Expert tips

And another thing...

We asked all our experts for one final piece of advice to job seekers.

Ashby: Don’t try to be too clever. Don’t pretend to be somebody you’re not and, especially, don’t try to hide things. People think they will get away with it it, but the world is actually quite small. Never leave out early career experience as a way to hide your age. If you finished school in 1967, I can figure out how old you are today.

Brady: Ask the interviewer questions. Prepare. Practise. Participate. If you are offered something to drink during an interview, ask for a glass of water. Then you can take a sip when you need a minute to think.

Lambert: Be polite and professional in your follow-up. Don’t whine about the employer not getting back to you. Be positive about your search, and please be patient.

Marriott: There’s never a perfect person for a job. There’s nobody who’s got all of the things a firm is looking for. So send in your application! I intensely dislike letters that have clearly been mass-produced on a computer and not even signed.

Roestorff: Have self-respect. Never beg for a job and don’t lie about your strengths. But, on the other hand, don’t sell yourself short. Keep your job applications confidential. You never know who you are talking to in the bar — it might be someone from the company you have applied to.

Sup: I really do like to know what your hobbies and interests are — that tells me if you have a well-rounded life and if you take care of yourself. As a manager, I’m always looking for suitable candidates at conferences and seminars.

The experts:

• Allison Ashby, director of Ashby Molitor Executive, recruitment services specializing in top-level management. Adelaide, Australia.
  
  
• Emma Brady, manager at Euro London Germany, recruitment services for multilingual candidates. Frankfurt/Munich.
  
  
• Barbara Lambert, deputy director at Baruch College Career Development Center, City University of New York.
  
  
• Derek Marriott, director of Marriott Howard Publicity, advertising agency. Ipswich, England.
  
  
• Estelle Roestorff, branch manager at Drake International, recruitment services. Cape Town, South Africa.

Business Spotlight 6/2006, Carol Scheunemann

Additional reporting by Jennifer Crocker, Julian Earwaker and Mary Beth Maslowski