How to Avoid the Biggest Job Search Mistakes

I have been in the Human Resources arena for over 5 years and can help you with your job search.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Internet

1. DON'T HEAVILY RELY ON JOB BOARDS-Statistic say that 5-8 percent of all people get their jobs from job boards. The truth of the matter is that recruiters are so swamped with resumes in these economic times that your resume may be 121 out of 150 that they receive. In addition to that, many applicant tracking systems aren't kept updated resulting in what we call a black hole effect.

2. DON'T POST RESUME ON EVERY JOB BOARD-Although you may get an initial splash of response, this method actually works against you. In addition to that, this method can be dangerous if you are already employed because your employer may have access to the job boards, find you and terminate you because of this lack of loyalty.

3. DON'T RELY ON SEARCH FIRMS 100%-Bottom line, search firms aren't there to help you, they are there to make money. Even the best of the best are paid a fee by the client. I know this hurts, but it's true. The candidate is their product. If for some reason, your skills are out of date or you have never been successful with search firms, it's time to look elsewhere. The only exception to this is temporary staffing firms where a temporary opportunity may lead to a permanent opportunity.

4. DON'T WRITE A POORLY WRITTEN RESUME-I see these all the time. You only have one change to make a first impression. Misspellings and grammar errors can cost you the job. They show that you lack attention to detail. In addition to that, functional resumes are never preferred to chronological resumes. Functional resumes are confusing and get thrown out of the pile first. Stick to traditional chronological resumes even if you don't have too much experience or have had numerous contracts/jobs. Another mistake I see quite often is a resume that is not tailored to a job. For instance, if the position calls for an Instructor, do not call yourself a Trainer. The recruiter for that job is most likely going to use the keyword Instructor instead of Trainer. Another issue I see is when an Objective is geared towards a completely different job at a different company. This is what I call a careless error. Resumes should also include some kind of quantitative measurement in terms of how much you made the company or how much you saved the company. Finally, the last pet peeve I would like to mention is dates on resumes. I have seen a number of resumes where the dates state 2006-2006. Does this mean 1 day or one year? It could theoretically mean both. That's why it's very important to put months/years on the date portion of the resume.

5. DON'T FORGET ABOUT REFERENCES-A reference can make or break the deal. Your reference must be someone you had a great working relationship with and preferably be a supervisor, co-worker or client. References must always be called and warned that someone from XYZ Company will be calling them. In addition to that, references should see an updated version of your resume so that they don't "forget" your skill set.

6. USE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES-Facebook and LinkedIn can be a great addition to your search efforts. LinkedIn is meant to be a professional social network where you can connect directly with anyone's contacts. Facebook is more of a social site but can be used for business purposes when the two overlap.

7. NAME DROP-If you know Colleen well and Colleen is now working at XYZ Company and doing a great job. You can be another Colleen for them if you use her name.

8. DON'T LISTEN TO UNPROFESSIONAL ADVICE-Many times, our family will say, the economy is so horrible that you should just give up your search. Giving up is not going to solve anything and will make you feel worse about yourself. Many times, a search can take 6-10 months for a niche career, that's why it's important to always keep your head above the water.

9. HAVE A SYSTEM-Many times, someone who was just laid off updates their old resume and applies to 200 jobs online. In two days, they hear back from 2 of those companies with an email that says "Your skill set is being reviewed." Unfortunately, none get back to you. This has happened to a number of people in this last recession. Unfortunately, your career may be so common that there are 400 people applying for the same job and you simply don't stand out. There are two choices, either you keep on applying or you change geares and do something that is similar to what you have done but may not be the exact same job description. There are countless numbers of people who think they can only do one skill when they in fact have skill sets suitable for a number of different types of roles. Keep an open mind!

Tips & Warnings

• Smile and have fun with the process. If things are obviously not working, shift around, go to a career counselor, go to your local unemployment office, volunteer to get out of the house.
• If you feel depressed, get medical help.
• If you cannot afford COBRA, you may get independent insurance at ehealthinsurance.com.
• Name dropping may be dangerous if the individual is not doing a good job for your target company.

[motherNN]

on 9/1/2009 thanks for the advice!

[Robroszk]

on 8/23/2009 A BRILLIANT piece of writing prose! If only monster and careerbuilder would pay COMPETENT people like yourself to post information like this that could have GREAT BENEFIT for those struggling in this BRUTAL job market. I have read some of your articles and you are really right on the money with your tips! Keep up the good work and please write a book so i can be the first to buy from you!

[mayreach]

on 4/25/2009 I really appreciate your posting such great advice for all to learn from. Step 2 is one that many job seekers make mistakes with. I am May...Reach me