Dear Drowning:

You're not alone. The Shelter Group, a Baltimore-based real estate developer, recently advertised for helpdesk candidates and was similarly overwhelmed. Based on that experience, Kelly Leerman, the company's HR director, developed this list of screening suggestions:

• Check the e-mail address: Discard résumés with inappropriate names like hotmama@aol.com--anyone who doesn't take the time to create a new screen name for professional purposes is unlikely to be a quality hire.

• Check the home address: Unless you have a relocation budget or can drum one up for the right candidate, eliminate out-of-towners. If you can't find an appropriate local applicant, you can always go back.

• Check the job title: If the posting asks for a helpdesk tech, why does the résumé say "Director of Finance"? Don't dignify the spam approach with a response.

• Check grammar: E-mail etiquette leans toward the informal, but a resumé should represent the candidate's best effort. Misspellings, incomplete sentences and conflicting information are all bad omens.

• Check length: A two-page resume is OK, though one-page resumés are in vogue. An extra page for references is fine, and a cover letter is a must, especially if you've requested one in your ad. But a nine-page resume that tells you about 10 years of experience should be trashed immediately.

Now go ahead and read what's left, but don't waffle--if you feel lukewarm, pass. With any luck, the cream will have risen to the top, and you'll have just a few very strong candidates to interview.



Dear Career Coach:
I'm a Web developer at a large retailer. I get to work early, I don't chat around the water cooler, and I often do extra work at home, but I have young children so I usually have to leave the office on time. A co-worker recently scheduled an important meeting for 6 p.m., which made me miss my daughter's basketball game, and I'm the coach. I'm still steaming. What should I do if this happens again?

Dad with a Life

Life:

As long as your boss is happy with your work, don't let a co-worker's pettiness get you down. In the future, you could ask that the meeting be rescheduled, but if you have to miss it, just be sure your boss understands the situation, and ask someone to fill you in afterward. The Families and Work Institute offers strategies for balancing careers and kids.

Send your questions to careercoach@nwc.com

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