Make one blunder on your resume, and you can forget about being called for an interview. Fall short of making an impression during the interview and you can kiss your chances of getting the job goodbye. Yes jobseekers… the stakes are that high!
Whether knowingly or unknowingly, there are some recurring and common mistakes that most job seekers make which either prolong or derail their job search completely! But before you fruss about it let us tell you that even the most confident of job seekers make these mistakes. But by learning how to steer clear of these probable pitfalls from the very beginning, you can make your job search more fruitful and get more positive results.
So whether you are a new jobseeker or a seasoned employee, steer clear of these common mistakes which can hinder your future job prospects.
Having no job search strategy:
Searching for a job is a full-time job in itself. But surprisingly, most candidates get into the search with little or zero groundwork! The biggest mistake you can make as a job seeker is not knowing what you want. This is especially true if you have been off the job market for a while. You might be desperate or in a state of panic or simply eager to take almost anything that comes your way. You basically want to “keep your options open.” Unfortunately, no matter how much you try, you will have little or no success. And even if you do happen to find a decent job, it will be entirely by accident. So the best way to successfully launch a job search is to start with a good foundation. Invest some time in defining your job target and crafting a solid action plan. With such groundwork, you will be more confident about your options and will take lesser time to connect with the ideal opportunities.
Not customizing your resume:
Employers don’t want a one-fits-all resume that doesn’t address their requirements. It’s a huge turn off for almost all of them! Replying to every job posting with your single, perfect resume is a definite way of committing job-search suicide. Your prospective employers want to know explicitly what you can do for them, so if you tailor your resume for every opening, they are more likely to see the distinction and give you the chance to talk in person. Another common mistake that most jobseekers commit is of not proofreading their resume! This may seem like a no brainer but there are so many resumes which have the obvious grammatical mistakes and typos. They demonstrate an unorganized and unprofessional image. So make sure your resume is free of basic errors and structured in an easy to read format.
Being unprepared for an interview
If you boil it down, all job interviews comprise of 5 fundamental elements: effectively communicating your value preposition, asking sharp questions, demonstrating your familiarity with the company, negotiating the salary and then the follow-up! Each of these items have to be practiced in advance to ace the interview. So if you want to make an impression on your prospective recruiter, you need to go all geared up. You need to look and sound the part of the person who can fill that job vacancy. A lot of jobseekers miss out on opportunities when they walk in knowing little or nothing about the company at all, looking stupid and uninterested in the job. They also make another blunder of granting all the decision making power to their prospective employer. While it’s ok to keep selling yourself most of the time during an interview, it’s also equally important to ask some key questions. Because in all probability you also want to assess your future employer! Jobseekers who ask conversant, explicit questions about the job or the employer during the interview impress hiring managers. Good questions are certainly seen as the mark of a good applicant.
Not utilizing social media enough:
You should never underestimate the power of social media in your job search in today’s time! It’s just as significant as having a resume. Employers are constantly using social media to shortlist candidates for job positions. So if you don’t have a profile yet or are not regularly updating the one that you have, you might be losing out on a huge chunk of possible job opportunities! So keep your profile updated with a great value statement, a focused message and some measurable achievements along with a few good references. A great tip here- Make it search optimized by sprinkling in the right keywords or buzzwords. Another great way of job search is via Facebook or Twitter. There are so many pages on Facebook that share job postings. Even Twitter is perfect for job offers – simply type #jobs and you’ll find a cluster! So don’t linger to dress up your profile till the time you are actually unemployed.
Bad-mouthing your ex- employer:
Navigating through the waters of workplace politics can be frustrating for even the most even-keeled pros, but no matter how alluring it might be, speaking about your ex- boss or company negatively is a definite No! Almost everyone has dealt with a bad boss or an unstable team; but, it’s how you’ve managed to tackle the challenging situations that demonstrate your real value as an employee. So when such a situation arrives, be honest about why it didn’t work out and never be disrespectful of your ex-employer. Focus on the positives rather than on things you couldn’t modify. Nobody wants to hear about impractical deadlines or uncooperative colleagues but people surely want to know that you’re a proactive, tough candidate who was able to churn out the desired results despite the tough situations.
No-one said the job search was easy! So if you find yourself accountable for these familiar mistakes, it’s time to fix up and evade them all. Accordingly your job search won’t be so that tough after-all.
