Tip: Job Search Book by Brad Karsh

A while back, Mary Ellen Slayter at the WaPo reviewed a book by Brad Karsh. Brad's book, "Confessions of a Recruiting Director: The Insider's Guide to Landing Your First Job" [Amazon link], exposes some of the reality of the recruiter's side of the desk:

Here are a few of his "confessions":

· Most résumés are never read. By anyone. This, of course, is the opposite of students' experience in applying to colleges, he writes, where most admissions departments consider applications individually. If you had a vision in your mind of a group of recruiters poring over ever single piece of paper, think again. Recruiters don't have time to do this. "In fact, recruiters typically spend less than 10 percent of their time reading résumés," he writes. And if yours happens to be read? You'll get 15 seconds, tops, to catch the recruiter's eye.

· Most cover letters are never read, either. But you still have to write them, for two reasons. One, companies want to see if you will put in the extra effort. "Some companies will use it as a screen against people who apply to every job opening they ever see," Karsh writes. Second, it is a chance to show something extra that isn't on your résumé. Assuming, of course, that they read that, too.

Check out the entire review, then check out the book.