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      By Heather R. Huhman

Imagine that a hiring manager is interested in you for an open position; they’re looking at you online, they’re looking at your application materials like a cover letter or resume, and they may even be interviewing  you. Now imagine that the hiring manager saw something that immediately put you out of the running for the position.

To prevent this, consider these six ways to immediately turn off a hiring manager – and avoid them at all costs.

Online & Social Media

The ways to “mess up” your job search online are countless. Here are two of the biggest:

1. Bare it all

It’s been said before, but it’s worth repeating: anything you put online is fair game for the rest of the web – including hiring managers. Don’t put anything on the web that you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see, and more importantly, keep your online and social media presence professional! Learn how to keep your pictures, updates, and discourse professional, or else learn how to use the privacy settings.

 2. Be nonexistent

This mistake is on the opposite end of the spectrum; if employers are looking for you online, they should be able to find you. If they search for you and nothing comes up, it could be a red flag; on the other hand, if they can search for you and see your professional social media profiles, they can learn more about you that could positively influence their decisions. That means you should have (work appropriate) social media accounts like Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook. You may also consider creating a website or online portfolio to further showcase your skills.

Cover Letter & Resume

Your cover letter and resume are most likely your biggest and most important application materials – don’t let them fall victim to these two basic mistakes:

3. Rely on spell-check

Turning in any application materials – like a resume or cover letter – with spelling or grammar mistakes is a huge don’t. A hiring manager will likely throw your papers into the recycling bin for simple mistakes like these because they show a lack of attention to detail.

But, be careful not to rely only on your Word processor’s spell-check tool; often, it can miss errors or fail to recognize word misuse. The best approach is to have someone else proofread your materials, and to read your writing out loud to yourself.

4. Take a “cookie cutter” approach

Beware of mass-submitting your cover letter and resume; more likely than not, a hiring manager can spot a so-called “cookie cutter” application. Instead, tailor your application materials to each position for which you’re applying. Focus on highlighting the information and experiences that are most applicable to the job.

Interview

The interview – phone or in-person – is a big part of your job search because it’s the first time you become a “real person” to a hiring manager, rather than just a piece of paper or an online account. Make sure it goes smoothly by avoiding these slip-ups:

5. Forget proper etiquette

Mind your manners at an interview, or you could be out the door faster than Donald Trump can say, “You’re fired!” Proper interview etiquette means arriving on time, having the right materials, dressing appropriately, speaking politely, and the list goes on. Be sure to be at your most professional; remember, dress and act for the job you want (namely, the job for which you’re interviewing), not the job you have.

6. Disregard research

Part of being prepared for an interview, whether on the phone or in person, is having done your research about the company, the position, and the interviewer (if possible). A hiring manager will definitely notice – in a bad way – if you don’t know much about the position or company, and will definitely notice – in a good way – if you do. Put in your time and do your homework before an interview, and you’ll be sure to impress the hiring manager; not to mention, you’ll be better prepared to answer interview questions.

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Post by Dennis Duce

Jeb Blount is a three times Amazon.com Best Seller and sales trainer. RealGreenWorld caught up with him in Troy, Ohio and did this quick interview. If you are selling a green product or you just want to help your friends and family understand why you feel saving the environment is so important you need to take a few minutes and enjoy the great advice Jeb has to share.

People Buy You

Jeb literally wrote the book on this subject so he explains how it fits with the green movement. Explaining that he does not personally believe in the money savings available from using CFL’s (Compact Florescent Lights), and that reason alone will not get him to buy. But, since he lives in the South, he does like how much cooler they are. This example shows how we all have different motivations for the things we do. In order to be successful at selling anything it is important to uncover the motivations of your client, they will only buy for their reasons not yours.

Don’t Lead With Your Green Card

Jeb and I spoke about this during the interview. It is extremely important that you are able to make a case for your product with out only relying on the environmental benefits. Most people feel that green means more expensive. If you start off telling your clients how green you are you will end up creating a barrier that did not have to be there. Use the green card as the icing on the cake after you have buy-in both emotionally and intellectually then your eco benefits can be a part of your close.

People Follow You

Jeb is an expert at getting people to follow him. His latest book is a great read and will help you to be able to understand how you can help your friends and family members follow your example of living an environmentally focused life style. Just like in a sales situation, people will only follow you for their reasons. Learn what those are and you will bring hundreds over to the joys of caring for our planet.

Dennis Duce

Dennis N. Duce has been in sales since 1988 and has focused on roofing sales in Park City Utah since 1994. In 2007 he invented a better way to solve ice dams and in 2010 he started Sol-Ice Engineered Systems, Inc to market that product to roofers, mechanical contractors, siding contractors, plumbers electricians and pool contractors. Sol-Ice specializes in Building Integrated Solutions the integrate into the structure of the building and also produce thermal energy to help heat the house, domestic hot water or pool. These same products can be used to cool the house in the summer through night sky radiation cooling. In 2009 Dennis also started a video blog RealGreenWorld to help promote Sol-Ice as well as other companies and people who are doing something green. He interviewed Shawn Bradley Retired 7′ 6″ center from the Dallas Mavericks about his solar PV system and is working on a series about the Fisker Karma all electric luxury sedan.

      By Donna Fuscaldo

Large and small businesses aren’t created equal, which is why transitioning from working at a large company to a small one can be difficult. Culture shock isn’t the only thing you’ll have to face. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make a smooth transition. It just requires an open mind and a different attitude.

“You can definitely be successful,” when taking a small company job, says Kathleen Downs, a recruiting manager at Robert Half International “One of the things you want to do is research the company in advance to understand the culture and what the demands on the employees are.”

One of the major differences of working at a large company compared to a small one is the amount of resources that will be afforded to you. At a large company supplies are at the ready, assistants are on hand and software is in abundance to manage expenses, customer relationships and even accounting. That may not be the case at a small firm, especially one that’s operating on a shoestring budget.

“At a smaller place it’s very crucial to get creative with existing resources,” says Mei Lu, founder and CEO of Jobfully.com. “You won’t have an unlimited budget like at a bigger company.” 

People who have worked for large companies know that usually the job they are hired for is the one they do day in and day out.  But at a small company you can wear many hats and have a mired of responsibilities that aren’t in the job description. Your willingness to accept and embrace that will go a long way to make it a smooth transition.

“In a large company you have a very specific set of duties,” says Downs. “In a smaller company you are a little more of a jack of all trades.”

Downs recalls a CFO at a small home builder who had worked at a large company for years. The CFO wouldn’t think twice about taking out the trash or sweeping the floor of a new home the company was showing even though that would never cross his mind at the large company. “You have to be ok with that or a smaller company may not be a good fit,” she says.

According to Lu never say “that’s not in my job description” because when it comes to working at a small business, everything is. Be ready to jump in whenever you can help and act as a true team player, she says. That means that while you were hired to handle the marketing for the company you may have to man the phones while the receptionist grabs lunch.

At large companies, often times there are lots of rules, procedures and protocols already on the books. If x happens, you’ll know to do y. But at a small company the chances of established guidelines are slim. Many times rules are made and broken on the fly which means you’ll have to be able to adapt to a less rigid work environment.

“When you move to a smaller job, often times you will be handling something for the first time ever,” says Lu. “You’ll have to figure out how to do it” for the entire company, she says.

Given the major differences in working in a big and small company, before you make the leap you have to look at yourself and the environment you want to work in.  If you like established rules, specific job duties and more chances to move up the so-called ladder than a big firm may be right for you. If you prefer to have your hands in many aspects of a business, like to learn things on the fly and aren’t driven by a title, then a small company may be the ideal fit.

“Before you make the transition from big to small, you have to think about whether you really have the entrepreneurial skills,” says Robin Schlinger, a career expert and founder of Robin’s Resumes.

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Donna Fuscaldo is a freelance journalist hailing out of Long Island, New York. Donna writes for numerous online publications including FoxBusiness.com, Bankrate.com, AARP.com, Insurance.com and Houselogic.com. As a personal finance reporter for years, Donna provides invaluable advice on everything from saving money to landing that dream job. She also writes a weekly column for FoxBusiness.com focused on technology for small businesses. Previously, Donna was an equities reporter for Dow Jones Newswires and a special contributor to the Wall Street Journal. Through the Glassdoor Blog, Donna will provide tips on how to find a job and more importantly keep it.

The Glassdoor Team is a small yet seasoned group of individuals looking to provide greater transparency into one of the most important aspects of our lives – our jobs. Contributions to the blog are designed to present a unique perspective on current events, offer commentary on the inside workings on specific jobs at a multitude of companies, and provide details on the latest happenings from within Glassdoor.