HR Interview

I just attended a talk on getting a job. The speaker was an HR person. I knew most of the things, but some of them got reemphasized, such as :
a. The need for a 1 page resume, and what essentials it must contain-experience,skills; and what it need not contain-publications, courses, teaching or other unrelated experience
b. In the age of databases, the need for putting in keywords that a computer can search out
c. 80% of all jobs are unadvertised; the remaining 20% receives the bulk of applications
d. The importance of networking

But the most valuable insight I go was regarding HR interviews. As a technical person, one may believe that an HR interview is less important than the others, but rest assured, the HR interviewer does not share the belief. Any person who is interviewing you has the authority to reject your candidacy, or else the interview would not be taking place. The speaker mentioned behavior traits that are strongly undesirable:
a. One or two word answers
b. Long and chatty answers, sometimes with personal information
c. Condescending attitude
d. Answers full of technical jargon. It is important to speak in the language of the other person to get information across. Speaking in terms that don't make sense to the listner conveys the same amount of information as saying nothing. Also, it is rude.

Remember that communication skills are valued by all employers.