Avoid These Mistakes When Looking For A Job

One way to look a job search is to consider it an exercise in not making mistakes: If you “do all the right things,” an offer will eventually come your way.

Below are the most common job search mistakes and how to avoid them.

Conducting a Narrow Search

One common mistake that people make is to focus only on a few select employers; perhaps because these companies are conveniently located or have some other allure. Limiting yourself means putting too many eggs in not enough baskets.

Discuss your job search with everybody in your network, including family, friends, neighbors, former co-workers and former supervisors. Be judicious about talking to current co-workers. When you cast a wider net through your network, you will uncover a greater range of possibilities.

Ignoring Your Social Media Footprint

Your online presence is crucial to your job search. Off-color posts on Facebook may seem funny, but anything considered offensive will cause a hiring manager to question your professionalism.

Likewise, you should be taking a proactive approach to building an appealing online presence. Instead of posting off-color material or not posting anything at all, you ought to be posting relevant industry news and having positive interactions with people within your line of work.

Using a One-Size-Fits-All Resume and Cover Letter

Hiring managers look at hundreds of resumes and they notice the generic ones.You’ll seem less interested in the position than candidates who took the time and effort to customize their application materials.

Think of your resume as a framework that you tweak each time you apply to a job. If, for instance, the job description calls for tech skills, you should make sure your tech skills are prominently feature on your resume. Since a cover letter is less structured than a resume, it allows for a lot more customization and should significantly reflect the job description for the position you are seeking.

Skipping Your Homework

If you walk into an interview without researching the job, the company and the industry, you may as well not walk in at all, as interviewers expect you to be able to talk about all three topics.

Industry websites, the company’s official website, Glassdoor and other social media platforms are all good places to get the information you need. If possible, try to speak with current or former employees to get the inside scoop.

Not Following Up

The interview follow-up can feel a bit like an unnecessary formality. However, a follow-up email is actually a very useful tool that can be used to enhance your chances of getting the job.

Thank the interviewers for their time and briefly remind them of your strengths. You can also use this to address any concerns that might have been raised during the interview. For instance, if you lack a certain bit of non-essential experience, your email could mention that you’ve been researching the subject quite a bit since the interview.

Find Your Next Job With Career Concepts!

At Career Concepts, we work as your partner to help you avoid these mistakes, big or small. Contact our team of experts today to get started on your job search!