vs. what you want?
5. Have you ever worked in a an environment like this before if not, what makes you think this is a fit
6. Reasons you have left your last few positions
7. Gaps in employment-why did you only stay 2 months at XYZ company?
8. Can you give me at least 2 referees I can talk to?
9. Do you mind if I or my client checks the validity of your academic qualifications?

10. Are you willing to complete a background and/or drug or Credit Check

11. What is your nationality/which passport do you hold?

12. Describe in detail why you think you are a fit for this position?

I have been through very long recruitment processes that ended in the candidate being fired shortly after being hired for stating untruths or holding back information they were asked for. We all understand that most slightly embellish their CV but, please do not tell complete lies-it will come back to haunt you…