Six common job search mistakes
by Raquel Flor
The least you can afford to
do while on the job market is to make costly missteps that could shatter your
employment chances. Gone are the days when the job market
overflowed with openings, and your biggest problem was weighing competing offers.
Nowadays, it’s an employers’ paradise, and most people count themselves lucky
to still hold a job.
Truly, the competition can be tough and companies
very selective. Knowing this, you can’t afford to be lax and to feed attitudes
and behaviors that could blow your chances away. Here, six things you need to
correct so you don’t cheat yourself out of a job.
1. Poor self-esteem
Do you often feel worthless and find yourself on the brink of tears? Are you frequently
at the point of giving up? Do you often say, “How come she has a job and I don’t?”
Wallowing in self-pity and making comparisons do no good and only bring more pressure
upon yourself. Your search may be taking longer than expected, but keep in mind
that, with determination and patience, your time will come.
The best
thing to do is to condition yourself to be in the right frame of mind as you hit
the job trail. Tell yourself you are a unique individual with something of value
to offer the employer. Know that lack of self-confidence will show through during
the interview. According to Ronnie Turla, HR specialist of Global Brands, your
self-image-or lack of it-is one of the first things interviewers spot. If you
don’t believe in yourself, how can you convince any company to believe in you
and hire you?
2. Lack of focus
Failing to commit to or focus
on your job search is another major mistake. How much time do you devote to this
campaign, anyway? Perhaps you spend more time watching soap operas, sleeping and
going out with friends than you do looking for a job. If you’re really serious
about it, make your search a top priority, and spend at least 20 hours a week
on job-hunting-related activities.
“Why not enhance your skills while
waiting for employment opportunities?” suggests Jun Laxa, human resources business
partner of Cypress Semi-Conductors. Since it’s really a battle of the fittest,
bring yourself up to fighting form by diversifying and adding to your skills set
to give yourself an edge.
3. Shotgun approach
Are you the
type of jobseeker who distributes his resume to companies indiscriminately? Do
you even bother to check if there are vacancies? This is not the way to spread
the word that you’re on the market. While your resume might be lucky enough to
land in the active file, it is more likely to be discarded as generic, so-so and
lacking focus. A better approach: Check out the classified ads or make an online
job search for those positions that really interest you and match your capabilities.
Then craft a resume that puts forth your strongest points as they relate to the
particular needs of the position and the employer.
4. Poor networking
skills
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. In the jobseeker’s world,
this can be quite true-you need people’s help to get far. “If you don’t rub elbows
with the right people, you’ll find it difficult to find a job,” warns Laxa. Having
references in particular can have a positive impact on your search. People who
know you or have worked with you in the past can attest to your working style,
performance, interpersonal skills, and commitment. So make sure that your colleagues,
friends and family have a copy of your resume and that they can vouch for you
if they are asked by an employer.
Other networking activities you can
pursue include visiting job fairs and collecting calling cards to get to know
more hiring people. You can also attend workshops, take up graduate studies and
join clubs to meet more professionals in your field. Remember that some companies
don’t advertise their job openings, and the power of networking can lead you into
untapped territories.
5. Lack of preparation
Many people
who can’t snag a job lose out because they aren’t willing to put in a little sacrifice
and hard work, essential factors for a positive outcome to your search. Once you’ve
managed to bag an interview appointment, don’t forget to read up on the company
(their website is a good source of information) and know more about the position
and how you can fit in.
“Be aware of current trends in business and
economics, as well as of current events so that you can stay on top of any conversation,”
says Turla. By not leaving anything to chance, you can have higher chances of
doing right in the interview and getting hired.
6. Keeping silent
Sometimes candidates can become so tense they forget to ask questions during the
interview. Don’t allow this to happen to you. To some interviewers, not asking
questions gives the impression that you’re not interested in the job. So do ask
questions-intelligent ones, too-if invited to do so. You can inquire about what
skills and qualities are essential for the position, the expectations of the job,
how you would be rated, the company’s culture, etc.
During the initial
interview, refrain from asking questions pertaining to salary and related matters.
Asking monetary questions prematurely can convince the employer you’re more interested
in the perks you can get from them than in being an asset to the organization.
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