This article is the second in a 2-part series of tips for being a more effective job seeker. If you missed last winter's SWOOSH, you can click here for 6 more ways to enhance your job search.

In this issue, we've continued our list of some "do's" and "don't's" along with some insight into the "why's", with some recommendations for further reading. We hope you find it helpful!

Be quick. Then be patient.

Don't: wait too long to respond to messages. Do: Keep your responses quick but your patience long. Why: You can't control when you're going to get feedback on your application. You can control how quickly you get back in touch and when you follow up. If you're actively looking for a job, employers will expect you're prepared to return calls within the same business day and respond to emails by early evening of the same-day, at the absolute latest. Some jobs move very quickly. We've seen otherwise-great candidates get passed up because other great candidates made themselves more available more quickly. On the other end, be sure to follow up at intervals they request. If they say they'll follow up Monday next week, don't email them on Friday this week. If they didn't indicate when they'd follow up, email them now and ask them when's the next touch point. Email them right now! Read SWOOSH later. (Keep in mind that if you've applied with Liaison recently, the requested follow-up is 2 weeks, as indicated).

Don't take "no answer" for an answer

Don't: ever give up on a job you really want until they actually say "no." Do: hunt down a response politely and cooperatively. Why: good employers don't always respond to all applicants, but any employer worth your energy will appreciate polite persistence -- if and only if you're listening to their advice and are ready to accept their answer. If you do get a "no", use that as an opportunity. Instead of saying, "well, please keep me in mind" (which is asking quite a lot if you think about it), ask something like "is there anything you'd recommend?" You'd be surprised how many folks miss this golden opportunity.

Ask how you're doing

Don't: show any anger, discouragement or frustration to a potential employer. Do: prepare yourself for constructive feedback make a real effort to seek it. Why: As recruiters, we see a lot of job applications where the person might be a great candidate except for a few things that get in the way (bad cover letter, bad resume layout, poor job search strategy, bad attitude/energy, misuse of social networking, or anything listed in this article, etc). As recruiters and HR professionals, it's very tempting to want to help, but we realize it's probably not always a good idea for us to give unsolicited unvarnished criticism. Of course you can't ask just anyone. But if you're already having a constructive dialogue, and you make it clear you truly want and are ready for constructive feedback, most people are usually happy to help. In fact, is there anything you'd recommend for SWOOSH? We're ready for it (email SWOOSH)! For further reading, here's a great article about the power of the question "How am I doing?".

Be easy to hire

Don't: send emails that truncate the thread, send huge awkwardly-named unsolicited attachments, or fail to use a signature line with all your contact info. Do: send all emails in such a way that will allow busy people with full-inboxes to easily give you the response you seek. Why: Recruiters (especially busy ones) are more likely to work with candidates who show an understanding of efficient and considerate communication. Never, ever email a resume with the filename "resume.doc" and don't send unsolicited resumes or samples as attachments (server space is not free!). Be sure to use a detailed signature line for all job-hunting emails. At the end of every job-search related email, you should have a signature line with your full name, phone number (with area code), an email address you check often, and your website or portfolio. Think of your audience. Make yourself easy to contact, easy to work with, and easy to hire.

Be real

Don't: say things like "I am confident with my work ethic that I am the perfect candidate for this position." or "I would be honored for you to take my application in consideration for this position." Do: say "I'm intrigued by x and y in your posted position and your company," "based on the description, I believe I could bring a lot to the table, for example:..." Why: Form-letter professionalism and fake enthusiasm are easy to spot, especially for a professional recruiter. Sometimes people speak in awkward business-ese, act too confident of things they can't possibly know, or try to be obsequious. You want to make clear that you are a pro and that you understand your target employer's needs and are ready to have a real conversation. Flowery language only takes away from that.

Be yourself

And finally, the general rule of thumb: Don't: do anything because it's what "they" (or we) say you're supposed to do when you're seeking a job. Do: everything that you'd want someone to do if you needed to hire someone. Why: If you're the kind of person who reads SWOOSH, a job is about more than just a paycheck. You want a job where you can connect with the goals of the company and the culture of the team. You want to work with people with whom you can relate and collaborate. So apply to each job as if someone like you is on the other end, going through dozens of other resumes and cover letters. Will this limit your options? Absolutely. That's a good thing. It's all about making the right connection. It's not a numbers game. The common thread among all of the successful applicants that we see is that they're bright, qualified individuals who treat every part of the job search process as a genuine human interaction.

That's it for this edition of SWOOSH. As always we'd love to read your comments or suggestions. Thanks for reading and happy hunting!