Stop making these job search mistakes and get hired!
Did you know, great candidates sometimes lose career opportunities because of simple job search mistakes?
Whether it’s insufficient preparation, lack of guidance or plain anxiety, these mistakes can not only spoil your chances of gaining a position you truly wanted, but can also lead to a feeling of discouragement and even depression!
Fortunately, identifying these job search mistakes beforehand alleviates the likelihood of them occurring.
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Are you making these job search mistakes?
Lack of industry research
If you’re sitting in an interview and you’re practically clueless about the company, rest assured you won’t be getting a call back. Interviewers expect job seekers to be fully prepared. If you refuse to capitalise on the wealth of information that is the internet, you run the risk of being branded as “inefficient”, “indifferent” or even “lazy”.
Unprofessional email/social media
If you claim to be the best candidate in your interview, but your social media pages are littered with unflattering photos or suggestive content, employers will rightfully pass. Similarly, email addresses should be your name, or a very slight variation thereof. Leave the sultry or creative email addresses for personal use.
Not spending sufficient time job hunting
A candidate putting in four to five hours a day researching, applying, following up and prospecting through multiple media will likely be more successful than someone who peruses a job board a few times per week and maybe applies for one or two positions.
Not making ‘The Transformation’
Employers do not want students. They want professionals. To be successfully hired for a position you want, you must make the transformation from student to a workable, teachable professional.
To make this leap, you have to:
- Look the part – get your interview attire ready and groom yourself,
- Work on your communication and interviewing skills.
- Train yourself to speak confidently, listen effectively
- Adopt an assertive posture.
- Learn about business writing, resume writing, time management and goal setting.
- Get to know the job market. What industries are hiring, what are the key companies in those industries and the gatekeepers in those companies.
- Understanding the importance of taking ownership, responsibility
- Acquire essential skills for today’s job market.
Being uncomfortable with networking
Part of your student to professional transformation involves being comfortable with networking. It’s not about meeting people and distributing business cards, but building relationships with potential employers.
Writing a CV that is unclear
Every CV must be tailored to the job you’re applying. Some industries value different skills and experience over others. Having a generic template for every position is simply a recipe for waiting by a phone that never rings.
Sharing bad experiences of your last role
Every organisation has its problems, but those should never be discussed with future employers. Their logic would be, “Why should I hire this person who will also badmouth me one day”? Additionally, it is quite a challenge to badmouth your last company while trying to convince your new employer that you are a team player.
Focusing only on job boards
While job boards may be the default method of job hunting today, is can be detrimental to ignore other opportunities. Losing these other opportunities can also result in you losing out in invaluable industry insights and advice. To expedite your job search, it is key to leverage your network opportunities.
Not telling people what you want
When leveraging your network, be specific, as to the opportunities you’re considering. You don’t want to be building relationships, only to find jobs you’re disinterested in.
Applying for many jobs as possible
Job searching must be strategic. You must be aware of your skills and the industry’s requirements and find that balance. Applying for many jobs through desperation can lead to eventual job dissatisfaction.
Mistakes on the cover letter
A small amount of rambling may be passable during an interview. However, rambling on a cover letter is just a frustration. Ideally your cover letter should be just about three-quarters of a letter page and emphasise your strengths. Being too long, repetitive, littered with grammatical errors or inappropriate greetings lose credibility.
Ideally your cover letter should state the role you’re applying for. Avoid openings such as “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”. Preferably, find the name of the recruiter and address your letter to that person. You can use LinkedIn to determine who that hiring manager in that company might be, if a name isn’t provided on the job post.
Mistakes on your resume
Employers utilise scanning software when shortlisting candidates. These types of software look for specific keywords to filter out the unsuitable candidates. Include keywords found in the job description to essentially speak the recruiter’s language and match your resume to the job advertisement.
Mistakes in the interview
A fatal mistake during an interview is not selling anything of value. How do candidates do this? By repeating their contents of their resume, providing rehearsed answers and offering no solutions to the potential employer. A candidate who fails to sell high-value is one that does not connect the dots regarding who they are, what they can do and what the company needs.
Mistakes when following-up
When following up, do not make the mistake of coming across too demanding or needy. If a decision has not been made yet, respect that. You don’t want to be that applicant following up too much and being perceived a demanding, needy or creepy.
Common mistakes made by students
As a student, it can be challenging to find meaningful employment while still carrying the ‘student label’. To drop this label, it is crucial to avoid the following mistakes:
- Overcoming the no work experience argument. You can highlight your education, emphasise a particular skill you may have, or leverage non-paid responsibilities (internships, volunteer work).
- A regular student candidate may just tell the interviewer what they want to hear. A young professional sells the interviewer what they can contribute.
- Applying without reading the job description – Don’t apply for a position until you have a thorough understanding of what the job entails and what key points you can sell. The interview is the last place you want to discover that you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.
- Suitable references – Parents, siblings and family members are not suitable references for the simple reason that it is automatically assumed they will sing your praises. List teachers, community leaders and other non-related professionals who can vouch for you.
- Salary discussions – Don’t jump for salary negotiations just yet. Let the employer be willing to hire you first.
