1. Don't expect a company or recruiter to respond to your job need in your time frame. They won't. They return calls when they have a need that they think you can fill at a price that they are willing to pay. It's pure luck if you have the exact requirements they are looking for at the time you are looking for a new job.  They solve their needs, not yours.

2. Don't expect confidentiality. Even if the resume recipient agrees to keep your search private, that resume will likely pass to ten other people in one organization alone. It's impossible to keep them all sworn to secrecy, particularly if you go online. Do not think 'they are your friend', it's inevitable that it will be made public.

3. Don't be unable to clearly, succinctly, honestly support your claims on your resume or when interviewing. People who hire calibrate what you say against what others say. One man had to answer a question about his background by saying, "Let me see what I wrote on my resume. You need proof of your successes by being written up, documented, recognized, or rewarded and you need to clearly communicate them.  They want to hire 'proven' showstoppers.

4. Don't hide failures. You demonstrate self-confidence in bringing up the bad news. Hiding it works against you. Showing it makes you look honest. You need to show what you learned from it and how you prevent that from happening again, of course.

5. Don't be too easy to get. It's human nature to want what you can't have. They actually like it when you say 'no' at first then they can brag how they succeeded in getting you to change your mind. If a recruiter calls don't take the call immediately. Instead, agree to call back. Then stop, think, relax, prepare some questions and call as agreed.

6. Don't lie. Don't massage the facts and figures at all. You will be found out, sooner rather then later. All 10 people who've looked at your resume in that company will find out you lied. If you can't get hired on your own merit, change your merit; don't fabricate it.