When you're on the job hunt, the last thing you want to do is annoy hiring managers, interviewers, recruiters, and so on. But how do you know when you're being a nuisance? We asked our experts what they thought were the most annoying mistakes job seekers make during their search. Here's what they had to say: "Biggest mistake: Focusing on them, what they want and a list of what they did. You need to focus on what the employer wants. You do this by identifying the 3-5 top things they are looking for and then tailoring your resume to showcase what you did and what results were produced." (Don Goodman) "One of the biggest mistakes that I see with job-hunters is time wasting. My number one tip for people in a situation of long-term unemployment is to treat the job search like a full-time job. I encourage the candidates to schedule their time each day, just like they had a job. For example, start each day at around the same time and block out "appointments" to do online job searches, attend networking events, make follow-up calls, and so on." (Amanda Haddaway) "While I can't necessarily say that I get annoyed by it, I do think that job seekers sabotage their job search every morning when they go online, first thing, to check their email. This starts a quick downhill spiral of moving from job board to job board, in search of positions that are already posted. Best tip for breaking the habit? Start with one email-free morning, and slowly move to two, three, and so on! Instead of checking email, head out to an informational interview, networking event, or training workshop." (Laura Labovich) "Taking advice from so-called experts who have never hired or fired anyone in their lives... If you have a question, ask someone who has been there and done that... Check credentials before taking advice." (Bruce Hurwitz) "Not being fully prepared for salary negotiations and receiving an offer. So many job seekers are so focused on the resume and interviewing that they forget to prepare to win the job and what goes with that, salary negotiations. Research early on about the going rates for that position in that geographic area well in advance of a final interview... Know what you can live with and what you can't live with, not only in salary and benefits but commute and office environment... Stay teachable and flexible in your negotiations." (Lisa Adams) "Most job seekers forget that hiring managers have a lot on their plates. Filling an open position, no matter how important to the operation, is one of several things that compete for their attention. If you don’t hear anything by two weeks after your note should have arrived, you might want to follow up with an email, letting the hiring manager know you are still interested. Follow up is good – too much follow up can be just plain annoying and hinder your chances of getting the job." (Bud Bilanich) "Probably the one biggest annoyance is when I get asked my opinion of something, like a person’s resume. I usually pick out the most glaring issues to give them feedback on and then I’m told something like” I had another resume/career expert told me to do that." First, it feels like an attempt to discredit me, and second, if they had another career expert tell them to do something, why are they asking me? ...If you ask enough people their opinion, you will ultimately find conflicting inputs. At some point, you still have to balance experts inputs with your own judgment and stop fishing for answers." (Dorothy Tannahill Moran) "Many of my clients make the mistake of not recognizing that some of their 'smallest' successes might be the most appreciated by the employer. It's great to 'Wow!' an employer with accomplishments that show how you contributed to the bottom line, but it's equally important to have stories of how you've fit in with the organization's culture. For example, maybe you helped a colleague when you didn't have to, went above and beyond for a customer, or volunteered to set up a little lending library in the break room. Ask yourself: what have I done that will resonate with this employer?" (Kristin Johnson) "Too often, job seekers fail to define and refine their professional brand, to know themselves (their skils, talents and values), and what they really want from a career, so they go into the job hunt without a target... Job seekers need to take the time up front to establish a personal brand by defining and refining their skills, talents, and values; they need to research career paths in which they will thrive, and then move forward with a targeted job search strategy." (Lisa Lambert Snodgrass)Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
BigstockMake a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
- How did I learn about this job?
- How did I apply for the job?
- Did I earn an interview?
- What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
BigstockAre you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
Let's start with resumes!
Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
BigstockYour job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
- Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
- Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
- Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.