The department manager’s blitzkrieg of questions would have sent ordinary candidates running for cover, but you just smiled and confidently answered each one. Your resume matched the job description to a “T”; you were agreeable to the salary, and the corporate culture felt like a place you could call home. This was the one, and you nailed it. Before leaving, you shook the department manager’s hand…and never heard from her again. If you thought you were guaranteed the position, maybe you need to get a grip! And by that, we mean a better handshake.

Confidence could be pouring out of your pores, but open or close an interview with a limp handshake and the lasting impression you hoped to leave might be that of a dead fish. Whether true or not, most hiring managers feel there is a direct correlation between a handshake and future job performance. If you can’t offer an assertive handshake, how assertive will you be on the job? That’s a question you don’t won’t to put in the mind of your interviewer. Of course, squeezing their hand in a bone crunching vice grip could make him or her think you’re overly aggressive…or psychotic. So, what makes a good handshake? Here are some suggestions that will make this familiar clinch a cinch:

A firm grip. Not sure what that’s supposed to be? Ask a friend to sit in chair. Grasp a hand as if shaking hands and then help him or her stand up. The amount of pressure you need to apply should be just right for a proper handshake.

Don’t saw it off. Remember, you’re shaking someone’s hand, not sawing a 2×4. Keep the “shake” part of the handshake to a minimum.

Make eye contact. When you’re shaking someone’s hand, especially an interviewer, look them in the eye and smile. Nothing makes a better first-impression.

Keep it dry. For some people, a condition known as hyperhidrosis make sweaty palms unavoidable, but if it’s simply a matter of nerves or a hot day, keep a handkerchief handy and give your hands a quick wipe down before heading into the interview. A firm handshake will also make sweaty palms much less noticeable.

Daylight Savings ends this Sunday, November 4th. Don’t forget to set your clock back one hour before you go to bed Saturday night (or early Sunday morning in case you’re out late).

Here’s a quick quiz. If you were a job seeker about to email your resume to a company, which of the following email addresses would give you the worst chance of being called for an interview.

1. jsmith@emailprovider.com
2. johns@emailprovider.com
3. jennifer98@emailprovider.com
4. hotnsexyfoya@emailprovider.com

That’s right, the correct answer is D (You did choose D, right?). Don’t get us wrong, we’re proponents of freedom of expression, and we have nothing against having a little fun with your email address, but when it comes to applying for a job in the corporate world, you need to keep it professional. Employers take everything into consideration, and even though your email alias may seem like a microscopic detail to you, it might wave the red flag of inappropriateness to a hiring manager. Of course, that’s if it even makes it to the hiring manager. As companies tighten their email security, even an email address with questionable content will be blocked

What makes an email address inappropriate?

Let common sense be your guiding light, but here are few things your email address should never contain:

Vulgar or offensive words or phrases.
Profanity goes without saying, but phrases that are sexually suggestive or flirtatious are just as bad. Avoid them always.

Humor that gives a bad impression.
“Kegstandchamp91@emailprovider.com” may give your fraternity buddies a laugh, but if an employer sees it in your email address, he or she may not acknowledge your champion status.

Nicknames, whether self-assigned or earned.
“thePlaYA” or “lildiva” or “burgerbuster” are not necessarily offensive, but they don’t evoke visions of professionalism either.

A problem that’s easy to fix

If your email alias suffers from one of the deadly sins mentioned above, that doesn’t mean you need to ditch it during your job search. Simply create a separate email account that you strictly use for job opportunities. With the abundance of free email providers out there, including yahoo, hotmail and gmail, you can have a new, professional email address setup in seconds.

Sending an employer your resume using an appropriate email address won’t guarantee you an interview, but it certainly won’t be the reason you didn’t get one.

Shameless self-promotion or a brilliant ad campaign? Since we weren’t the only ones snapping pictures this morning of Ben’s, literally, homemade billboard in Forest Hills, Queens, we lean towards the latter. When you’re seeking employment, one of the biggest challenges is getting companies to notice you. Ben’s window dressing got our attention. However, if you prefer a living room with a view, you can catch the eye of an employer without markers and scotch-tape. How? Write an effective cover letter.

Ask not what the company can do for you, but what you can do for the company

In other words, do not start your cover letter out like this:

“I would love to work at TNT Records because I’ve always dreamt about working in the music industry, and this position would make my dream come true.”

The hiring manager isn’t interested in making your dreams come true, he’s interested in making his dreams come true by finding a qualified candidate who can bring value to the company. Use your cover letter to convince him that you’re that candidate, and your career in the music industry could become a reality faster than you think. “But aren’t my needs important?” Of course they are, and expressing long-term goals and life-long dreams to your prospective employer is fine, but better suited to an interview.

Get to the point

We’ve seen too many cover letters that start out something like this:

“It is my objective to utilize my skills and experience to contribute to the growth of an organization while expanding upon my previous experiences and laying the foundation for a long-lasting career.”

Say what? Not only is that a mouthful, it’s poorly written and it does nothing to convince the employer that the person is right for the job. Keep your writing clear and concise and get to the point in the opening paragraph:

“I am a talented executive assistant with seven years of experience supporting senior level executives, including the CFO and CMO of a Fortune 500 financial firm. The Executive Assistant opening at your company requires a versatile assistant who can design PowerPoint Presentations and update the company’s CRM. In my last position at Company X, not only did I perform those tasks, I assisted with the overall marketing strategy for the sales team.”

In this opening, the candidate qualifies themselves for the position, and takes it one step further by telling the employer she can bring added marketing skills to the company.

Use the job description to your advantage

Not sure what will convince the employer you’re the right person for the job? That information is easier to find than you think. It’s in the ad! Use the employer’s job description as a reference when writing your cover letter, and especially examine those skills that the company lists as “a plus.” If those pluses are your norms, including them in your cover letter will give you a huge advantage over the competition. Let’s say you possess every skill the job description lists – should you include all of them in your cover letter? No, that would be overkill, and, besides, that’s what your resume is for. Instead, pick out the skills or experience you think the employer seeks most (or that you feel most competing candidate won’t have), and work them into your cover letter.

There is no “I” in TEAM

But there sure are a lot of them in this cover letter:

“I have the talent and experience you need. I have worked in the advertising industry for over seven years. I also worked part-time at a design firm for two years. I look forward to the opportunity for an interview. I am available…”

Avoid I-itis by examining your sentences and thinking of fresher ways to make the same statement. For instance,

“I booked travel arrangements and created reports for several Vice Presidents,”

could be changed to,

“It takes versatility to book travel arrangements and generate reports within the same breath, but skillfully handling multiple tasks at once is my strongest asset.”

The latter sentence avoids using “I” and makes a stronger, more convincing statement.

Ask and you shall receive

Never end your letter by saying, “I look forward to hearing from you.” That’s passive and unimpressive. Why are you applying for the position in the first place? To be interviewed, right? So go ahead and ask for the interview. It tells the employer that you are confident in your qualifications, and see yourself as a serious candidate for the position. Besides, the worst thing that can happen is that you won’t be asked to interview, but at least you’ll know it wasn’t because of an ineffective cover letter.

This video explains why passion is the quality of paramount importance during an interview.

This week we launched, Rising Star, our new newsletter for administrative and executive assistants. The publication will be bimonthly and will feature articles and resources for administrative support professionals and those considering the field as a career.

This week’s issue contains a must-read article on the impact blogging and social networking sites can have on your job search. If you missed our previous article on the importance of effective cover letters, read Carla Vaughan’s piece on the subject. There’s also tips on improving your PowerPoint presentations, as well as a guide to selling yourself on a job interview. Subscribe to Rising Star.

The Supporting Cast and DeltaGroup are proud to announce the opening of our office in Washington, DC. After providing twenty years of successful service to our New York City clients and candidates, the timing was right to grow our business in a new city; Washington DC was our immediate choice, and we are very excited about bringing our staffing services and expertise to the area. Many of our clients, who have existing offices in DC, have been looking forward to our expansion as much as we have. Now that day has arrived. The new office is located at:

1101 17th Street NW
Suite 1006
Washington, DC 20036

To see a map of the location click here.

It’s a day of congratulations at The Supporting Cast. In addition to celebrating our Talent Scout Referral Contest winners, our nominee for The New York Staffing Association’s Temporary of The Year Award, Joe Medina, received the 2nd Place prize last night. Way to go Joe!

The MTA strike of 2005 made it difficult for everyone to make it work, let alone to work on time. Joe not only hoofed it each morning, but he showed up early. His dedication paid off, as the renowned NYC hotel we placed him at requested him indefinitely. Joe has been working in the hotel’s Human Resources Department for 8 months. The only sad side to this story is the list of clients who still call us requesting Joe - hopeful that his current assignment might be over. Again, congratulations Joe on your award, and for a job (many jobs actually!) well done.

Steven Lee and Wayne Chung are our 1st Prize Winners in The Supporting Cast’s Talent Scout Referral Contest. Steven and Wayne, two of our best clerical employees, both referred 10 terrific candidates who are now working at some of our top clients. Those referrals were worth the effort, as both received American Express gift cards worth $400. Jennifer Shaw, Account Manager at The Supporting Cast, awarded Steven his prize this afternoon.

We’ll be holding another referral contest soon, but you don’t have to wait until then to earn cash from referrals. Just click the Refer a Friend link at the top of our site anytime you want to send great talent our way. You’ll receive $100 for every candidate that works 100 hours.

Executive Assistant - International Art Gallery - 75K
International private art gallery seeks full time executive assistant/office manager to oversee the business and assist the director. We are looking for a polished professional who has interacted with prominent individuals and has excellent computer and communication skills. The ideal candidate will have a minimum, of five years working in the art business, and or a stable high profile executive assistant resume…Full details at our Job Center

Executive & Administrative Assistant - Finance - 65K
Leading International investment banking and securities firm providing a full range of investing, advisory and financing services is looking for bright, energetic assistants to work for senior level executives in the New York City offices. There are executive assistant and administrative assistant positions open in Investment Banking, Asset Management, Finance and Equities…Full details at our Job Center

Receptionist - Long Term - Leading Fashion Company
Our client, a renowned fashion pioneer has a long-term receptionist opening in their primary office. This position is a terrific opportunity for career advancement within a top brand company, and an ideal job for someone who is passionate about fashion…Full details at our Job Center

Waiters for Yacht Club Banquet - $19 per hour
Our Food Service and Hospitality Divison has several waiter openings for an upcoming yacht club banquet. The hours will be from 4pm to 9pm. Standard formal serving attire is required, but jacket will be provided…Full details at our Job Center