No one makes a job search mistake on purpose, but they seem to happen all of the time. Do you feel like you are sabotaging your job search? You may be the victim of your own actions without even knowing it.
Almost every job seeker makes at lease one job search mistake. Some mistakes are minor, but others can cost you the job. If you think your job search is blunder-free, think again. Job search mistakes affect every aspect of the job hunt. From resumes and cover letters to interviews and follow-ups, there are plenty of places where even the most meticulous job seeker can (and will) make mistakes.
When you’re in the middle of your job search, be aware of these common job search mistakes:
- Not completing the entire application
- Not sending a thank you note
- Not maintaining your professional references
- Expecting recruiters to find you
- Holding out for jobs you’re not qualified for
- Writing a crummy resume
- Having unrealistic expectations
- Not investing time to your web presence
- Not editing what’s on your social media accounts
- Not researching a company
- Not having a professional email address and email signature
- Not tending to your personal appearance
- Having a bad attitude
- Cursing
- Not sending a cover letter with your application
- Not building your resume through internships, volunteering, and education
- Not being available when recruiters need you to be
- Leaving typos in your resume, application, or cover letter
- Only focusing the job search on Internet job listings
- Not networking
- Not tapping into the “hidden” job market
- Bad mouthing previous employers
- Not following up after an interview or application
- Lack of interview preparation
- Being shy
- Annoying an employer
- Lacking the ability to sell yourself
As you can tell there are plenty of job search mistakes you can make. How many of these mistakes have you made in your job hunt? You can learn how to correct and avoid a lot of these mistakes in the JobMonkey Blog Archive.
Now that you know some of the common job search mistakes, you will be aware of the mistakes you must avoid if you want to have a successful job hunt. Good luck!