10 Job Applicants Mistakes That They Do When Searching For Job
It sounds like a frustrating experience, but one with a powerful lesson embedded in it.
Don't beat up on yourself! Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes
we all need a wake-up call, and you got a big one last week.
It's easy enough to say "Pay attention!" but in fact, staying alert
and aware of things happening around us can be really hard. You have a
busy life, like most people do.
You work full time and on top of that, you're job-hunting. That's a lot. It's very easy for details to get away from us.
The key to staying on top of your job search activity is to treat your job search like a second job.
You need to devote time, space and attention to your job search just
as consciously as you devote time, space and attention to your regular
job.
Designate a place in your house or apartment where you'll conduct
your job search. Don't try to do everything in the moment, from your
phone.
Create a spreadsheet that tracks your job search progress in
excruciating detail. List every company, job title, recruiter's name and
contact info, manager's name and contact info, and details of each
opportunity you pursue.
Let's say you get another email message from another company
recruiter, once again inviting you to create a presentation and deliver
it on a certain date. That's fine! Now you will make a project plan.
Put the interview date and time in your calendar and then schedule
yourself for two other appointments (with yourself) in advance of the
interview date.
In the first chunk of time you've scheduled, read whatever the
company sent you about its business and do your own research beyond that
— reading its website, reviewing its leaders' LinkedIn
profiles and reading what business reporters and bloggers have to say
about the organization.
The second chunk of scheduled time will be spent creating your presentation.
You will feel much calmer and better-prepared walking into your
presentation if you take a lot of time beforehand to think through all
the possible questions and themes that may arise in that meeting.
Job seekers don't always realize how important it is to get the details right.
At the end of a selection process, it can be hard to decide between
two talented candidates. It becomes much easier to decide which
candidate to hire when one candidate has a laser focus on their job
search (and your company), and the other candidate doesn't.
Here are ten job search mistakes that make you look sloppy. Don't fall victim to any of these!
1. Going to a job interview without reading the company's website,
reading its latest press releases and thinking through the job
description (from the job ad) in the context of what you've learned.
3. Dressing too casually
for the interview. Check out the company's website, its leaders' and
employees' LinkedIn profiles and any images you can find online (from
trade shows, customer events, etc.) to determine whether to show up in
formal business attire or business casual mode for the interview. When
in doubt, ask the recruiter what you should wear!
4. Going to the interview without
extra copies of your resume, a good pen and a pad of paper, and a
leather or vegan leather padfolio in which to tuck the notepad and pen.
5. Showing up at the interview not sure which job ad you responded to
or what the job description might be. This is where your tracking
spreadsheet comes in handy!
6. Failing to follow up after an interview. Here's how to follow up!
8. Waiting until the last minute to bring up critical issues (like
the fact that you need a flexible schedule or you plan to work from
home). Don't wait until you get a job offer to broach important topics!
9. Forgetting what you heard at each interview.
Once I interviewed a candidate ("Mike") for a job that required 50%
travel. Fifty percent travel is a lot, so the travel requirement was
emphasized in the job ad and at every interview.
After Mike's second interview, we were close to making him a job offer. I called Mike to talk things over.
Mike said "I really want the job. If you can pay me $60,000 I'll sign the offer letter and get it right back to you."
I said "I have a random question for you. You mentioned as we walked
down the hall the other day that you just auditioned for a part in a
production of 'My Fair Lady' here in town. Did you get the part?"
Mike said "I got the part! It's going to be really fun."
"Congratulations!" I said. "That's outstanding. How will you work
this new job around your rehearsal schedule? Remember, you'll be on the
road about two weeks every month."
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
"Oh, no," Mike said. "I didn't even think of that. I didn't put those two things together — the show, and the travel this new job requires."
Mike loves his musical theater too much to travel half the time — and I don't blame him. We hired someone else for the role.
10. You can easily come across as sloppy, forgetful or less than professional when you fail to track each job opportunity.
Don't let anybody get the wrong impression about you.
Keep calm, give your job search the time and attention it needs to succeed, and get the job you deserve!
All the best,
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