Job Search Errors that May be Holding You Back
June 8th, 2012During the first few days and weeks of the job search, there are no clear right and wrong answers and no simple solution that works for every person. But if you’ve been searching actively for more than nine months and you haven’t received a single offer, or worse, a single interview, your process may benefit from a few adjustments. Take a closer look, and if you’ve been making any of the following errors, take a step back and try a new approach.
1. Not Doing Enough
Job seekers often come to us with questions like “I’ve sent out an average of five resumes per week and I can’t believe I’m not employed yet. I’ve received nearly ten rejections! Am I just unlucky?”
While it’s true that each application package you send should be tailored to the specific employer, and there’s no such thing as too much attention to detail in a cover letter, sending five resumes per week is not likely to bring results any time soon. Every day you should be investing at least three or four hours in the job search process. And by the end of the week, you should be almost unable to count the number of times you reached out, made a call, sent a resume, or knocked on a door. Your next gig is waiting out there somewhere, and every move you make gets you closer.
2. Relying Too Much On the Internet
The internet is a fantastic job search resource, as we all know. But your three to four daily hours (minimum) should not be spent in front of a screen. Real human contact is the best way to bring your job search to a fast and satisfying end. Go through your list of contacts, which may be longer than you think, and make face to face appointments with these people. Your mission during these meetings? Asking these people for advice. Keep your meetings short, meaningful, diplomatic, and focused on the other person, not on you.
3. Not Relying on the Internet Enough
Each morning, spend at least an hour sifting through the job postings and job boards most relevant to your industry. And make sure you have a profile posted online in at least one venue (like LinkedIn), so your contacts and potential employers in your network can find you. You may also want to explore mobile job search apps and website resources that can make your job search process easier.
4. Being Reckless
An effective job search is a full time job, and you’ll need to stay busy until your career is back on track. But at the same time, don’t be reckless. We’ve seen plenty of job seekers who fire off a dozen resumes in an hour to only marginally appropriate openings, only to realize after the fact that these resumes all contained an embarrassing typo. So their diligent, industrious hour was actually spent wasting the time of a dozen unimpressed employers. Move fast, but don’t rush. Focus, stay calm, and get to work.
For more help and guidance with the job search process, reach out to our staffing experts at Gage Personnel. We’re here to help.
