Resume search is important for the job interview, too. Most of us are more comfortable moving into unfamiliar territory if we have a map of the terrain. When you have researched an individual company to tailor your resume, you know a great deal about its products-- services, mission, philosophy, revenues, and so forth. This information can be very valuable in preparing good questions and answers for initial and subsequent interviews. Employers like candidates who are savvy enough to do some homework before their first meeting. In customizing your resume, you are pursuing two objectives simultaneously: You are creating a powerful written sales tool, and you are developing a verbal testament about why a specific employer should hire you. If you think of your resume-writing process as the best preparation for a rigorous interview session, you will be more likely to give it the time it deserves.

Employers don't consider your resume follow-up a waste of their time. While there will always be potential employers who are firm believers in the "don't call us, we'll call you" approach, most recruiters admire candidates who make an ef fort to follow up on their resumes. Follow-up shows both initiative and persistence, traits good managers love, especially in individuals who are applying for positions with major responsibilities. Don't worry about seeming too enthusiastic. Company representatives enjoy being pursued. It massages their egos and reminds them their company is worth courting.

A date is a job interview that lasts all night. The only difference between a date and a job interview is that there are not many job interviews where there's a chance you'll end up naked at the end of it.
Jerry Seinfeld