The holidays can be a frantic time of year for most people. They shop till they drop. They overeat and under sleep! But you don't have to be one of them. The best way to cut stress is to prepare yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically, so you can enjoy the festivities and the people in your life in good humor. Pace yourself. No need to impress anyone. Do what you can with what you have. And be willing to say 'no' if you start to feel overwhelmed.

You can apply these same principles to an upcoming job interview...

From Times Square in New York City to Tiananmen Square in Bejing City, people will be ringing in the new year with a glass of cheer, a toast, a song, a display of fireworks. And the following day they'll dive into 2008 with new dreams, goals, resolutions, and commitments for the months ahead.

What will yours be? Perhaps among your goals is an exciting new job. To make that a reality, however, you'll need to brush up your resume or better yet, create a fresh one. Use this...

Think of your cover letter as a knock on the door. When someone opens the door you're standing there ready to introduce yourself and to share your qualifications for the job opening. This is a proactive, direct way to win attention, but also the smart way. Hiring managers are busy. If you want to get noticed you must be clear and direct, positive and professional. Here’s how…

The global job market is about as tough as it's been in several years. Here are two cover letter secrets you'll want to take advantage of as soon as I share them with you.

Here is a little secret ingredient you'll want to add to your cover letter to make it absolutely irresistible to hiring managers and personnel professionals. Like sugar or cinnamon to a cookie recipe, no cover letter will be as appetizing without this bit of spice.

Manners are not only important at the dinner table (use your napkin, please), on the telephone (listen as well as speak), in a theater (refrain from talking during the performance), but also during a job interview.

There are cover letters––and there are cover letters. Some are cookie-cutter predictable. And some offer a tasty surprise—like a cherry under chocolate frosting. Which ones would you like to receive if you were a hiring manager?

Are you seriously searching for a new job?

If so, consider what employers are really looking for when they read the resumes that come across their desks. Following is a list of the 'top ten' with examples of how to.

Your interview is over. You feel good about your chances of landing the job you want. But what if the hiring manager forgets about you or interviews someone else before responding to you? Cut those chances to zero by following up with a post-interview cover letter that moves you to the top of the 'must consider' list.

Want to grab a hiring manager's attention like a magnet? Then lean a little closer because I have the secret for doing just that...

Preparing a resume can feel overwhelming. You may worry that your vocabulary is limited, your sentence structure wobbly, and your punctuation weak.

Worry no more! You can get help with those basics. But there is something only you can do. And that is list the essential elements of a solid resume so a hiring manager will read it through the first time and then take a second look—maybe even a third.

Dear Job Hunter:

Have you ever asked questions like these?

"May I have a chocolate ice cream sundae, please?"

"Are you free for lunch tomorrow?"

"Can you give me a hand moving my desk?"

"Will you loan me a few dollars till payday?"

Just the thought of an interview can set your heart a-thumping. Even the word itself––interview––can bring on cold hands and stomach jitters. When you enter the office and face the employer you may have yet another outbreak of stress—fuzzy thinking and nervous chatter—all of which can result in losing the opportunity to make a good first impression toward landing the job.

"Dress for Success."

Most people have heard and seen this slogan on television, in magazine articles, in fashion stores. It's become such a common refrain it has nearly lost its meaning. But for you, a wise job-hunter, it's worth taking seriously!