By Ford R. Myers
Many people make significant job search mistakes and never even realize it. These blunders are easy to make ... and they can end up costing you thousands of dollars. Here are the top 10 mistakes and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Relying on Online Job Postings
In general, job postings produce little value. However, it is also a mistake to ignore them altogether. Some of the best chances for jobs from ads are in specialty niches and web sites of specific industries. Spend no more than five percent of your valuable time on public job postings.
Mistake #2: Sending Unsolicited Resumes
Unsolicited resumes are considered garbage, scrap paper and wasted effort. Secretaries kill them; human resource managers file them away; and hiring decision-makers pitch them. Abandon this job search tactic completely.
Mistake #3: Looking Only for Job Openings
Searching for organizations with openings is an obsolete job hunting method. The best jobs are never vacancies or openings. Rather, more than 30% of positions are created for the applicant, often at the interview. The key is to shift your focus from openings to opportunities (which exist nearly everywhere).
Mistake #4: Ineffective Networking
Networking should be the primary focus of every job search. However, most people go about it the wrong way—by talking too much and asking for jobs. The best networkers are listeners more than talkers, have a clear agenda, and ask for feedback and guidance. Remember that networking is more about giving than it is about taking.
Mistake #5: Leaving Yourself Open to Many Kinds of Jobs
Focus on finding the right job, not just any job. Critical factors to consider include scope of responsibilities, satisfaction, growth potential, location, cultural fit, great co-workers, a pleasing environment and competitive compensation. Commit to your specific job-search goal, and don't try to be all things to all people.
Mistake #6: Being Unplanned in Your Search
Conduct a proper job search with a well thought-out methodology, daily solitude and planning, space in your home dedicated to the search, and a system for accountability. Most of all, be 100% clear about your job search objective, and follow a structured plan to achieve it.
Mistake #7: Doing it Alone
Career coaches are experts who provide objective guidance, help you think outside the box, and provide a proven system for job search success. Many offer excellent advice on salary negotiation, often exceeding the job seeker's expectations. The job market is just too tough to think that you can achieve optimal results by yourself.
Mistake #8: Letting Others Control Your Job Search
It is best to conduct your own research and target the right organizations yourself. Remember: Only you can sell yourself effectively and land a job. However, working with a small selection of professional recruiters can serve an important role in your search. But you'll need to maintain control over the whole process.
Mistake #9: Not Preparing Well Enough for Job Interviews
All job interviews are comprised of five basic elements: articulating your value; conveying your knowledge of the organization; asking intelligent questions; negotiating compensation; and following-up. Each of these disciplines has to be practiced in advance so you can ace the job interview. Winging it just won't do!
Mistake #10: Not Knowing Your Market Value
You must research and assess your value in the marketplace before you attend a single interview. Never disclose your salary history or requirements; always get the employer to name the salary or range first. The time to talk money is when the employer has made it clear that you are its top candidate, and as it extends an offer.
It is very easy for even the savviest of job seekers to make these mistakes. By learning how to navigate these potential pitfalls from the outset, your job search will be more productive and yield more positive results.
(c) 2016, Career Potential, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission of Ford R. Myers, Career Coach and author of Get The Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring. He can be reached at contact@careerpotential.com; 610-649-1778; or through his website at www.careerpotential.com.