The latest numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics* showed 22 states recording measurably lower unemployment rates than the national average -- 7.2 percent -- in December 2008.

Wyoming recorded the lowest unemployment rate, 3.4 percent, followed closely by North Dakota, at 3.5 percent. Total employment increased in only one state, Louisiana, and the District of Columbia. Louisiana improved by 3,700 and employment in the District of Columbia increased by 100.

Since December 2007, employment has risen in eight states and the District of Columbia. Wyoming had the largest increase in employment over the year (2.2 percent), followed by Texas, Oklahoma, Alaska and South Dakota.

If you're among the millions of people looking for work, here are 10 states where you might want to start your job search, as they have lower unemployment rates than the national average:

Top-10 states with low unemployment
1. Wyoming ... 3.4 percent
Total employment: 293,900
Mean annual salary: $36,110**

2. North Dakota ... 3.5 percent
Total employment: 371,500
Mean annual salary: $33,650

3. South Dakota ... 3.9 percent
Total employment: 445,900
Mean annual salary: $31,540

4. Nebraska ... 4.0 percent
Total employment: 997,600
Mean annual salary: $35,270

5. Utah ... 4.3 percent
Total employment: 1,383,000
Mean annual salary: $37,080

6. Iowa ... 4.6 percent
Total employment: 1,671,900
Mean annual salary: $34,650

7. New Hampshire ... 4.6 percent
Total employment: 739,500
Mean annual salary: $40,780

8. New Mexico ... 4.9 percent
Total employment: 966,100
Mean annual salary: $35,790

9. Oklahoma ... 4.9 percent
Total employment: 1,768,900
Mean annual salary: $33,720

10. West Virginia ... 4.9 percent
Total employment: 800,000
Mean annual salary: $32,310

[Article by Kevin Fogarty. Interestingly, it answers why I see 'strategic vision and attention to detail' in the same job post these days]

Just a year ago, a job seeker might have found he had 12 out of the 14 requirements listed for a job posting and applied. He stood a good chance of obtaining an interview and even a job offer.

But the faltering economy has filled the job market with candidates who possess all 14 requirements and put the onus on the job seeker to possess the credentials required for the job.

In boom times, employers might list a set of certifications on a job posting more as an aspirational list than a set of firm requirements. It was icing on the cake, said Shane Cox, manager of talent acquisition at Harvard Business Publishing, who spent more than a decade in financial services before switching to publishing.

But in bad economies, when there are many qualified candidates out of work, a list of certifications is one more way for overburdened hiring managers to filter candidates who don't fit the ideal profile.

Knowing how recruiters see certifications and credentials and knowing which ones are mandated, which ones are required, which ones are just beneficial and which ones are useless can help you guide your job search or retraining strategy.

Required, "required" and optional

Recruiters look at two categories of "hard certifications": those mandated by law to perform a job and those not required by law but considered beneficial. They also consider "soft credentials," another term for specific work experience.

During this recession, Cox said, more candidates are being judged on the basis of soft credentials - those not mandated by law but considered beneficial.

Little has changed in certifications required by law, she said. In financial services, for example, job descriptions list the credentials a candidate must have to perform the job legally, and that hasn't changed, Cox said.

In less-regulated industries, by contrast, optional certifications show dedication to continued study and the energy to move ahead, not to mention the additional knowledge or skills involved, according to Sharon Jautz, an HR consultant specializing in online and digital media. However, those certifications once considered a plus are all but required now, Cox said.

What does this mean for job seekers weighing the benefits of optional certifications? Priority One is to determine which ones carry the most weight in your industry and specialty (and which are considered all but required), Jautz said. A certification is unlikely to get you onto a short list if the skills involved don't reflect the kind of job for which you're applying.

Soft credentials

Recruiters also consider soft credentials: your level of experience in specific tasks and responsibilities. Don't be misled by the "soft" moniker, however; demonstrating the level of experience an employer wants for a specific task is as important as holding a required credential or certification.

But just meeting the volume of years required isn't enough.

"It's not how long you've been in a job that matters, it's what you've been doing there," Cox said.
Even if the titles are similar, 10 years' experience in a job with significantly different responsibilities from the one you're pursuing won't hold water with discerning employers.

"Employers really are looking for practical experience; they want to know not just what was accomplished by a team you were on, they want to know what you actually did besides 'leadership,' " Cox said. "They want to see executives who are willing to get their hands dirty."

And being able to play just one role doesn't cut it anymore, either.

"Everyone's had to do more with less over the last two or three years, so they can't afford to hire someone who does strategy really well but just does strategy," Cox said.

"A lot of times, it's the details of the project work people did that makes a difference. It's the detail that shows what you did on a team and how effective that was," Cox said. "When you do that in some specific detail without coming up with a 10-page resume, people will pick you up very quickly."

Therefore, your resume must describe how your leadership or strategic skills set the company up for a great result, Cox said, then describe what part of the work you did yourself to make it happen.

Generalists vs. specialists

If you don't have the time or money to invest in hard certifications, there are ways you can beef up your soft credentials while you're on the job. Employers want to see that you have practical experience with many aspects of a position, not just that you led the team and handed off the details, Cox said.

"It's kind of unfair in some ways," she said. "For the last 10 years, we've been looking for specialists; now we're looking for people who are specialists but also have generalist skills and management skills."

Jautz said new technologies, including the Internet, have changed the way businesses work. Employers now expect senior executives to be able to work directly with a variety of digital tools.

Rather than just outline a Web-based marketing plan on paper and hand it off to production managers, for example, a marketing executive must demonstrate enough practical understanding of design software, search-engine optimization and other technologies to guide it to completion.

"You don't have to do all of it yourself," Jautz said, "but you have to be up on the technical skills and be able to understand how it gets done in order to do it."

[Do not confuse this phone screen with a phone interview, where the recruiter sets up a formal appointment for a phone conversation with someone in the department/division where you will work. What this article talks about is the first step in a lucky break--your resume got noticed and someone in HR decided to sound you out a bit before forwarding your resume. Handle it right, and you will move to the next level, which will be a phone interview. - Javed]

When an employer calls to say, "We'd like to discuss your qualifications a bit," what they are really saying is, "We want to know more about your exact skills and verify your resume, before we offer you an interview." Human Resources professionals refer to this interview as the Screening Interview. In today's job market this kind of screening process has become very popular and is frequently used. This initial employer contact is designed to narrow the pool of acceptable candidates, and you don't want to be one who is not scheduled for the in-person interview.

Telephone Interview

The interviewer hopes they will catch you off guard with their initial call. Employers typically phone in the evenings or on weekends. I've personally conducted a lot of these for employers and I'm amazed at how many people say it is okay to talk when there is obviously TV, loud children, and other distracting events going on around them. Preparation is the key to success. Remember that if you don't pass this screening, you're sunk.

When you get this type of call, tell the person you are just finishing something and ask if you can you call them back in ten minutes. Then prepare yourself. Find a quiet spot, get your resume out and think about the questions the interviewer will ask. The employer's objective is to clarify experience and salary expectations. Mentally rehearse your answers. Have a pen and paper in front of you. Jot down the caller's name and take notes as they ask you questions. Smile, so your voice sounds friendly.

The interviewer's job is to validate an applicant's background (after all, too many people lie on the resume). Employers need to hear that you have the experience needed to do the job. Demonstrate that you do with answers that offer examples of your past performance, and that reiterate your top strengths and key selling points. Be concise -- keep answers less than 60 seconds and, above all, sound interested and enthusiastic about the job. The worst thing you can do is to sound monotonal, robotic, uninterested, and dull. This can happen unconsciously if you get nervous, so actively work to sound self-assured and enthused.

The screening interview seeks to weed out the unqualified and overpriced. The disadvantage here is that the human resource person often is not specifically familiar with all the details of the job. They are generalists and seek to validate job experience, not job potential. Be sure to structure answers to demonstrate how you have done the work in the past and how you focus on self-improvement and making contributions to your employer. To move to the next level you must convince this person that you CAN do the job.

One Major Caution

Be ready for any salary questions. These are tricky. Revealing your financial desires can be used as a measuring stick to screen you out because they can clue the interviewer to your "real" skill level. It's always best to avoid answering any questions on salary until you have been offered the job. If questioned, respond to the interviewer by inquiring, "What is the range this job pays?"

Keep this adage in mind: Whoever mentions money first loses. Don't let it be you.

SOURCE: Book "60 Seconds and You're Hired!"

- Robin Ryan

Career Counselor and Best-Selling Author

America's most popular career counselor, Robin Ryan, is the author of four bestselling books: 60 Seconds & You're Hired!, Winning Resumes, Winning Cover Letters, and What to Do with the Rest of Your Life. She's appeared on over a thousand TV & radio shows including Oprah, Dr. Phil, and has been published in most major newspapers and magazines including USA Today & the Wall Street journal. Contact her at 425.226.0414; email: info@robinryan.com.

Copyright 2010 Robin Ryan. All rights reserved.

Pardon me while I put on my sarcasm hat, because the following gem is from an "alleged" expert--someone who has apparently helped 20,000 people with his resume writing skills.

Oh my, wake up the kids; why didn't I think of this? Let me ask you, Mr. Expert, how exactly is one supposed to find WHO the hiring manager is? It's not like job postings say "this position reports to Jane Smith in Production, and her mailstop is B16"!

When are people going to stop giving out this type of advice that is not actionable?

We actually show ways to find out who the hiring manager is, how to find out her contact information and how to decide whether to contact her or not. You can read more about these "actionable intelligence" methods in our book, The Laidoff Ninja.

Looking for low-cost job-search assistance or career counseling?

Working with the Employment Guide, AARP is holding Helping Experience Work@50+ Career Fairs throughout 2010 in the 19 states with the highest unemployment rates among older workers. The Work@50+ Career Fairs are free; there is no cost to participate.

States holding one or more career fairs include the following:

Alabama, Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington.

Each Work@50+ Career Fair will offer career counseling, job-hunting strategies, networking tips, and information on how to effectively market your skills and experience. Employers ready to hire 50+ workers will also be on site. Attending a career fair is an excellent opportunity to enhance and re-energize your job search efforts.

Get more information on the Helping Experience Work@50+ Career Fairs and register for an event near you.