"'You nailed your interview. You answered “tell me about yourself” perfectly, discussed your relevant experience with ease, and established a great rapport with the hiring manager."

"Well, as the rounds of interviews continue (think: second, third, and maybe even fourth), you’ll do some repackaging of old stories and introduce some new information. But the secret is not to go overboard either way. Here’s how to channel your inner Goldilocks and find the balance that’s just right."

                 

t"You might have a good reason to turn down a job offer, and at the same time you want to leave a positive association in the “losing” manager’s mind."

"Sending a “no thanks” email message is fine when you’ve only met someone over the phone, but if a person put on a suit and came down to your facility and spent an hour with you and then doesn’t get hired, you owe them a live phone call to tell them that you’re hiring someone else." , , ,

                 

Are you going to adopt a modern “Essentials” textbook with extensive integration of mobile communication in every chapter, or are you going to saddle your students with a commonly adopted “Essentials” text that is stuck in the last decade?

Because of complacency and a lack of knowledge about the topic, most business communication textbook authors are ignoring the mobile revolution. In fact, they’re pretending that it doesn’t even exist.

In light of these facts, are your students being served well? There is one team that’s always on the cutting edge: Bovee and Thill. The fact they are the only business communication textbook authors currently writing about mobile tells you everything you need to know about which author team conscientiously revises its books and keeps them current. (Bovee and Thill were also the first authors to discuss social media and digital communication in their texts.)

Adopt the only modern "Essentials" text: Business Communications Essentials by Bovee and Thill.

See how your text compares to Business Communication Essentials with this interactive checklist.

                 

You just called the hiring manager the wrong name. Now what?

"Your confidence is a balloon, and it's ready to burst. Add a little air for getting called in for an interview. Add a little air for researching common interview questions and practicing your answers. And then add a lot of air for truly feeling that, whoa, you are so perfect for this job and you know you're going to impress the heck out of your interviewers." . . .

                 

You should always ask questions during a job interview — but steer clear of these.

"When you're in the hot seat, there's a good chance your interviewer will turn the tables at some point and ask, "Do you have any questions for me?" . . .

                 

It's OK to be creative when crafting your resume, but you should never lie.

"How can a fresh graduate get a job when companies only want to hire those with experience?

"The answer isn’t exaggerating, faking credentials or padding your resume. But it’s not 100% transparency, either." . . .

                 

Building credibility and respect is crucial to your success.

"There are some simple, yet often forgotten, business principles that can build a positive professional reputation and keep your credibility intact.

Here are seven ways to convey that you are poised, polished, and ready to conduct business with the highest standards of professionalism." . . .

                 

VIDEO: It's just as important as the resume.

"Applying for a job typically consists of providing two documents to your potential employer: a resume and a cover letter.

While simple improvements can be made to a fairly straightforward resume, writing an effective cover letter can be the tricky part. Be sure not to make these mistakes." . . .

                 

Learn the essential points that should be taught to business communication and business writing students about mobile business communication and business careers, writing resumes, and applying and interviewing for employment.

                 

Learn the essential points that should be taught to business communication and business writing students about mobile business communication and business careers, writing resumes, and applying and interviewing for employment.

                 

Career experts say to avoid these 15 things if you want your resume to steer clear of the trash pile.

"How many times have you applied for a job and never heard back? 

You tell yourself, “They probably never saw it,” or, “Maybe I just wasn’t a good fit,” and you move on.

But, more likely, your resume just didn’t impress. . ."

                 

In a new study, people said they were less likely to hire speakers who used the creaky-voiced affectation, particularly when they were female.

                 

Hiring pros share the faux pas they regularly find in real resumes, including wacky e-mail addresses, defunct phone numbers, and cookie-cutter templates.

                 

The growing ubiquity of e-mail means that everyone in business, from lords of finance to programmers who dream in code, needs to write intelligently. By using simple, clear, precise language--and following a few other basic writing rules--you can become a better communicator.

                 

Why every little detail is important.

"The advice seems so simple but it is as not as easy to live it each day as it may seem." . . .

                 

Interviewers regularly say things that aren’t entirely accurate and sometimes are outright false. Here are eight of the most common.

To be clear, these statements aren’t lies every time an employer says them. But they’re inaccurate enough of the time that you shouldn’t take them at face value when you hear them.

                 

"Getting a job is difficult, but it's a well known fact that social media can make it an easier task. Here is the ultimate guide to using social for getting a job."

                 

"As soon as you walk into a room, before you say anything, people are already trying to figure out who you are. What signals and messages are you sending with your posture and facial expressions?"

"In a survey released by job site Career Builder, 48% of hiring managers said they know within the first five minutes of an interview if a candidate is a good fit for the job. And the candidate’s body language is a top factor in their decisions."

                 

"The new year is often a good time to reflect on the good and bad things that have happened in the past year."

For staffing firm Robert Half, that means looking back on 12 months of bizarre interviews and the worst mistakes job candidates made.

Here are the highlights from the most extreme interview antics from 2013, which the company shared. . .

                 

Identifying and landing a job can be a long and difficult process for students in today's market. Fortunately, the skills you're helping them develop in this course will give them a competitive advantage.

As with any message, understanding the target audience is vital in employment communication. This includes understanding the changing world of work and looking at the situation from the employer's perspective.

With these insights in mind, students can take steps—starting right now—to make themselves more valuable to potential employers.

Developing an employment portfolio and establishing a personal brand, even as a student, are important tasks, and the business communication course is an ideal venue for starting these efforts. . .

                 

In today's tough job market, it's more important than ever for candidates to adapt their communication efforts to each opportunity they pursue. The latest editions of Bovee and Thill textbooks show students exactly how to do this in three realistic scenarios, using real job openings.

After you've watched this video, visit the sites below for additional information that will make your teaching easier and more effective. . .

                 

Résumés are as much art as science, and there is more than one way to be successful with them—particularly in today's multimedia, social-media environment, where students can find an overwhelming array of possibilities.

Bovée and Thill texts introduce students to the full range of options, from traditional résumés to innovations such as infographic and video résumés, and show them how to apply what they've learned in this course to their job search efforts. These new tools create exciting opportunities for job seekers, but they must be used with care. . .

                 

This how-to infographic walks the reader through optimizing their LinkedIn profile page.

This year has been a big one for LinkedIn. With new features like the Creative Portfolio Display, you now have the ability to visually showcase your professional portfolio. But before diving any deeper with the latest add-ons, does your LinkedIn profile have all the elements that will help you rise to the top? This new infographic has all the tips you need to elevate your LinkedIn profile. . .

                 

What's New in Teaching Business Communication? Present This Overlooked Topic to Give Your Students the Competitive Edge  in Today's Tough Job Market -- Expert Speaker: Courtland Bovee

Students have been communicating their entire lives, of course, but if they don't have a lot of work experience yet, meeting the expectations of a professional environment might require some adjustment.

Therefore, Bovee and Thill have included a section on "Communicating as a Professional," as well as a series of sidebars with the theme, "The Art of Professionalism" in Business Communication Today, 12th Edition. . .

                 

Your picture says a lot about you. Here are rules by career coach Barbara Pachter that every professional should follow.

"If a picture is worth a thousand words, what does your professional photo say about you?

On a professional networking site such as LinkedIn, your picture may affect the opportunities that come your way — especially if you haven't met the other party in person." . . .

                 

More colleges are finding the social media posts of their applicants — and sometimes denying admission as a result.

"At Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, admissions officers are still talking about the high school senior who attended a campus information session last year for prospective students. Throughout the presentation, she apparently posted disparaging comments on Twitter about her fellow attendees, repeatedly using a common expletive." . . .

                 

Although we may never know why we didn’t get chosen for a job interview, a recent study is shedding some light on recruiters’ decision-making behavior. According to TheLadders research, recruiters spend an average of ”six seconds before they make the initial ‘fit or no fit’ decision” on candidates. 

The study used a scientific technique called “eye tracking” on 30 professional recruiters and examined their eye movements during a 10-week period to “record and analyze where and how long someone focuses when digesting a piece of information or completing a task.”

In the short time that they spend with your resume, the study showed recruiters will look at your name, current title and company, current position start and end dates, previous title and company, previous position start and end dates, and education.

The two resumes below include a heat map of recruiters’ eye movements. The one on the right was looked at more thoroughly than the one of the left because of its clear and concise format.