I think the vision/5 year plan thing is for people wanting to go into management. But not everybody particularly cares about that sort of thing. Also, given how the economy is going, in 5 years I could be homeless for all I know. I can't make plans so well when everything is so utterly uncertain.

See, this is a good point as to why the "vision" thing may sink you.

@SmarchHare

It sucks, but in this economy people can hire professional-level candidates for entry-level work. If they can pay a similar salary and get someone with more experience, they most likely will.

Just because I'm desperate for the job, doesn't mean I'll be terrible at the job. Well said!

I have been an interviewer, and I can only agree with some of this. The resume one is hugely important. But I don't give a crap if you are happy at your current job. I care that you'll be happy at this one, and a lot of the time there is no correlation. I'm interested in your career path, but that's not that…

From an interviewee who has yet to make it off the bottom rung of the ladder:

I've been offered every position I've interviewed for in the past 12 years (over 10, about half of which I turned down), and here is why I won't work for you:

Bingo. Especially the salary range. Why employers hold that back until everybody has put in lots of time and had multiple interviews has always been a mystery to me. I suppose they like to think that their company is such a wonderful place to work that they want to see who wants to work there without the single most…

Interviews are two-way communications. Many companies don't understand that.

Unfortunately, in an economy like the one we have, companies can afford a certain level of entitlement in their hiring process.

WHY I WONT APPLY FOR YOUR JOB..

Yes, I know — it doesn't change my point. Asking someone how great their current job is when you know they're leaving it is disingenuous at best.

Agreed, this person sounds like a classic narcissist. Unfortunately a lot of hiring folks are like this. They are jaded from all the garbage applicants they get (woefully under-qualified, wasting time), that they can't even bother with someone whose resume isn't an exact, laser-focused facsimile of the position…

Wow, I sincerely hope most hiring managers aren't this sanctimonious.