Searching for a job is not always easy, no matter what state the economy.  When you're on the hunt, your best weapons are your resume and network but this blog is about your resume. This document must emphasize the best of your experience, education, and skills.  Don't let your effort go to waste by having these glaring red flags on your resume.

Fancy Fonts, Glitter, Images, etc

In an effort to make your resume stand out, you may find that it gets thrown out or deleted.  Less extreme attempts such as including image files or using non-traditional symbols or fonts should also be avoided.  While it may be a nice break for a recruiter reading through hundreds of Times New Roman documents, you run the risk of the fonts or images not loading properly.  In fact this happens quite often, and your resume will most likely be deleted or tossed in the shredder.

Listing Your References

Listing your references on the resume is a definite no-no, yet I see it all the time. References should always appear on a separate page, and should only be produced when asked for.  Besides do your references want to be called by random potential employers without warning?  Wouldn't you rather tell your references that someone really important is calling today, have a moment to tell them about the job, and remind them how awesome you are?

Another oddity that won't go away is the line - "References Available Upon Request."  It's understood that you will, so save some space and your potential employer's time. 

It's Written in Full Sentences

We receive dozens if not hundreds of applications -- help us out!  Your resume should be short and sweet and strategically bulleted (more on this on another blog).  You aren't writing a novel, you are trying to catch a skimming employer's eye and prove you are worth a second look -- and an interview.

There Are No Numbers

One of the worst things you can do on a resume is to be vague.  Don't just list your accomplishments in a general way -- have the quantitative data to back it up.  If you exceeded a goal, by how much did you exceed it?  If you created and distributed company performance reports, how many did you do?  Adding numbers concretizes your accomplishments and paints a better picture of what you actually did. Also, make sure you are answering the "how" question.  If you completed five projects this year instead of the expected four, how did you do it?

It Includes the Words "Duties" or "Responsibilities"

When you are writing your current or former job description, focus on your accomplishments, not what you had to do.  As an alternative to "duties" or "responsibilities," flip your tasks into achievements.  For example, instead of being "responsible for the sales team," consider "directed the sales team to beat their repeat client objective by 10%" - numbers define and help paint a picture!

It Lists an Objective

For the most part, objectives sound insincere and, worse, can limit your options.  Let your cover letter do the talking when it comes to why you want that particular job.  Remember, each cover letter and resume should be individually tailored to a specific job -- not just a specific field.  Taking an interest in the specifics of the job makes you look professional and focused and not like you are mass-emailing anyone who might hire you.  Desperation is no more attractive to an employer than it is to a date.

It Contains Spelling or Grammatical Errors

We all know to avoid this one.  It makes you look sloppy and negates the part of your resume that proudly describes you as "detail-oriented."  The best things you can do for a resume is send it to a professional resume service or a professional editor.  If you are a student, your career center likely offers free resume counseling or at least free information to help you fine tune your CV before sending it out.  At the very least, have a friend look it over and check for basic language errors -- spell check just doesn't cut it.

It Lists an Unprofessional Email Address

In a world where email is free, and most of us have multiple addresses, make the effort to have a professional email address.  Keep it simple -- using your name is best. Just make sure you leave the spankme@naughtymail.com for personal use.  Don't use your current work email unless you are self-employed! 

It Includes a Picture

The ONLY time this is appropriate is if you are applying to be a model or an actor, and in both cases, a separate portfolio is preferable.  Including a self-portrait could exclude you for not being serious and may make you appear unprofessional.  Let your skills and experience speak for you.

It Is Too Personal

Resumes should demonstrate how professional you are -- that means the anecdote about the time you met Aerosmith backstage is not appropriate.  That being said, let your personality come through in your resume by including volunteer experience or a (very) short section about your interests.

Social Networking

Most of us live in cyberspace and if you can easily be Googled make darn sure that whatever we find is appropriate.  This is a common sense rule and shouldn't need further explanation. If it does, time to grow up!

The Bottom Line When times are tough, getting a job is a stressful undertaking. Don't sell yourself short. Instead, make sure your resume is the best example of you as a potential employee and before you know it, you'll be employed once again.  

Many mid-late career job seekers may have heard this before - I'm sorry but you're "overqualified." In a tight job market many professionals often consider openings that are less lucrative and less prestigious than their last job. Sometimes employers are glad to hire seasoned workers at a bargain, but more often they dismiss the candidate as "overqualified."

What's behind the overqualified label is an employer's fear that if you're hired, you'll be searching for a better job before you learn where the restrooms are. But if you really want the job, there are ways of countering the perception that you're too good for it.

Re-read the job description

Just because you earned more and had more responsibility in the past doesn't mean you're overqualified for this job. If you meet or exceed every criterion, consider yourself highly qualified. On the other hand, if you don't meet all the requirements, you would be using a new technology you've never heard of, for example, you may actually be under-qualified.

Too many job seekers think, "If I can do this big thing, then surely I can do those smaller things." Maybe they can do them, but it will be a tougher sell.

Fine-tune your resume

A resume is not a document set in stone. You should always rewrite your resume to fit that particular job, and that may mean taking down the tone a notch and emphasizing exactly the skills needed in the new job. To tune your resume and cover letter, also consider the company culture and include relevant words, phrases, and technologies.

Don't lie about your history

It's true that some screeners go right to the salary in order to weed out the "too expensive" candidates. If you were an executive earning six figures, don't say you were a junior accountant earning $40K. Then again, unless you're filling out an online form that requires your salary history, a sin of omission just to get in the door is fine.

Experts recommend addressing salary in a cover letter or interview by giving a wide range of income you would consider, or by saying you assume the company will pay competitive salary for the job.

You want to steer the conversation to the tasks of the job and your history of longevity in other companies and away from dollar figures. If you can explain how previous lateral moves benefited you, that can diffuse their fear you'll be looking for a higher-paying job

Check your sense of entitlement at the door

Are you miffed at applying for a job "beneath" your abilities or ticked at defending a career that began when the interviewer was in diapers? Those attitudes won't do you any favors.
People read energy and attitude. One way to turn around your negative attitude and impress the interviewer at the same time, is to come prepared with incisive questions about the job duties and the company. Show you are in touch and engaged and understand their needs.

Clearly explain why the job will be good for you

"If you hire me now, I won't lose my house" may be true, but it won't impress an interviewer. Have good reasons why it would benefit you personally and professionally. If the position is in your area of passion, you can make the case that even though you had a management job, for example, you want to move away from management. If the job is a good career fit, the employer will be much more impressed.

Make circumstantial evidence work for you

Remember, the employer is looking for a good fit and that means cultural and personal fit in addition to hard skills. Do you have volunteer experience or community commitments that would interest a hiring manager at a "young, hip" company? Emphasize them.

Likewise, your network can speak volumes for your ability to fit in. But make sure those contacts are recent. Referrals from people who haven't seen you in 20 years could give the impression your most productive days are behind you.

What about the age issue?

Career coaches admit age discrimination exists, but it may not be as widespread as seasoned job seekers like to believe. An updated wardrobe, newer hairstyle, or current cultural references could hedge against ageism, or they could make you look silly. Experts agree that the best way to impress a hiring manager is showing how well you understand their immediate problem and how you're the solution. That's true for job seekers at any stage of their careers.

As we are all facing challenges of a tough economy many of us are feeling over worked, underpaid, and short staffed. Maybe you have already put your resume out (only) to be disappointed by little or no feedback. Working and living in a down economy is never fun. It's easy to get depressed and have negative feelings when you're tired from working long hours at decreased pay with limited resources and a reduced budget. You are not alone. Every time I turn on the television or read the newspaper there is talk of war, mortgage crisis, and layoffs. The conversations are heavy, often plagued with a story of a friend or loved one being laid off or having a hard time finding work. It's easy to be drawn into the negativity these days.

The good news is you are employed! Remember, the situation could be much worse. More than ever, forcing oneself into a positive state of mind with an optimistic view versus a pessimistic one is the key to surviving and appreciating how fortunate you are and how much worse things could be.

Some survival tips:

Stay focused on the positive!

Be thankful for your position, for your paycheck, the benefits, and the people. Embrace this work experience and it will provide you with the skills and experience you need to move on to a new more lucrative opportunity.

Dress it up; when you're feeling down put on something that you love, wear your hair differently, re-decorate your office or cubicle. If you do something to stimulate conversation, and personal interaction, you will start feeling more positive and increase your motivation and energy level.

Keep both feet planted, and don't check out of your current position. Long term, it could really affect how your colleagues view you and their perception if anyone were to inquire to them about your performance.

Set a goal; use this time to learn a new skill and take on a special project that will make you stand out.

Keep looking for new opportunities, but don't let it interfere with your current work responsibility. The key to a successful job search is timing and who you know. Don't be afraid to keep networking, but don't obsess over it.

Network: Rubbing elbows with folks within your industry will keep you on the radar and indirectly help in your job search. Your current employer may also benefit from the information you acquire, relationships, and participation. Plus, it gets you out of the office.

Understanding your frustrations is the first step to becoming in control of those things that contribute to your frustrations. Simply learning and determining what you can and cannot control can be very freeing.

If none of these tips help, the final key is to remember that you will not be stuck in this job forever.