What are the mistakes that job seekers make and how do they compare to the do’s and don’t you’ve been practicing? Check these out and you decide:

Smile. For some, that big bright toothy smile comes naturally. These job applicants use their pearly whites to send the message that they’re genuinely happy to be in your presence and you in theirs. As an interviewer you are easily drawn to their warm and expressive nature because they appear interested in what you’re saying, even if they don’t understand it. It’s not at all surprising that they get through to the next round. After all, what’s not to like?

For other applicants, smiling is an effort, an afterthought. If they smile it’s as forced as it is fleeting. They may be happy to see you but they’re not sending any signals that they’re feeling that way. In fact, they may not be willing to commit to how they feel about you until you prove yourself worthy.  If you’re like most interviewers, you’ll cut them out of the pack before they have a chance to decide.

If you’re among the smile-challenged, you can learn. You can practice. And when you do, put your teeth into it, even if they’re not as many in there as used to be. Smile. Show that you’re the kind of person who is comfortable in the company of few or many and that you want others to feel comfortable around you.

Resumes: If you’re not getting the response you believe your job history meritsand as a result you aren’t getting interviews, there are a few culprits that may be getting in your way. You may be…

Throwing in the kitchen sink, trying to present yourself as someone who’s all things to all people. Instead, focus your resume on what you do best and want to keep doing.

Too ambiguous, confusing the reader, making it hard to know what job you want because your objective is non- specific and your experiences varied. Specify and clarify.

Too technical and too narrow a focus, writing in jargon that only someone familiar with your area of specialization can understand and interpret.  Instead, use language that suggests the applicability of your knowledge and talent to other fields of endeavor.

Too understated by describing yourself in nondescript, uninteresting ways.

Instead, state your objective in goal specific terms, name the job you’re after and the strengths that make you the pick of the litter. Organize your work history so that it supports your objective. Highlight at least three significant accomplishments per job entry.

Cover letters provide you an opportunity to succinctly and enthusiastically sell yourself and demonstrate the personality that a formal resume won’t allow. Cover letters give the reader a greater understanding of your intentions; your strengths, the outcome you seek and the part the reader can play in making that happen.

Attitude. Want to kill an interview? Carry a chip on your shoulder and a scowl that says I’ve been burned before and I’m not going to let that happen again.  It may sound outrageous, that no self-respecting job seeker would do that, but many do, not because it’s what they intend but because something unresolved is stuck in their craw and shows itself at the most inopportune times. Got a bad attitude? Work it out, work it off, and let it go. It’s getting in the way of your enjoying a productive life.

Energy: If you look as though you can’t get up from the chair you’re slumped in, you don’t have it and I don’t know any hiring manager willing to take a chance that you’re going to find it.  Project upbeat, motivated, can do energy, and you’ll improve your chances of getting the job.