You know that feeling when you find out you’ve been doing something wrong for a long time, but no one bothered to tell you? This can happen not only in ordinary life, but also in your job search as a job seeker. Here at Spark Hire, we try to do what any good job seeker friend would: point out the mistakes other people make in their job search so you don’t fall into the same trap. Check out these tips for job seekers so you can see the common mistakes to avoid.
You don’t tell anyone (everyone!) you’re looking for a job
Many jobs are found by networking— more than half of mine, I just counted- which is difficult if no one knows you fully immersed in a job search! Tell friends and family that you’re looking as it comes up in conversation, and send a quick email to former business contacts letting them know what you’re looking for as a job seeker.
You ignore directions
Don’t let your own ideas about how to contact a company supersede the directions in a job posting. In an article from US News, they suggest that you include all the information requested, in the format suggested. This may seem like common sense, but it’s easy to stray from what you are asked to do when you are in your job search.
Your resume doesn’t list accomplishments
As a job seeker, when you list a job on your resume, forget about listing your duties. List your accomplishments. For example, instead of saying “I was responsible for social media marketing,” detail something great you did with social media marketing. For instance, “I used social media to expand our company blog readership by fifty percent.” One of the best tips for job seekers is to remember to quantify your results in your.
You don’t send a cover letter
When you ask about tips for job seekers, most people will first tell you to be sure you have a personalized cover letter for each position. Therefore, write a specific, affable cover letter for every position in your job search. Think of a cover letter as an agent for your resume. It explains your goals as a job seeker and is a chance to tell the hiring manager why he/she should interview you. Learn more with Spark Hire’s other tips for job seekers.
You don’t research a company before your interview
If you don’t, you’ll show that you aren’t that interested in the job or that you are a lazy job seeker. You should research the company enough in your job search so that you can ask good questions at the end of the interview. Always have questions!
You don’t tell your interviewers you want the job
Let your enthusiasm for the job show. Tell your interviewers not only why you would be good for the job, but why the job would be great for you.
You sound bitter about your current position/past employer
Nobody likes a Debbie Downer. To expand upon that, you should never be negative about a past/current employer. Doing so will reflect poorly on you as a job seeker, not your employer.
You don’t send good thank you notes
Check out further tips for job seekers in this Spark Hire article, which details how to write a great thank-you note. As CNN agrees, sending a thank-you shows that you are thoughtful and polite, and also helps you stay in the mind of your interviewer as a great job seeker.
What else would you add to the list? Leave a comment below, or send me a tweet: @ithinkther4iamb #jobseeker #tipsforjobseekers
IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by bearstache
3 comments