Finding the Right Job - Top Ten Myths

Your job search campaign will be more successful when you separate fact from fiction. Understanding common job search myths will change your perceptions and open up new channels, helping you find the right job.

Here's my personal list of top ten myths:

1. "Somewhere there's one perfect job waiting for me." - Guess what? Many different jobs can fit your values, interests, and skills and offer the lifestyle you want.

2. "It's not what you know, it's who you know." - Yes, making connections is important in your job-search campaign. However, you will not be hired because you're someone's neighbor or cousin. You'll get the right job because you have the skills and you're the right fit. It's what you know that matters most.

3. "People are hired because they have the best qualifications." - Sometimes that's true. However, most of the time the person who is hired is the one who sold his or her skills most effectively. Think marketing!

4. "Job security is best found in a government job or in a well-established company." - To be honest, job security is gone. Downsizings, mergers, budget cuts, and other economic trends have eliminated job security in public agencies and private industries. You need to prepare for areas of competence, not for a specific job in a specific industry. Define yourself by what you can do and how well you get it done. Forget the job title.

5. "If you can't find a job, there just aren't any jobs available." - The fact is that 4 to 8% of all jobs are constantly available due to people retiring, moving, taking leaves of absence, getting promoted, and because new businesses are being created. Therefore, new jobs are always available.

6. "Placement agencies work for job seekers, not companies." - Employers pay a fee or commission to placement agencies in return for their recruitment services. In reality, a placement agency's client is the company, not you. I recommend keeping agencies in your job-search network; just keep in mind the company provides their paycheck.

7. "Human resources departments hire people." - HR's function is to manage the recruitment process, screen, and conduct first-level interviews. The hiring manager has the most influence in the final hiring decision.

8. "A professionally done resume is more likely to get you the job." - In reality, your resume won't get you a job; it helps you land an interview. Don't use a resume template or hire a resume typist. You want to stand out from the crowd, not be in the middle of one! Instead, use the services of an experienced career coach or professional resume writer to create a targeted resume that helps you get your foot in the door.

9. "If you don't have the same qualifications that the job ad asks for, there's no point in applying." - Here you have to differentiate between what you know to be true and what you assume to be true. Focus on transferable skills. I've seen people apply and get the interview, and then be offered a comparable but better suited job in the same company. Trying is often worth the effort.

10. "December is the worst time of year to look for a job." - Think again! December is a holiday month, but it's also the strongest hiring month of the year. With new budgets, projects, and contracts starting in January, employers are looking for people to fill openings. I once offered a job to an applicant on December 24 at 4:00 in the afternoon! (He accepted the position.)

Keep these ten myths in mind as you develop your search for your perfect job.

© Copyright - Elizabeth M. Lengyel, PeopleCoach, Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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