What NOT to Do During Your Job Search
It's getting tougher for recent college graduates to find entry level jobs, not only because they're competing against seasoned professionals as well as each other, but also because they're shooting themselves in the feet every time they go out looking for another job. In his article, 25 Ways to Sabotage Your Job Search, Anthony Balderrama tries to help job seekers see where they're going wrong and make the necessary corrections. Below, I've listed the top 10.
1. Assuming you'll never need to look for another job In this economy, complacency is even more dangerous than it was in the past. Nobody's job is absolutely secure, even in a good economy. It would be wise to rethink this kind of attitude.
2. Burning bridges Potential employers call previous employers for references, so it's a good idea to leave on a positive note whenever possible.
3. Keeping mum on your job search If no one knows you're looking for a job, why would they ever think to tell you about the great opportunity they heard about from someone else.
4. Looking for "The One" The perfect job is almost as rare as the five-leaf clover my son once found in the back yard of our home. That doesn't mean that the ideal job isn't out there - only that it may be necessary to make some compromises and concessions until that "just right" job comes along.
5. Not searching at all Try to avoid getting discouraged. It's counterproductive.
6. No cover letter In spite of what some experts say about employers not reading them, a cover letter is an essential part of every resume. Neglecting to include one could get you immediately knocked out of the running.
7. A generic cover letter This is possibly worse than no cover letter because it sends the message that the job seeker is just "chumming the water," so to speak, and hoping that someone will bite.
8. Typos This is probably the sacrilege of all sacrileges in job searching. It only takes seconds for spell check software to run through the document and catch the most obvious errors. After the spell check is finished, it's a good idea to have one or two other people read it as well.
9. All "I" and not enough "you" Employers want to read resumes and cover letters that tell them what candidates can do for them and their companies, so putting the emphasis on the companies and how they, the candidates, can contribute to or improve the companies' success will receive more favorable responses than candidates who simply list the many things that make them great.
10. Giving bad contact information Creating a professional email address specifically for job searching is probably the best bet for job seekers. Monikers like HotChick99@email.com could cause problems.
As Balderrama points out in his article, finding an entry level job is hard enough for recent college graduates without their doing things that will almost surely cause them to be rejected, like not including cover letters with their resumes, getting discouraged or using an unprofessional email address.
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