Your real competition isn't some job hunter off the street. It's the candidate who was coached by The Headhunter. Use The Headhunter's insider perspective to your advantage; don't let it sneak up and bite you!

From The Archive

58. Do what you say you're going to do.
As a headhunter I see employers and job candidates at their best and worst. Eliciting the best from people is how I earn a living. Watching the worst makes me cringe because it costs everyone time, money, credibility and most of all, their reputations.

Avoid these bad examples:

• The employer who solicits a candidate for one job, then interviews her for another.
• The candidate who doesn't show up for an interview; doesn't call; doesn't care. 
• The employer who says he wants to hire you one minute, but won't return your calls the next.
• The candidate who begs for more time to decide on a job offer, then misses the new decision deadline.
• The employer who hires you for one job, then assigns you to another.
• The candidate who accepts a job, then changes his mind.

We all make mistakes, but that doesn't absolve anyone from taking responsibility for their decisions and actions. Nothing permits anyone to waste another's time or to show disrespect. Your word -- and your words -- count.

Whether I'm a job candidate, an employer or a headhunter, I'll ruin your reputation if you don't do what you say you're going to do.