7.If you are given an application, complete it and complete it accurately and neatly. Do not attach your resume and write, “See attached resume.” An application is a legal document and failure to complete it accurately can be grounds for termination.

8.If you are not sure about month you started a job or your exact salary, write “approx” (for word approximately) next to item. If asked, indicate you are not absolutely certain of exact month and don’t wish to deceive anyone. Obviously, if you can ascertain your salary or starting date prior to interviewing, do so; for some people, date or salary may be so far in past to make it impossible to determine.

9.Write legibly (or as legibly as you can). This may be twelfth application you’ve completed, but it is first of yours that they’ve seen. In many professions, sloppiness is seen as a flaw.

10.When you hear your name announced, stand, and smile, shake hand of your interviewer and immediately size them up as a person. Are they smart (or not). Aggressive (or not). If you were meeting this person socially, I’m sure your instincts would be right. Unfortunately, because people think interviews are important, they think they have to feel interviewer out. Doing that is a mistake. Hard and fast impressions of you will be formed during next ten minutes that will be difficult to change. If you tend to be right in social situations about people you meet, trust your instincts in professional ones, too.

Using these ten steps as a check list will get you started better than your competition. What you do after that is up to you.

Jeff Altman Concepts in Staffing jeffaltman@cisny.com

Jeff Altman, Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York search firm, has successfully assisted many corporations identify technology leaders and staff since 1971. For additional job hunting tips, go to http://www.newyorkmetrotechnologyjobs.com

Decision Time...

After your research, you will have to make a decision. The decision should take into account not only end goal but your path towards achieving that goal. You should write down goals so you can map your way to achieving them.

Your goal setting exercises should help develop well defined goals, instead of general and imprecise ones

It is important that you realize your commitment to goals you have set for yourself. You will be highly committed if goals you set are something you really want to accomplish.

Make Your Goals Realistic

If your goals are too hard to accomplish, you will be constantly falling short.

You probably want to become CEO first year you start working for a company. The goal might be highly tempting but probably not realistic.

You also need to set you goals to be fairly challenging, rather than just sticking to simple and easy to attain goals