Tweet

10 Mistakes Job Searchers Make

Guest post by: Alvah Parker

Article Overview: You've started a job search. You are excited about the prospects of finding the perfect job. Of course you have a concern about how long the job search will take but you want to make sure your job search is effective. Here are some mistakes you'll want to avoid.

10 Mistakes Job Searchers Make

You've started a job search. You are excited about the prospects of finding the perfect job. Of course you have a concern about how long the job search will take but you want to make sure your job search is effective. Here are some mistakes you'll want to avoid.

1. No strategy - Someone told you to get your resume updated and that is where you begin your job search. You have no strategy for using it. You have no career plan and you haven't thought about your strengths and goals. Your updated resume is for the job you just left not for the job that will help you to move in the direction you want to go.

2. Using one generic resume - Using the same resume for each job may be the easiest approach but it doesn't show the hiring manager why you are perfect for the job. To do that you must match your accomplishments to the requirements of the job.

3. Not using the top part of your resume to grab the attention of the reader - The top third of your resume is the most important part. It is the part of the resume hiring managers will read first. They will continue reading if they are convinced you can do the job. Your resume should use the key words from the job description and highlight the skills that you have that are necessary for the job.

4. No cover letter - The cover letter must sell the resume. If you want the hiring manager to read the resume, include a cover letter. In it highlight the information in the resume that makes you a perfect match for the job. It is a chance to sell yourself. Sure there are some hiring managers that do not read the cover letter but you have no way of knowing if this one will or will not read it so take this opportunity to write a persuasive cover letter.

5. Not proof reading everything you send to the prospective employer -Your resume, cover letter and other correspondence are examples of the quality of your work. Make them perfect. Have a friend check the documents before you mail, fax or email them.

6. Not carefully composing email communication to a potential employer - Every piece of communication is important. Email usually tends to be done in a quick informal manner. Avoid the shorthand and terse paragraphs of normal email. Write email as you would a business letter. You want to be viewed as a polished professional.

7. Not researching company and preparing good questions about the company before the interview - At the interview you want to come across as knowledgeable. Ask questions about the challenges of the job and ones that face the company. These questions display your interest in and knowledge about the company.

8. Not writing thank you notes to all the interviewers after the interview -This is another opportunity to tell the potential employer why you are perfect for the job. Your goal is to keep your candidacy in the hiring manager's mind as he/she makes a decision.

9. Not asking for the decision time frame at the interview - You'll need this information so that you can get back to the hiring manager at appropriate time intervals after the interview. You don't want to be a pest but you also don't want to seem disinterested. Strike a balance but be sure to stay on his/her radar.

10. Not continuing to follow up on the job after the interview at regular intervals -Your follow up by email, telephone and snail mail shows your continued interest in the job. While there is some risk that you will be annoying the hiring manager, it is important that you show that you are persistent and enthusiastic about working for this company.

Related Articles
  How Important are High Search Engine Rankings?
  Local Search Continuing To Gain Steam
  Optimizing Your Website For Local Searchers
  First Page Of Google; And How It Can Be The Best Help For Local Business
  Mmmm! Tasty Search Goulash: Weighing in on Google's Universal Search
  Lesson #1: “If you get knocked down, get back up again”
  Major Crisis don't just happen!
  Using Mistakes Successfully
  Real Work at Home Jobs - Are There Any Good Ones Left?
  Getting Website Traffic – Know Where Your Clients Come From
  Bite and Snap at the Heels of Your Competition
  Google Adwords Management: How To Avoid the Google Slap
  Three Common Marketing Mistakes
  Make No Mistake, We Should Make More
  Instant Article Writing Template: The Top Mistakes Article Writing Template Explained in Detail
  Fail in Favor of the Customer
  Eliminating the Fear of Failure
  Take baby steps to reach your dreams
  How to make title tags optimized for search engines
  3 mistakes in selecting a right Web Development Company

Article Tags: cover letter, finding the perfect job, follow up, interview, Job search, job searcher, proof reading, prospects, resume, strategy, thank you notes



Related Forum Posts
Re: Quote of the Day - "The only people witho - Thanks for sharing this Evan, there are some very powerful quotes in there, I particularly like this one:- You are now at a crossroads. This is your opportunity to make the most important decision you will ever make. Forget your past. Who are you now? Who have you decided you really are now? Don't think about who you have been. Who are you now? Who have you decided to become? Make this decision consciously. Make it carefully. Make it powerfully. regards, Mal.
Re: 365 Foolish Mistakes Smart Managers Make - [quote="litekepr":2v18lglp]This morning's Google Alert held a pleasant surprise. WORTH MENTIONING A List of New Books Compiled by The Management and Government Information Center (MAGIC) Chinn Park Regional Library 703-792-4880Summer 2007 Indicates titles relating to the FISH Philosophy 365 Foolish Mistakes Smart Managers Make Every Day: How and Why to Avoid Them by Shri L. Henkel, 2006 interesting. Is anyone else here familiar with the FISH philosphy? i[/quote:2v18lglp] Congrats on the mention of your book! Hopefully it will drive up sales! For myself, I don't really care for their acronym... MAGIC. Gives people the subtle impression that good things happen at the snap of a finger instead of lots of hard work!
List of a few legitimate online business - Well My main methods to make money so far are adsense,affiliate marketing and freelancing and I think these are some more sites that can help me to make some more money.Your reviews are welcome: ::linkworth dot com>This site is awesome and offer lots of ways to make money. ::mturk dot com>complete simple mini task and get paid ::microworkers dot com>complete simple mini task and get paid ::shorttask dot com>complete simple mini task and get paid ::istockphoto dot com>sell stock photos ::eHow dot com>Make money writing ::Bukisa>Make money writing ::Associate Content>Make money writing ::Triond>Make money writing ::fiverr dot com>$5 freelancing job ::cpalead dot com>make money by completing offer ::peerfly>make money by completing offer
Re: 10 Tips to Start an Online Business - [quote="Anya101":1y6il6zm] 5. Make it very easy for people to order your products. The easier the order process, the more orders you will get. Make sure your payment pages are secured. If you accept payment online, it is [/quote:1y6il6zm] *This* is very good advice. I went to a site a couple of weeks ago to order a DVD, an independent movie, and instead of having Paypal, I had to jump through hoops to sign up for their payment system. It would have taken me more minutes than I cared to spend, so I just didn't bother!
Re: May Traffic Drop Off from Google's Update - I feel that the best way to make your website click is to target both SEO and other marketing channels. In case it is not possible for website owners or webmasters to invest into other marketing channels, then they must make sure that they are following guidelines laid down by search engines. Whenever there is an update in algorithm, it is only done to filter out artificial websites from the search results. However , it is observed that on several occasions innocent people fall victim to the update in algorithm. If you have an article website and your member copy pasted article from some other website, there is very little you can do to avoid duplicate penalty. The latest tips to avoid your rankings going into roller coaster ride is to make sure :- a) That your website is having genuine and unique content b) Make sure you do not use any automated SEO tools. c) Make sure that your back linking pattern is not a pre-defined targeting same set of keywords again and again. d) Add useful content to your website every single week or fortnight ( if possible) e) Abstain from artificial keyword density f) Abstain from empty pages on your website or doorway pages with empty or duplicate content. g) Make sure you to not have HTML errors in your coding ( If your H1 tag is left open, then it can trigger SPAM ALERT on Google.)


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

How To Become A Member of the Paparazzi

Convening a focus group for a niche product

Work at Home Moms and Their Bad Rap?

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.