Correct yourself:
7 mistakes to avoid when looking for a job
If you’re having a hard time finding work, especially in the current employment environment, you’re probably spending a lot of time questioning those decisions that have brought you to this point. Did you major in the right subject in college? Did you quit that first job too early? Should you have blown up like that on your last boss? Are your references bad-mouthing you instead of talking you up? Are you any good at your job? Are you any good at anything?
Those little voices in your head can sometimes be overwhelming but before you decide to focus on the worst decisions you think you’ve made, take a few minutes to think about some of the obvious-to-everyone-but-you mistakes you’ve been making during your job search.
“People have blind spots when it comes to work,” says Ryan Tempe, a career consultant in Los Angeles who specializes in executive-level job placement. “They think they have a killer resume when in reality, it’s the same-old, same-old — the same thing most of the other applicants have. They think they have a great opening when they go on a job interview when it’s not interesting at all and they even think the suit they’re wearing makes them look good when in fact, it makes them look like someone clearly unqualified
for the position.”
Time to regroup
Tempe says the first thing frustrated job seekers should do is take a break. “Maybe take a couple of weeks to reassess and get things together,” he says. “A little bit of air can be good for you creatively, professionally and motivationally.”
While you’re taking that break, examine everything about your search. “Top to bottom,” Tempe says. “From the font you use on your resume to the profile pic you use on LinkedIn. Go through it all.”
And unlike before, don’t just take your word for it. “Ask your friends, ask a neighbor, ask the guy on the bike path,” says Tempe. “Find out what’s working and not working with the most basic building blocks of your presentation.”
In addition to the basics, here are seven ways to rethink some of your most unproductive strategies:
1. Apply with care: Sending out resumes can be like tossing bird seed at a wedding — unless you aim squarely at the groom’s face, you probably won’t get the hilarious
payoff you’re looking for. The same goes for resumes. Throwing a bunch of resumes around isn’t going to get you the right job. It’s going to frustrate you and make you
angry at yourself and others when you are either ignored or rejected. Target your search with the companies that offer the type of job and future you crave.
2. Be professional: Take small steps to improve your professionalism, such as handing out personalized business cards or sending a thank-you note after an interview, can go a long way toward making a good first impression. And kill that stupid email account already. No one’s hiring Igotthegoods123@email.com, no matter how confident you think it makes you sound.
3. Don’t go it alone: Networking is for the weak, right? You can do this on your own and you don’t need anyone’s
help. Sure, you can take that attitude, if you want to sit on the couch for the next six months working on your screenplay. But if you want to get paid, enlist the help of others. Reach out to friends, family and former coworkers and bosses when searching for a job. You never know who might be able to offer a great lead on an open position.
4. Ask questions: Not asking questions is a surefire way to show that you don’t care about the company or the position you’re interviewing for. Go into each interview
with some well-thought-out questions that demonstrate both your knowledge of the company and the position, as well as your enthusiasm and interest in learning more.
5. Tidy up your look: Hiring managers can usually size up a candidate in the first few minutes of an interview — even online — so you don’t want their focus to be on your bedhead, wrinkled shirt or neon earrings. Dress professionally for an interview and air on the conservative side when picking an outfit. Ask the salespeople for help if
you’re shopping on land or consult a friend — you know, the one you think dresses so much better than you — for an online shopping session.
6. Tone it down online: Negative blog posts about a former coworker are never good. Same with offensive tweets, risqué Instagrams and woe-is-me Facebook posts. If you want to be hired, be the person you’d want to hire, in-person and online.
7. Concise cover letters count: Writing more is not always better, especially when it comes to cover letters. Hiring managers have to read stacks of cover letters when narrowing down a list of job candidates, so keep it brief and to the point.