Dear SafetyXChange Members:

The rules of job searching have changed. I recently sat down with my colleagues, Tucker Mays and Bob Sloane, executive recruiters who have worked with literally hundreds of clients, recruiters and companies over the past decade. Tucker and Bob have learned what does and doesn't work in today's job market. You can typically expect a job search to last an average of 12 to 14 months. But according to Tucker and Bob, you can cut up to five months from your own job search if you follow certain rules.

The first of the new rules for job searching in the 21st century revolves around the résumé.

Rule 1: Don't Lead with Your Résumé

The résumé used to be the most important tool in a job search. In some ways it still is. But its use has changed.

The Problem

In the old days, recruiters and employers would check résumés for positives. Today, they're scanning the résumé for negatives they can use to disqualify the candidate.

From the candidate's perspective, this new dynamic significantly diminishes the value of the résumé. "In today's job market, the fit between a company's detailed job specifications and a candidate's skills and experience must be very close for most candidates to be even considered for a position," explains Bob.

Think about it. The basic rule is that a résumé should be no more than two pages. Longer résumés often end up directly in the circular file without getting a glance. But it's often impossible for a two-page résumé to do justice to all the skills and responsibilities a candidate has accumulated over the years. To make matters worse, every position calls for its own unique skill set.

And it gets worse. One of the old rules of résumés still does apply: You should never hide dates of employment or education. But including dates reveals a candidate's age. And, although age discrimination is illegal, sadly it remains a fact of life.

The Solution

Handing or sending out résumés to new contacts when you first engage them is no longer advisable. In the 21st century, job candidates should keep their résumés in their pockets for as long as possible.

Here's the alternative strategy Mays and Bob recommend. Lead with a positive letter written by you, or better yet, by somebody with credibility recommending you. That letter should describe your skills and what you can do to help the company. A phone or face-to-face conversation making the same points will also suffice. The letter or conversation will prepare the employer to read your résumé in a positive light. Then, only after the groundwork has been laid should you produce your résumé.

Conclusion

Next week, I'll continue the series with a look at how recruiters and networking have changed in the 21st century. Stay cool, everybody.

Wishing you career success,
Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet, www.execunet.com

DEADLIEST BRIDGE COLLAPSES IN U.S. HISTORY

By Glenn Demby.

1. Tampa, FL (1980)

During a storm on May 9, a ship hit the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and caused it to collapse. 35 people died in what remains America's most deadly bridge collapse.

2. Webbers Falls, OK (2002)

This incident also took place in May. A 500-foot section of a bridge over the Arkansas River collapsed after the bridge was struck by a barge, killing 14. Investigators found that the 61-year-old operator of the bridge, who suffered from a heart condition, lost consciousness while steering the vessel toward the bridge.

3. Amsterdam, NY (1987)

Ten people died in April when a bridge on the New York State Thruway gave way.

4. South Padre Island, TX (2001)

In September, the captain of a tow boat lost control of the string of barges he was leading through a channel. The currents drove the vessels into one of the supports of a bridge across the Queen Isabella Causeway. Eight people died when their vehicles plunged 85 feet into the channel.

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