The longer I engage in the work of running search committees and listening to hiring managers debrief candidates, the more I become convinced that most job seekers stand or fall on the basics. It's painful to see potentially qualified candidates "blow it" because the make one of many classic errors in their cover letter (e.g., "I, me, I"), their resume (e.g., 3 pages riddled with typos), or the interview (e.g., dissing the receptionist in the lobby or failing to shake hands).
One of the reasons I started this blog was to share some of those basic errors in the job search in order to help job seekers be more successful in their quest. Jason Monastra at Lambentpath has done the same thing. A veteran recruiter, Jason blogs about job search tips and strategies to help seekers be successful.
I like his recent posting on having a professional e-mail address. I've had candidates with e-mail addresses like "supermodelwannabe" and "gottafish." Monikers like that are fun for friends and family, but unfortunately can distract potential employers from more important things in your cover letter and resume.
I also like that his postings are instructive and encouraging rather than snarky. If you are conducting a job search in these competitive times, take a look around Jason's blog and you'll find some good advice and encouragement!