Dear J.T. and Dale: I am attaching a copy of my resume. I have fully and honestly listed all employment, all successes and all the technical alphabet soup that applies to my work, education and training. I send out a lot of resumes, and I follow up, but I haven’t been getting results. — Sidelined

J.T.: First, your resume does need some work. Stylistically, it’s not written in a format that showcases your strengths. As it’s designed right now, it reads as long paragraphs that will turn off hiring managers because they can’t tell if you have the experience they need without taking a lot of time.

Dale: It’s tempting to think, “Well, I’ve given them all the information they could want; all they have to do is pick out what they need.” No. You have failed the first test that prospective managers have given you, the test of, “Who can figure out what I want and give it to me without my having to ask?” They don’t think this consciously, of course, but never forget that they’re hiring because they’re busy and overworked. A windy resume — the over-application — frustrates them and they push it aside; meanwhile, a concise resume, highlighting just what they need to know, sends the nonverbal message that you’re someone who will give them the help they need.