CAREER
5 Common Mistakes That
Desperate Job Seekers Make
O
ften, when we’re looking for jobs, we make a lot
of mistakes. Unemployed job seekers especially
may feel some mild panic as they search for employment, which can lead to rushed applications, which
beget mistakes and ultimately compromise one’s jobseeking strategy. Even the passive, currently employed
job seeker may be prone to job-hunting mistakes. These
mistakes often arise from being out of practice: when it’s
been a while since you needed to look for a new job, you
can get a little rusty. Given the average job seeker’s penchant for errors, I thought it would be useful to highlight
some of the most common mistakes that job seekers
make and offer some tips on how to avoid them:
1. Ignoring Their Networks
The admirable qualities of conscientiousness, skill, and
persistence will only get you so far in the job hunt. Research suggests that between 25 and 50 percent of all
jobs are landed via word-of-mouth referrals. Often, these
openings are referred to as the “secret job market”: a
market full of unadvertised positions that companies fill
through referral only. Many job seekers make the mistake of ignoring the secret job market, choosing instead
to apply only for advertised jobs. Of course, this means
that the average job seeker may be missing as many as
50 percent of the opportunities on the market. To double
their chances of finding a job, job seekers should spend
a significant amount of time mining their networks of
friends, family, and associates for new job opportunities.
2. Failing to Seek Out Recommendations
As mentioned above, referrals can go a long way in helping job seekers find employment. Research shows that
applicants who are referred to a job are twice as likely
to be called to interview and 40 percent more likely to be
offered a job. Failing to or not even trying to reach out
to influential industry or company players is a big mistake, one that will certainly reduce your chances of gaining employment. Job seekers should always try to get a
meaningful recommendation for any role to which they
apply. They should also make sure to spend time securing endorsements and recommendations on their LinkedIn profiles.
3. Not Dswimemonstrating Cultural or Personality Fit
Modern recruiting has become increasingly focused on
team/personality/cultural fit. Even if a job seeker has the
skills, they may not be offered the job if they don’t have
the right fit for the company. Job seekers who make the
mistake of ignoring cultural fit — a mistake that many,
many people make — are seriously diminishing their
chances of success. Job seekers should target employers with which they feel they have a strong cultural or personality fit. Job seekers who share the same values, approaches, and outlooks as their potential employers are
far more likely to land a role than those who do not. Once
a job seeker has found a company with which they will fit,
they should make sure to frequently demonstrate this fit
in their cover letter and throughout the interview process.
4.Only Applying for Full-Time, Permanent Jobs
A lot of job seekers only consider opportunities for fulltime, permanent employment. The problem is that there
may not be enough of these jobs to go around. Studies
shows that a growing number of employers – 83 percent,
to be precise – are making more use of contingent workers. Some experts even speculate that contingent workers — e.g., freelancers, temps, contract workers, parttimers, etc. — may soon be the norm. Job seekers who
only apply for full-time positions are shooting themselves
in the feet. On the flip side, those who are open to parttime, temporary, and freelance work are maximizing their
chances of job search success.
5. Not Tailoring Their Applications/Interview Approaches According to Each Employer
Employers don’t want to hire someone who wants just
any job — they want to hire someone who really wants
their job. Employers see passionate candidates as more
committed, engaged, and, ultimately, more desirable.
However, many candidates take a one-size-fits-all approach to the job search, sending out the same applications to multiple employers and giving the same canned
answers to every interview question. Job seekers need
to make sure to show each employer that it is their No.
1 choice — or at least on their very short list. The best
way to do this is to develop a tailored resume and cover
letter that specifically show an employer why you are
both suited to and passionate about not only the job, but
also the company itself. A job seeker’s genuine passion
should also come out during the interview process, which
job seekers can do by making regular references to the
ways in which they’ll thrive and succeed at a particular
company.Job seekers can significantly improve their jobhunting games if they learn to avoid these mistakes at
all costs. Sure, we’ve all made these sorts of missteps
before — but those of us who really want to find jobs need
to ensure we never make them again.
48 | BOOM