What you need to update your spring work wardrobe

What you need to update your spring work wardrobeWhat you need to update your spring work wardrobeWe gathered some of the seasons hottest (and most accessible) trends and ways to update your work or interview style to look seasonal, fresh and always profesh*.Detailed sleeves Right now the key trend is about unique details and touches especially on the sleeves of otherwise conservative blouses and dresses. These details can take a classic polished look and make them more experimental, current and fun says Jessica Dvorett, VP Merchandising at online clothing subscription service Gwynnie Bee. If you find yourself unable to fully commit to the trend, you can try it on for size and see how your colleagues react before splurging for some new tops.Fresh ties and short sleeve button downs Fortunately for the fashion-forward male, a professional work wardrobe doesnt remain trapped in the Mad Men era. Personal stylist Vanessa Valiente said, For men, I recommend adding some fresh ties and a tie bar to update your work wardrobe. If your work environment is edgier or more casual, Valiente says its fine to add a crisp printed short sleeve button front shirt to tuck into your chinos.Comfort to cocktails For women in the workplace, theres also the idea of navigating the work to after-work life and keeping things both professional before segueing to dressier. No one wants to tote a complete change of accessories to the office so its best to have a work wardrobe that translates seamlessly into cocktail attire according to Nina Miner, Chief Creative Officer of Nina. Her answer to that conundrum? When you want comfort at the office, but also want it to look like you put in a little effort when socializing at happy hour the answer is pretty simple chic but comfortable day-to-night shoes. Kitten heels are huge again for the spring season and the perfect addition for a womans work wardrobe. Miner also suggests keeping a seasonally appropriate metallic clutch in your work tote and your look is transformed from daytime office to off-duty professional.Re-think your wardrobe beyond seasons As you grow in your career, you may find yourself reconsidering your wardrobe, Dvorett said. As I transitioned from more corporate offices of established fashion brands to a startup environment my daily uniform of black and navy blazers no longer felt appropriate. Dvorett now wears colorful, trendy pieces and has a lot more fun with what she wears with the saatkorn clothing budget. For women in creative careers, Valiente says you can dive into a suit with ankle length pants in a color like pink, red or baby blue.Dont worry about screwing up. Dvorett says There is such variation in workplace dress codes today that it is difficult to define a universal look. However, looking well put together in well-fitting clothing and likely clothing that is a bit more polished than the day-to-day dress code is still recommended.Cant afford a full spring makeover? Here are some ways to look u p to date without breaking the bankGo for the separates I find a great pair of jeans to be essential, and most work dress codes allow jeans these days said Melissa R. Birge, Founder and CEO of Mia Tango. Grab a pair you love and find three tops to wear with them for some versatile office looks. And while youre at it think about how you can wear the tops for different occasions.Accessorize You can pretty much rework anything from seasons past if you add on-trend accessories. If you have to pick only one item to splurge on this season, For both men and women, its an investment bag or briefcase, says Karen Giberson, President of the Accessories Council. Its the piece you will use the most and it makes a solid first impression. And dont worry, Giberson says It doesnt have to be expensive (but it could be) it should be functional, stylish and organized. If one works in a more casual environment, even a little sporty or trendy works. On a dollars per use basis- this is the place where you ll get the most return on fashion investment.Sneaky updatesYou can update old shoes with these brilliant shoe add-ons by Shoe CandyMake an old t-shirt look brand new with Necklettes which attach through the clever use of magnetsCustomize your bag or briefcase so its one of a kind and a conversation starterUpdate last springs suit with these amazing lapel pins/flowers by Laudi Vidni* I went for the cheesy rhyme. Forgive me, it (probably) wont happen again.

Lease Accounting Trends in Des Moines

Lease Accounting Trends in Des MoinesLease Accounting Trends in Des Moines LEASE ACCOUNTING TRENDS IN DES MOINESHas your company begun the transition to the new lease accounting standard?Des MoinesU.S.Yes57%44%No43%56%Finance leaders who reported their company has begun the transition also were asked As part of that transition, have you begun the diagnostic work necessary to determine the level of effort which wil be required for you to be ready to adopt the new standard?Des MoinesU.S.Yes, already completed37%48%Yes, started but not completed25%51%No, havent started38%1%Have you completed the following?Des MoinesU.S.Identified team members and responsibilities for completing the transition to a new standard47%61%Made an inventory of, and prioritized, any systems changes which might be required11%51%Developed a project plan to address all gaps emanating from the diagnostic work5%49%Identified, at a high level, the magnitude and type of the lease inventory (e.g., property, equipment)5% 49%Written new accounting policies43%47%Written new accounting procedures5%43%Investigated any lease or property management systems which will facilitate adoption7%42%What is the fruchtwein challenging aspect of the transition to the new standard?Des MoinesU.S.1.Managing change1.Training staff2.Identifying, inventorying and categorizing companys leases2.Diagnosing the needed changes3.Training staff3.Finding professionals with the requisite expertiseFor your company, which new accounting standard has been more challenging to adopt?Des MoinesU.S.Revenue recognition85%71%Lease accounting15%29%How much of the processes and learnings from transitioning to the new revenue recognition standard have you been able to apply to adopting the new lease accounting standard?Des MoinesU.S.Most of them30%29%Some of them46%54%Almost none of them24%17%Source Robert Half and Protiviti survey of more than 2,000 finance leaders in the United States, including 100 in Des MoinesTotal may not equal 100 perc ent due to rounding.

Guide to Becoming a Paralegal (Legal Assistant)

Guide to Becoming a Paralegal (Legal Assistant)Guide to Becoming a Paralegal (Legal Assistant)

6 Times Outsourcing Your (Annoying) Tasks Might Actually Be Worth It

6 Times Outsourcing Your (Annoying) Tasks Might Actually Be Worth It6 Times Outsourcing Your (Annoying) Tasks Might Actually Be Worth ItDont have time to hang your new shelves? Tzu sichesan appfor that. Hate waiting in line to ship a package? Theresan appfor that, too. Too tired to grocery shop? There are many, many companies- fromBlue ApronandHelloFreshto vegan tafelgeschirrThe Purple Carrot and, one day soon,Amazon- that can take that burden off your, um, plate.These days, you can offload just about any onerous household chore- evenscooping your pets poop- for a price. And thats the keyword. Because while its nice to have someone else iron your shirts and clean your house, youcoulddo it yourself for free, just by investing a little effort and elbow grease.At the same time, it can feel so good to pass off a dreaded task or two, which begs a vexing question How do you know when it pays to outsource versus when you should roll up your sleeves and complete the work yourself? Here are s ix questions to ask yourself to find out.1. Can You Afford It?It seems obvious, but it can be all too easy to get into the habit of having your dinner delivered- until you suddenly discover the added expense has blown your budget and you have to eat ramen until pay day. So before you offload months worth of chores, make sure you can comfortably afford it. (Seriously. Dont pass go- or ask yourself the next five questions- until youre sure its feasible.)It may not be the most fun hour youve ever spent, but before you outsource, abflug by creating a budget, says financial advisor Kaleb McCarty, founder and CEO of Elite Wealth Advisors in Sarasota, Fla. If you have enough to cover outsourcing some tasks, go for it. But be sure to prioritize the duties that take most of your time and energy, and outsource them first, he says.In other words, if you dont mind cooking but cant stand cleaning, thats an easy trade-off. While youre thinking about it, you might also realize that making certain sacrifices are worth it in order to afford outsourcing other jobs. (Youd be surprised how much tastier home-brewed coffee becomes when it means you dont have to walk your dog in the rain.)2. Does it Cost Less Than What You Earn Doing Something Else?Its a simple equation If you pay a maid service to clean your house for $15 an hour so that you have mora time to work on your side gig, through which you can earn up to $50 an hour, thats a clear win.Thats the math Dan Henry, a 30-something marketer in Tampa, Florida, considered when he came up with a new rule Anytime he needs to travel farther than a few miles down the road, he hires a driver. I can spend that time working on my ad campaigns or on my book, he says. The value of what I get done in that time far exceeds what I pay the driver.Similarly, Angela Robinson, 31, a COO in Los Angeles, California, knows she earns significantly more in one hour at her day job than it costs to outsource her most-hated chores, which made the choice easy. Plus, she says, I love my job, so Id rather do that than cook or do laundry.3. Would Outsourcing Increase the Quality of Your Free Time?The thought of spending two hours redundantly sweeping the floor or scrubbing my sink is misery to me, says Matthew Mercuri, 26, a digital marketing manager in Montreal, Canada, who says he gets a major psychological and emotional benefit from outsourcing his cleaning.Turns out, hes onto something Research has found that buying yourself more free time is one of thehappiest ways to spend your money.We tend to undervalue our mental health and sanity, says time-management expert Laura Vanderkam, author of I Know How She Does It How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time. Its not always easy to quantify, she says, but if, for example, you hate driving around on weekends, it might be worth paying the express shipping charges for something you need quickly- even if the time versus money calculation isnt a slam dunk. You can make more money. Yo u cannot make more time, Vanderkam points out.4. Does Your Inexperience Mean a Pro Could Complete the Task in Less Time or for Less Money?Many of us have wasted hours pretending to be handymen, only to have to call in the professionals, anyway- burning both timeandmoney in the process. Thats exactly what happened to Robinson.Last fall, she was skimming online forums to figure out why her laptop was lethargic, when someone suggested cleaning the fan to allow more ventilation. So she flipped over her computer, saw a bunch of screws and thought, How hard can it be? After watching instructional videos for three hours, she took the laptop apart and put it back together again- and it wouldnt boot up.In addition to having to buy a new laptop, she also had to hire someone to transfer all her data. This was an expensive headache- about $850- that I could have avoided had I just outsourced my computer maintenance to a professional Robinson says.Vanderkam says this is a classic example of when outsourcing pays. There are many things we can doin theory, but will probably go badly. The time it would take to learn to do it well would not be well-invested, as you wont have to do this particular task too many times in your life, she says. For example, you could certainly plan your own wedding, but if youre tight on time and know youll only get married once (you hope), it might be worth it to hire a professional who has planned 100.Bonus Aside from allowing the pros to get the job done right in less time, in some cases- like with a wedding or party planner- a connected expert can help you snag vendor deals you wouldnt have access to otherwise.5. Do You Have to Invest in Extra Supplies to Accomplish It?Any project that requires a specific tool- from a level for hanging shelves to chafing dishes for keeping your appetizers warm- could be cheaper to outsource. In fact, thats a chief selling point for menu delivery services You no longer have to buy a whole bottle of an obscure, e xpensive spice that youll only use once.You can also extend this logic to ready-made items in the supermarket, says professional organizer Barbara Reich ofResourceful Consultants. She says many times, youll find its cheaper to purchase the pre-mixed salad than to buy the seven ingredients youd need to make it yourself.6. Can You Easily Explain it to Someone Else?If youre the type who really wants to squeeze every mango to ensure its perfectly ripe, then having someone grab your groceries is probably not for you.There are lots of things that I probably could outsource, but I know it will take me more time to explain it- and its just easier to do it myself, says Reich. For example, she says she is so efficient at managing her calendar that it makes no sense to ask a virtual assistant to help. When its something you really want control of, it can be too hard to let it go and the time you spend supervising or redoing it isnt worth it.Good candidates for projects to outsource are either large-scale one-offs- like a 30th birthday party that you can broadly outline, then let a party planner work her magic- or routine tasks, like invoicing, that someone can repeat regularly once they get the hang of it.

How to Create an Effective Candidate Evaluation Process Robert Half

How to Create an Effective Candidate Evaluation frcess Robert HalfHow to Create an Effective Candidate Evaluation Process Robert HalfYour candidate outreach has netted some very strong resumes. As you begin the evaluation process, remember that the most skilled candidates are likely to be in the running for positions with other companies. Your goal shouldnt be to simply cut the time you spend on the evaluation process, but instead to make sure that its most time-consuming aspects, such as interviews, are expended only on the best candidates. The more quickly you reach the strongest professionals for the job, the greater your ability to add productive members to your team.The important thing for small businesses is to have a candidate evaluation action plan in place before resumes begin to arrive.Following are some general guidelines for your evaluation process.1. Develop an evaluation system that moves top candidates along quicklyExpedite getting in-demand candidates in for interview s and introductions to key members of your team. If you and your team are impressed by their evident fit for the position, and their references are solid, move toward making an offer they cant refuse.2. Fine-tune your measurement toolsThe evaluation process should include a set of specific criteria to use as the basis for your decisions. Otherwise, you run the risk of making decisions based on factors that may have no bearing on the work skills and personality you need for the position.Pro tip If you havent considered the following four questions, youre not ready to start the applicant evaluation process.What are the prerequisites? These should track with the qualifications listed in the job description, assuming the description is targeted and carefully thought out.What are the special requirements? Think of the unique qualifications your company needs for the position, such as certifications or special education. If you own a public accounting firm, for example, you would most lik ely consider only applicants with a valid CPA credential.Which attributes are critical? What experience and skill set are necessary to be a top performer in this particular position? If your business depends on telemarketing, for instance, some people will be better than others at engaging the interest of the people they call.What about attitude? What type of demeanor is needed for the role in order for the new employee to be most effective? One example might be their ability to not let repeated ausverkauf rejections wear down their stamina. Identify those attributes that you feel will produce superior performance in functions critical to your small businesss competitive strength and look for these attributes in prospective employees.REQUEST TALENT3. Narrow the list of applicants Heres a basic overview of the evaluation process when reviewing resumes and considering top candidatesScan resumes first for basic qualifications. If you do a good job of communicating the jobs qualificatio ns to your recruiter or in your posting, you shouldnt get too many responses from unqualified candidates. For example, if youre seeking to hire a medical technician who will be working on equipment that requires a license, eliminate applicants without this license.Look for more specific criteria. After you eliminate unqualified candidates, focus on more specific hiring criteria, such as strong organizational skills, supervisory experience or a good driving record. The more detailed candidates are in their descriptions of their responsibilities and accomplishments in previous jobs, the more reliable (as a rule) the information is.Consider career trajectory. The applicants work history should show a steady progression into greater responsibility and more important positions. But dont go by job titles alone look at what the candidate actually did and what skills she acquired. Assess how important the work welches to the company involved.Identify top candidates. At this point, you proba bly want to separate the wheat from the chaff, which means establishing a separate file for each of the applicants who pass the initial evaluation.Narrow your list further. Your next move depends on how many applicants remain. If you have only a few, you may want to invite them all to come in for an interview. If you have more applicants than you can handle, consider adding yet another evaluating tool. Many hiring managers find that a phone conversation is very helpful at this stage.Consider an aptitude test. If used correctly and in the right situations, a pre-employment test can help you evaluate job candidates objectively for basic skills (such as software proficiency), assess acquired knowledge and qualifications, and gauge aptitude for certain jobs. Tags

Most Noticeable Resume Buzzwords

Most Noticeable Resume Buzzwords Resume Buzzwords - the Story Because theres absolutely no 1 list including all the keywords for each position. Action words ought to be used to spell out the way in which you carried out your duties and to boost the achievement youre mentioning. They are used to describe your impact in previous roles. Unless you are in possession of a great reason to broaden your variety, the below success verbs can titelseite most bullets you are able to think about. Steer clear of repetition, and just utilize words that you understand. In case the word isnt relevant, it isnt needed. For this reason, you wish to use actionable words. When theres something which you think is essential for a possible employer to understand, save that explanation for your cover letter You may show in a particular way how youve managed to earn a particular situation better you arent just stating the situations youve done, but youre utilizing an action word that implies youve mad e them better. Not all words are here for the very long term, needless to say, and a few are plain ridiculous, but if you would like to remain at the forefront of the buzz, there are some you definitely will need to understand. The key point to understand is you need tont pick words you believe you have to use and then fit them into your resume. Resume Buzzwords Ideas Creating a strong entrance also entails demonstrating your commitment to the undertaking. Your aim is to make your achievements stand out so that your upcoming employer or hiring manger can easily locate them. Be sure that your resume is up-to-date. Get the Scoop on Resume Buzzwords Before Youre Too Late There are other resume buzzwords which you should avoid, obviously. Broadly speaking, you wish to choose buzzwords sparingly. Its also important to stay informed about out-of-date buzzwords. Many buzzwords continue being important regardless of when you revamp your resume to submit an application for a job. Keeping updated with the hottest buzzwords can be a little bit of a headache. A good example might be the buzzword creative. To begin with, buzzword have to be utilised to outstand your resume from the mass. Politics is a standard problematic topic that springs to mind, but I would likewise refrain from mentioning in your resume you may shotgun a beer in under 30 seconds. Communication skills are important for just about any position. Recruiters want to find specialists who can say they know stuff well. They are more interested in those that will make positive changes in their organisation. Resumes are tough to make, particularly in regards to describing your abilities and experiences. Using keywords in resumes is only the startyou will locate them used throughout the work search procedure and throughout your upcoming career. The keywords in your resume can help you get selected for a work interview. The following advice will assist you in finding success during the job hunt . You dont want to go for generic terms in a resume. You know you are in need of a great resume when you submit an application for a new job, whether youre searching for part-time work or seeking a high-level position. Finding out how to highlight your most attractive abilities for the particular needs of someone client is an invaluable skill, and one of the most common parts of advice I give to freelancers who want to begin a business of their own. Definitions of Resume Buzzwords Next, if youre in a position to achieve your prospective client quickly after theyve posted their request for aid, youll significantly boost your likelihood of landing the job. Again, experience is something which happens to younot what you achieve. There are only a few jobs which dont involve working with somebody else. Because your resume is most likely the very first time Im seeing your design abilities.

Don#8217;t Build Your Future on For-Profit College Degrees

Don8217t Build Yur Future on For-Profit College Degrees A new report shows there is little, if any, added value to obtain a for-profit college degree. Workers looking to advance their careers through education might be better off sticking to non-profit public higher education outlets. Thats the finding of a working paper from the National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research. (Fortunately its blessed with the acronym CALDER.) The center, a compendium of universities, tracks student learning on an annual basis.The researchers from the University of Missouri and RAND sent almost 9,000 fictitious resumes of young job applicants who recently completed their schooling to online job postings in six occupational categories and tracked employer callback rates. They found no evidence that employers prefer applicants with resumes listing a for-profit college relative to those whose resumes list either a community college or no college at all.As the Wall Street Journal reports, That may be unwelcome news for operators of for-profit colleges, which generally charge higher tuition than similar programs at community colleges do. For-profit schools are already under scrutiny, given their dramatic enrollment growth over the past decade, and the high debt loads their graduates carry.The report targets resumes that list for-profit and public-community-colleges because, based on CALDERs research, for-profit colleges award a sizable share roughly one third of sub-baccalaureate certificates and degrees in the United States.Bluntly, the report states, Our experiment does not reveal any evidence to suggest that resumes listing for-profit colleges are more likely to garner interest from employers relative to resumes that list public community. It adds, In fact, while not statistically significant, our point estimates indicate that applicants who attend for-profit college s receive less interest from employers than do applicants who attend public community colleges.This finding holds when we pool across educational attainment levels as well as when we allow the for-profit effect to vary by attainment level. We also find little evidence of a benefit to listing a for-profit college relative to no college at all our point estimates for this comparison are close to zero and inconsistent in sign. The estimated effects of listing a public community college relative to no college are also statistically insignificant.This about sums up what a for-profit degree means to your career advancement the research indicates that the labor market payoff to attending a for-profit college may be limited, especially in comparison to the much-cheaper community college alternative.The Wall Street Journal article observes, The authors do note a caveat to their study They only tracked employers initial responses to applications, and differences that would only come out in, say, late-round interviews were not accounted for here. However, they say, other researchhas found limited labor-market benefits from for-profit college education.Another caveat worth noting is the types of jobs applied for as part of the research. The authors note, One practical issue was that job advertisements were more abundant in some fields than others. Openings for which our applicants were reasonably qualified were more common in administrative assisting, customer service, medical billing/office and sales. The number of suitable advertisements in information technology and medical assisting was lower.That latter point demonstrates a potential argument against for-profit colleges as well. They may be training students for positions not abundant enough to justify a higher cost of education. That fact is compelling federal regulators to explore the issue of post-graduation employment vs. loans secured for payment. The lucrative source of income (guaranteed student loans) could dry up for the for-profit colleges if it is determined an insufficient number of students are finding work in the field they paid high prices to study.

How Long Should a Resume Be The Resume 2019 Guide to Pages on Resume

How Long Should a Resume Be The Resume 2019 Guide to Pages on ResumeHow Long Should a Resume Be The Resume 2019 Guide to Pages on ResumeHow Long Should a Resume Be? The Resume 2019 Guide to Length of ResumeHow long should a resume be?This topic has been a matter of intense debate lately. Many believe that its bedrngnis the length of resume but the depth that matters.But that doesnt help, does it? We cant help but return to the previous question. How many pages should a resume be?On the contrary, many people believe that mora the number of pages in a resume, better the chances of getting shortlisted.Is that true?We wont be lying if we say that the most happening question across the resume industry is How long should a resume be?Some say 1 page, others say 2 or 3, or even mora. Some people even go to the extent of saying that a resume length has no limit when it comes to the number of pages in a resume.Remember, were in a fast-paced world where your typical recruiter has to peruse thro ugh hundreds of resumes on a daily basis. You are fooling yourself if you think that a recruiter will scan your 10-pager resume with the saatkorn gusto as a 1-pager resume.Weve seen countless people struggle with their length of resume. College students have difficulties in extending their rseume to a full 1 pager 20+ years experienced project managers cant trim their 10+ pages of resume length down to 2 for saving their lives.So is there a consensus on how long should a resume be?The experts at Hiration are up-to-date with the latest hiring trends across various industries. We understand the trouble people go through when it comes to the right length of resume.Accordingly, our designers burnt the midnight oil to provide you with stellar 20+ premium resume designs and resume templates. These resume designs are tailored to industry trends.moraover, with a state-of-the-art spacing feature in the online resume builder - which allows you to uniformly increase or decrease section spacing across the entire document - say farewell to all your 2019 resume length troublesHow long should my resume be? - If you are still looking for an answer to this question, youre in the right place. This 2019 Resume Length Guide will broadly cover the following topicsIdeally, the 2019 resume length depends on your work experience.For freshers and people with less than 10 years of experience, its better to go for a 1 pager resume. In case of diverse experience, you can extend it to 2 pages, but definitely elend mora than that.With experience over 10 years, your resume should ideally fit 2 pages, but definitely notlage more than that.The resume needs to be crisp and expressive at the same time to make an impression on the recruiter. However, do not leave any amount of white space in your resume.We know that adding content while keeping it simple could be difficult.Why Is There an Ideal Resume Length?How far back should your resume go? If you have 20-30 (or more) years of professional ex perience, you want to have it all, dont you?What your resume should look like in 2019 depends on, well, whether or not you want a job. How far back to go on resume will depend on the number of years of relevant experience, and your target profile.Chris, one of our users, asked us How far back should my resume go? He had 15 years of professional experience in total, with 7+ years of relevant experience. He had listed all his profiles, and his resume was exceeding 10 pages when he first came to us.People like Chris have trouble understanding the concept of an ideal resume length. They forget that a resume is a career marketing tool, not an autobiography. They are under the impression that a 10+ page resume length will impress the recruiter.They couldnt be farther from the truth.All your Resume 2019 troubles can be resolved if you just place yourself in the recruiters shoes. If there are a hundred people like you who are applying for the same job (a very conservative estimate), and if everyone is armed with a resume length of 10+ pages, what do you think will happen to the recruiter?Hell jump off a cliff. Again, a very conservative estimate.With an insane rise in the number of applicants across all categories of jobs, a 10-pager (or a 4-5 pager resume for that matter) does not make sense. If you have to spend all your energy in bringing down your achievements from 10 pages to 5, and if you are still not able to express your role or contribution...well then something is wrong somewhere, isnt it?The key is, how to make a crisp resume while ensuring that everything worthwhile is retained? Continue with our 2019 Resume Length Guide to find out how.How Many Pages Should A Resume Be?Lets return to our original question. How how long should a resume be?Times are a-changing. We have moved from newspapers to Twitter. Character limits are important in order to prevent an implosion of information.Here are the key pointsWork ExperienceLength= 10 years1 page 10 years2 pagesSo what if you have hundreds of accomplishments that cant be boiled down? What if youre an IT Project Manager with dozens of projects across your career till date? In this case, how long is a resume?Hiration Protip You can create an Annexure section in case you exceed 2 pages. Annexure can contain all your projects and miscellaneous achievements that cant be grouped under any other section. An Annexure section can stretch to 3-4 pages as well (in addition to a 2-pager resume), and you have the option of sending the annexure separately in case the recruiter asks for the same.A lot depends on the country youre targeting as well. In the US for instance, corporates meticulously follow the above mentioned guideline for length of resume. But in the Mideast for instance, or for industries like shipping and logistics, a resume can go beyond 2 pages as well.Make sure you go through the resume length guidelines for the country and industry of your preference before you decide how long should yo ur resume be.Why is Length of Resume Important?How many pages should a resume be?Why is this question around length of resume so critical?Make sure your resume is concise by focussing only on your quantifiable achievements. You can refrain from including previous profiles if they are not in alignment with your target profile.Heres why resume length mattersIf you are a sales manager,who has worked with key stakeholders,executed several projects, andregistered impressive bottomlines,you should be able to say all this in a single page.If you cant express it in a single page, you cant do it in 3+ pages either.More wow, less words.Every word in your resume should market your credentials and showcase the value you can deliver to the potential employer.However, at the same time, its better to leave some scope for the interview.Its common in most organizations and companies to scan hundreds (if not thousands) of applications for processing one vacancy.Since your resume is going to be just o ne application in the ocean of resumes, know that the recruiter wont scan your resume for more than six seconds. That alone is enough for the recruiter to gauge whether you belong in the reject pile, maybe or hell yeah.If you are shortlisted for an interview, your resume is anyway going to get a more thorough check. Hence, its important to factor in that scenario as well and ensure that your most impactful points are visible to the reader.So, now for the main question.How Long Should A Resume Be?Does it make sense to trim your resume to 2 pages but also cram those 2 pages to such an extent that a recruiter cant make head or tail of it?Your resume should be crisp while still communicating your worth to the recruiter. For most of the applicants out there, it translates to a one-pager resume. This principle is valid for all the professionals with less than 10 years of experience.A resume should be 1 page in most conventional cases, can extend to 2 pages in some cases (where the total p rofessional experience is 10+ years, where there are lots of projects, etc.), but rarely should it reach the third page. If it can be proved that you are suitable enough for the job in one page alone, do that.But if your list of achievements is extensive, go for 2 (or 3) pages, but make sure those additional pages are adding all the value that they can.If a recruiter is going through 3 pages of your contributions, and s/he gets the feeling that the resume couldve been wrapped up in 2 pages (or worse, 1), youre done.You know that a resume can be one page or two. But what about a 3 pager resume - is it too long? What happens if its a 4-pager resume?The key lies in tailoring your resume to the preferred profile of your choice. Customizing your contribution and achievements as per the requirements of the recruiter is how you prove you are fit for the job. If you are able to pull it off in one page, by all means go ahead. But if you think that a single pager resume is not justifying your achievements, and that theres scope for more, utilize the second page.Just remember that whatever resume length you go for, your resume reaches the entirety of the page.Hiration Protip A resume is either 1 pages or 2. bedrngnis 1.5 or 1.75. If you are reaching the second page, make sure you reach the entirety of the second page.How Far Back Should A Resume Go?If theres a vacancy that requires a lot of experience, a resume can go further back in such cases. If the job description itself clearly states that an experience of 3-5 years is required, dont go overboard and dump your 20 years of professional trajectory.Based on our internal findings and external research, we came to the conclusion that professionals who are overqualified will have a harder time getting recruited. In either case, make sure you are only including relevant experience.How Long Should A Resume Be - Freshers Entry-level ProfessionalsIf you are a college student, how long should a resume be? Unless you created a nuclear reactor in your basement or decoded the human genome, use a one pager resume.In case you you have an extensive list of extra-curricular achievements and projects that you completed in your career till date, and if those achievements can broadly be interpreted along the lines of your target profile, you can go ahead and utilize the second page of your resume.If and when you do, the only thing to keep in mind is that the recruiter shouldnt feel that reading the second page was a waste of their time. The additional page should add concrete value.Is the thought of preparing your entire resume from scratch overwhelming you to the bones? Fret no more ur online resume builder comes with pre-filled content resume templates to help you get started with your resume in no timeNeed a resume not exceeding one page thats also tailored to your preferred job profile?Check out our online resume builder nowHow Far Back Should A Resume Go For FreshersA one pager resume is the industry norm fo r most fresh graduates and entry-level professionals, but it might not be the case across all the instances.Irrespective of geographic presence or industry/domain of interest, most college students are advised to make teir resume of one page by their career placement centers. According to noted resume writer Sharon Pierce Williams, who specializes in servicing college students, many career offices across the globe dictate that a fresher resume need not exceed one page.According to her, college students fall in a group which should always strive to maintain a one-pager resume. The reason for that is because of lack of relevant work experience, it becomes difficult to justify a resume exceeding two pages.However, if you are a fresh college graduate who is armed with an extensive list of relevant internships, summer/part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, etc., you can opt for a 2 pager resume as well.The idea remains that if you are utilizing the second page in your resume, it sho uld contain substantial information that should convince the recruiter that the second page was necessary.To conclude, if you are an entry-level professional, a 2-pager resume is justified only if you have enough experience and extracurricular achievements to justify the same. Dont go for ample sectional spacing and needlessly extend your fresher resume to 2 pages if 1 page can hold the same volume of information.A 2-pager resume for a college fresher indicates that the applicant is a go-getter who has accomplished a lot in a short span of time. Which means that you shouldnt let the second page go a waste.Another approach to tackling a fresher resume is to go for a conventional one-pager resume detailing your education and key modules, while going for another section along the lines of Project Management or Non Profit Leadership in the second page.This second page can include all the projects which were completed during college, and which delivered an impact in the community.If you are an entry level professional, or if you just graduated, and you wish to go for a 2-pager resume, make sure you have enough relevant information to substantiate a second page.How Far Back Should A Resume Go for Mid/Senior-level Professionals?For a vast majority of applicants and job seekers out there, a two-pager resume is the ideal way to go.According to Darlene Nason - coach, speaker and trainer - it becomes extremely difficult for a professional who has an experience of 10+ years to limit their resume to a one pager.A two-pager resume is good enough. How far back should a resume go depends on your target profile. If youve been in the same role since the beginning and are targeting something similar, you can skip your most initial profiles.Lets say you were in development for 5 years and switched to project management for 3 years. In case you wish to return to development, you can gloss over your PM experience - or better still, emphasise upon the development aspect during your PM tenure - and focus more on your development-based achievements.Many people fear interviews, but you dont get a chance to appear for one if your resume is not up to the mark. If your resume is not showcasing significant qualifications, or is not able to convince the recruiter, you dont get a shot at the interview, period.Lets consider the scenario where your resume is extending to two pages. For the HR, this barely translates to a few more seconds, maybe 30 additional seconds on your resume if you are extremely lucky. But think from the perspective of the HR. Its beneficial for them to spend those additional 30 seconds than call a candidate with questionable credentials for a personal interaction session.**Add Enclosure for Additional InformationYou also have the option of adding an Annexure section to your resume without impacting the overall length of your resume.This trend has been on the upswing for quite a while now. Most mid/senior-level executives, project managers, develop ers, etc. opt for a crisp 1/2 pager resume and reserve a separate Annexures section for all their projects and additional information. This Annexures section can go along with your 1/2-pager resume, or it can be sent separately at the request of the recruiter.The Annexures section can be an innovative way to showcase your additional projects, presentations, publications, awards, etc.Hiration Priotip It helps if you create a Master Annexure section for your own use and customize the same depending on the profile you are targeting. This might mean that you are sending off only your resume in some cases, or only picking out key points from the Master Annexure section as per your target profile.Is there a consensus on how long should a resume be?Many people feel that a one pager resume is too short. At the same time, there seems to be no universal consensus when it comes to how long should a resume be.Conventional opinion dictates that two pages is the ideal length of resume.Many people are willing to extend the maximum resume length to 3 pagesIf your resume is more than 2 pages, your ability to prioritize is put under the scannerThe basic idea remains the same. If your resume is extending to two pages, each and every point should justify the usage of the second page.Another trend which impacted the question of resume length is the transition from scanning print outs of resumes to browsing through them on a screen. Because of this, opinions of many recruiters seems to not stay constant when it comes to how long should a resume be.Resumes that would have been flagged in the era of print are now deemed to be acceptable in the digital age.Providing necessary details Page LengthWhen people ask How many pages should a resume be?, our next response is to elicit a comprehensive resume from their end.Recruiters would actually prefer a 3 pager resume if it showcases all the qualifications and experiences required for the preferred profile, instead of a 2 pager resume that was trimmed down but lacks the necessary impact.As long as the points in your resume are accurate, verifiable and pertinent, resume length as a factor takes a backseat. Lets say you have an experience of 20+ years and your entire professional trajectory comprises points which are squarely targeting the preferred profile of your choice. In that case, by all means, go ahead and list out all the relevant points, even if the resume ends up exceeding 2 pages.To conclude, how long should a resume be? Conventional industry standards dictate that the ideal resume length should not exceed 3 pages - the maximum limit is 3 pages. Lets say you are a Project Manager with dozens of projects that you dont want to exclude from your resume, trim down your resume to 2 pages and create a separate Annexures section containing all your projects.Capture attention in the first pageIrrespective of the length of resume, it is important to have absolute conviction that the interest of the recruiter is captu red in the first few sections. Given that recruiters will only scan your resume for 6 seconds in the first round of screening, you dont have any other option.The length of resume and resume formatting are two key factors for consideration when it comes to grabbing the recruiters attention. Like we previously stated, it does not make sense to limit your resume to 2 pages if those 2 pages have been crammed with information.As per the findings of the 2011 Global Career Brainstorming Day, another factor in addition to length of resume which is of equal (if not more) importance isconcise resume pointscrisp paragraphstargeted list of bullet pointersresume format which makes skimming through the resume a breezeIts of critical importance that you deploy trend-based resume templates and resume format methodologies for emphasising more upon the relevant points/sections. The first half of your resumes first page is of utmost significance. If you are able to deliver the maximum impact in the fi rst few sections, you have already captured the recruiters attention and overshadowed a majority of your competition out there.Leave no white spacesA very common practice that we see across a majority of resumes out there is that in cases where the resume extends to the second or third page by a few lines, people leave it at that.A resume is either a 1 pager or 2 - not 1.25 or 1.75. If your resume is breaching that limit by a few lines, the rest of the page is just white space - something which is not favourably looked upon by recruiters.Always make sure that if thats the case, you trim down a few points to make sure that your resume reaches the entirety of the page and leaves no white space whatsoever.The reverse of that is true as well. You are not supposed to add irrelevant and superfluous text just because you think that will make the resume reach the end of the page. Never add information just for the sake of it.Irelevant content can heavily dilute the overall effectiveness of your resume. Its just a 1 or 2 pager document, about yourself - the impact shouldnt decrease in the mind of the recruiters as they continue reading. Instead, each section should add concrete value and should convince the recruiter that all the content in your resume is there for a reason.Dont sacrifice readabilityIn the quest to reduce their resume to 2 pages, many people resort to decreasing the overall font size of their resume - the lowest hanging fruit - instead of working on the content.The recruiters shouldnt have to take out their magnifying glass to read your 8-font-size resume. Many job seekers go to absurd lengths for trimming down their resumes to a certain length, which ideally shouldnt be the case.Always prioritize readability over resume length. This means going for a font size not smaller than 10, adequate margins in the range of 0.5 to 1, minimal white spacing and a recruiter-friendly resume format.Thinking from the perspective of the recruiter, its less demanding to read a two-pager resume with ample spacing, adequate margins, and a pleasing resume template, instead of a one-pager resume where all the information has been crammed into tight sections.You can include all the relevant information in your resume, with concrete cause-effect relationship in all the points, but if the same information has been squished into a single page, its going to be pointless.When it comes to a resume, while content is still king, design is what makes the recruiter go through the content. A stimulating design will help the recruiter scan your content, but if the font size is 8 or if the sections are tightly put together, it wont matter if your resume is one page or two pages.Recruiters and companies all over the world are departing from their previous stance wherein they insisted on a one-pager resume. They are willing to compromise on their length of resume and are really happy with a two pager resume which is concise, recruiter-friendly, properly formatted and is easy to read.To no longer struggle with the readability aspect of your resume, head on over to Hirations resume builder. With state-of-the-art features that take care of uniform section spacing and modern resume templates, this is what youve been looking forWhat if Length of Resume is More than 2 Pages?In case your resume is exceeding two pages, including elements like footers, headers and page numbers can facilitate continuity in your resume.We know a lot of applicants who opt for the page 2 of 3 approach. Since your resume is anyway exceeding 2+ pages, you might as well number all the pages in your resume to make the recruiters job easier.According to Ann Baehr of Best Resumes, you must include your name and the relevant page number on the top if you decide to go for a resume exceeding 2 pages. Its important to organize all the information under different categories to make it more recruiter-friendly. Including your name on each page might help your case in cases the individu al pages in your resume get separated.But theres a difference between doing this to make the recruiters job easier and pasting a letterhead in each page which takes up half a pages worth of space. It is suggested to have a novel approach of using a customized footer in each page to convince the recruiter to continue reading. A customized footer can be along the lines of more indicators of performance in the next page.Its alright if a particular resume section (lets say your Professional Experience section) is spread across two different pages, but try to not do the same for a single point or a description.Follow the reverse chronological resume format to complete the description for a job in one page and then continuing with the next profile in the following page.What Your Resume Should Look Like in 2019?It wont matter if your resume is 1 page long, or 2 pages, or even 3, as long as you are following this list of rules pertaining to resume length below.How can we say this we so much confidence?Because if you consider these rules to be the North Star of your resume writing process, the resume length in particular will automatically take care of itself.Dont trust us? Read on and find out howKeep the recruiter in mind We like to misappropriate a JFK quote along the lines of ask not what the company can do for you, but what you can do for the company. It doesnt matter if your resume is 6 pages long, or 3, or 2. Go through all the points and ask yourself Will it help the recruiter make a decision about me if s/he reads it?Bullets over paragraphs Avoid long paragraphs in your resume. If you tischset yourself a target of ensuring that no point in your resume exceeds one line, youll automatically go about removing fluff and irrelevant information from your resume.Quantifiable Impact Performance figures, even if you think they are not significant enough to be showcased, will go a long way in overshadowing your competition.Relevant to the Target Profile If theres one pa rticular vacancy in mind that you absolutely have to target, remove everything else in your resume that isnt remotely related to the preferred profile.Showcase achievements that prove that you are a perfect fit for the profile of your choice. There can be infinite ways of rephrasing your key contributions and achievements. Choose a way which aligns the same with your target profile.Concise is where its at Theres no sense in repeating an achievement all over your resume. Once is enough. Rather than saying that you trained 5 employees in Java, 4 employees in Python, 7 employees in R and 3 employees in Tableau, say that you trained 20+ people across Java, Python, R Tableau. That takes up lesser space and delivers a much greater impact.Formatting is the key Basic elements like font, font size, margins, spacing, etc. play a huge role in getting you a shortlist. Dont cram your resume with so much information that it ends up looking like a black wall of text. Its alright if your resume g oes from 1 pager to 2, but the wall of text will get you nowhere.Responsibilities over achievements We wish we had a penny for every resume that we come across consisting of Key Responsibilites or something along those lines. A Sales Manager will more or less have the same set of responsibilites. Its your list of achievements that will make you unique. Responsibilities can be gleaned from a JD, but a resume is achievements-based. Remember that.Annexure You can include an Annexure section consisting of your professional projects and additional achievements.Hiration Protip Make sure your resumes are achievements-based over responsibility-based. Many people blindly refer to the JD theyre targeting for optimizing their resume, but a JD, by its very nature, is aligned towards key responsibilities, while a resume is meant to showcase your achievements.For every professional experience, how many points should ideally be there? Theres no universal answer for that. The work ex section for so meone who has worked in a company for 10 years will differ from the section of someone who was in 5 different companies across the same time period.Our trademark technique while dealing with such cases helps a lot. As a rule of thumb, whenever the total number of points exceed 4-5, club similar points together and assign a bucket/subheading for the same. This allows the recruiter to only scan the subheading without perusing through the individual points.Resume Tips 2019Go for a one-pager resume if the total professional experience is less than 10 years. If its 10+ years, a 2-pager resume should work.How far back should a resume go? With the exception of senior-level profiles, you can go back 10 years. Instead of asking how far back to go on resume, focus on customizing each point to the target profile.Customizing your resume as per the requirements of the job description is the key.A resume is a marketing tool and not a Best Hits album to assuage your ego. Till and when you are shor tlisted, your resume is the only selling point you have. Remove everything in your resume which is not doing the job of selling yourself to the recruiter.Content is still the king all the resume points should align with your target profile. Once youve registered a few years of professional experience, remove your part-time stints from your resume. Keep them if you think they are relevant, but only if you think itll contribute to the recruiters overall decision. You can retain leadership roles, positions of responsibilities, memberships, education, certifications/publications, etc.Remove all personal information which can invite recruiters bias. This includes details like age, marital status, political/religious affiliations, etc.Resume format A well formatted resume can catapult your chances of getting a shortlist. A recruiter-friendly resume format will allow all your achievements and contributions to be properly showcased. In this day and age, your resume will most probably be fi rst scanned on a screen. If the overall layout is easy to read, the hiring manager wont mind scrolling through a few more pages. But a two-pager resume with all information tightly spaced together will help no one.Make a one-page resume whenYour professional experience is of less than 10 yearsYoure undergoing a significant career shiftYour previous experience is not in alignment with your preferred profileYou had multiple positions in a single organizationMake a two-page resume whenYour work experience is of more than 10+ yearsYour chosen area of interest requires technical skillsYou need more space to substantiate your technical proficiencyConsider a resume length of 2+ pages whenYou have a long track record of strong leadership rolesYou have lots of technical/academic projects that are highly relevant to the target profileYou are from an academic or scientific domain with publications, patents, etc.You have done professional courses, speaking engagements, publications, patents or licensesYou can use multiple-page resumes as an Annexure after the second pageGot more questions around length of resume? Still cant figure out how far back should your resume go? Drop in a comment below and our resume experts will be right back

4 simple ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle (even if youre too busy)

4 simple ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle (even if youre too busy)4 simple ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle (even if youre too busy)Did you know8 million metric tons of trash are dumped into the ocean each year? This trash also kills around one million marine animals and birds every year. Not a day goes by without pollution of some kind. Whether its the fumes from cars, the plastic bag holding ur PBJ sandwich, the cheap graphic tee you bought last week, or even the plastic water bottle you got on your lunch break.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraBut no matter how busy your days are, everyone can, and should, find the time to care a little more about this place we call home. Its time to do our part to reduce this toxic waste and find smarter ways to keep our planet clean and safe. Not sure where to start? Heres a few tips to kick off an eco-friendly lifestyle, even if youre busy.Dont fall for fast fashionClothing is an essential part of our everyday life. What we pay for clothing, how we feel in it, and how long it lasts are all important factors to keep in mind when purchasing clothes. Fast fashion is inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest style trends. This allows companies to create cheaply made clothing that will likely not last long for the consumer- ever wash a shirt once and the thread string comes out, or it shrinks three sizes?Sustainable fashion is the process of fostering change to clothing products towards greater ecological integrity. There are several ways to become a trendsetter without giving into fast fashion and its grand marketing scheme. A string of companies are popping up around this sustainable drive offering easy ways to consign fashion and buy used clothing- hink Poshmark, thredUP, The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, Depop, and eBay. They are all doing their part to promot e sustainable fashion at an affordable, not cheap, price. Buying secondhand and investing in clothing that is high quality and made with organic and durable fibers are the best ways we can support this sustainable clothing initiative. Did you know fashion is the second fruchtweinpolluting industry in the world behind oil? Lets change that, ladies.Invest in sustainable lunch containersWork life consists of various foods and snacks to get you through your day. This includes plastic containers, plastic Ziploc bags, maybe even plastic bags as lunch bags. Look for food containers that have silicone lids instead of plastic. Silicone is long-lasting, free of all estrogen-mimicking chemicals that are usually found in plastics, doesnt contain petroleum, and is not harmful to the environment. Stainless steel is another noteworthy material to use for storing food. People often forget that stainless steel is a highly recycled commodity.According to theInternational Stainless Steel Forum, the ra te of stainless steel recycling has increased to 90% while plastic recycling remains at 1% with most remains dumped into a landfill. If you tend to bring a big lunch everyday, you might want to purchase areusable lunchbox. This gives you the freedom to keep all your food in place and cold, while also reducing plastic bag use. So, next time you make your Target zustrom at 8 p.m. looking for some late night snacks, take a peek at the containers section to make your ecological footprint a little less toxic.Educate the officeMost office buildings should be following all recycling rules no matter what, but if youre in a building where they dont pay attention, then now is the time to inquire. Contact the building management company and ask them any questions you may have about how to recycle properly in your office. Make signs, set up bins, and do your part to educate your fellow employees on recycling and how to do it the proper way. Provide lists of resources for people looking to get r id of plastic bags, old toys, clothes, food, or even electronics.Print outrecycling guidelines with handy pictures so the lunch hour rush will learn and understand how to appropriately dispose of their trash. Talk to your office manager about implementing these recycling guidelines and ask if youre able to hold an info session to teach employees about the dos and donts of recycling. The more people we educate, the better our quality of life will be.Get rid of plasticWe all know plastic is the big criminal here. One of the biggest actions we can take is to stop purchasing plastic water bottles and especially plastic water bottles in mass quantity. Not only does this waste affect our marine life but can also affect public health by spreading diseases and other illnesses as a result of burning waste.In 2010, Sarah Kauss founded the companySwell with an important mission in mind. Kauss wanted to rid the world of plastic bottles. She molded fashion and function together to create a produ ct that consumers couldnt resist. The bottles are designed to keep your beverages cold for up to 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. Swell is a woman-owned company with a strong and clear vision to make the world a cleaner place. Instead of polluting the Earth every day with more plastic water bottles, reuse your own cute and sustainable water bottle that is entirely yours (and youll save so much money). Bring it to work, in the car, to the gym, and pretty much everywhere you go. Its the easiest way to make the world a cleaner place.About the AuthorAbbey Adams currently works at a digital marketing company while also maintaining her music blog (blondieandthebeat.com) of six years. Throughout her time as a freelance writer for a womens magazine, shes learned to share every story and empower as many women as possible. You can usually find her writing in bed binging Sex and the City (for the 10th time) or at the gym sweating out her anxiety on the stairclimber.This article first appeared on Create and Cultivate.

Screen Candidates to Find the Elusive Needle in the Haystack

Screen Candidates to Find the Elusive Needle in the HaystackScreen Candidates to Find the Elusive Needle in the HaystackScreen Candidates to Find the Elusive Needle in the Haystack Mazzeo, Paul Oyer and Scott Schaefer, authors of Roadside MBA Back Road Lessons for Entrepreneurs, Executives and Small Business Owners (Business Plus, 2014)kontrolle candidates, whether its reviewing rsums, conducting interviews, or checking references, is costly. Time spent interviewing candidates is time that a small business owner isnt spending on other essential activities.Hence, its important to minimize the cost of employee screening when possible, and also to balance the cost of screening against the benefit of making better hires.Recruit by Playing Hard to GetAt Southside Family Fun Center, Richard reduced the cost of screening by playing hard to get. That is, he set up small hurdles that an applicant must overcome in order to have his or her application receive consideration.Note first that Richa rd required applicants to apply in person. This might well be a hassle for applicants especially compared to an online job application process but this is precisely what Richard wants.To see why, imagine two potential job applicants one who knows that shes a good match for Richards job and stands a good aussicht of getting an offer, and another who doesnt care much for bowling or cleaning and figures hes a long shot to get an offer.The first applicant is needle, and Richard very much wants her to apply. The second, though, is just hay, and mora hay in the stack means more costly screening work to identify the good candidate from among a mass of rsums.Richard would prefer that the second simply not apply.Ask More of the ApplicantThe key to this logic is that job seekers compare cost and benefit when making decisions about what jobs to apply for. A person who has little chance of getting an offer wont bother with the hassle of applying. If, on the other hand, that same person thinks shes a great fit for this job, then the hassle cost probably wont deter her.A small hassle cost of applying deters hay more than it does needle and means that Richards overall pool of applicants is tilted a bit more toward better candidates. Note, however, that Richard still got 176 applications (likely attributable in part to the high local unemployment rate).How could he work through this pile of paper efficiently? Richard described his next step We put right on the ad Bring a pen, and the first five through the door didnt have a pen. So I just said, How do you expect to get a job when you dont pay attention to the rules? People just scattered. At the end of the day, there werent but five that we were interested in talking to.How to Play Hard to GetSurely Richard had pens sitting around the bowling alley back office this is not about the pens. Instead, Richard is putting up a second hurdle. To receive serious consideration, an applicant had to read the ad carefully enough to know to bring a pen. Again, this is precisely the sort of small cost that will tilt the pool in a favorable direction.The applicants who think they are a good match for the job will be more fastidious in reading instructions than those who think they are a long shot. The play-hard-to-get strategy works by giving serious applicants the opportunity to separate themselves from the rest by incurring small costs that demonstrate their belief that theyre credible candidates.By playing hard to get, Richard welches able to reduce his pool to a manageable five, and it was this group that received a full rsum review, interview, and reference check.Its often counterintuitive to managers when we encourage them to play hard to get. If Im serious about hiring, people wonder, then why would I want to discourage applications? The answer is that its always good to deter applications from bad matches the last thing you want is a bigger haystack when what you need is that one elusive needle.And while Rich ards hiring problem was indeed difficult, he did catch one break We had a few people come in that day wearing pajamas, he said, shaking his head and laughing. None of these individuals made the second round.Excerpted from the book ROADSIDE MBA by Michael Mazzeo, Paul Oyer, and Scott Schaeffer. 2014 by Michael Mazzeo, Paul Oyer, and Scott Schaeffer. Reprinted by permission of Business Plus. All rights reserved.Author BiosMichael Mazzeo is an associate professor of management and strategy at Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management.Paul Oyer is a professor of economics at Stanford Universitys Graduate School of Business. Scott Schaefer is a professor of finance at the University of Utahs David Eccles School of Business. More at Roadside-MBA.