Good morning everyone! I hope that your weather is a better than mine here in Iowa
1. Only Uses Job Boards – Doesn’t Take Advantage of All Resources
This is one that completely baffles me. When you are in a job search it is often times a devastating situation where not getting a job could lead to horrible financial consequences. So why don’t people use all of the resources available. When I talk about this many people assume that I’m just referring to the people that spend all of their time on job boards, apply and hope for a call back. This is just one way that people make mistakes. I can tell you that I work with some people that are higher level that have told me that they only look for jobs that they hear from word of mouth because the only jobs are unadvertised. Similarly, I’ve seen people that have moved their search solely to LinkedIn or tell me that they don’t need a recruiter because they have it covered. While I might be slightly biased in thinking that your best option is definitely a recruiter (wink), you should be taking advantage of all resources out there. Ignoring one or several of these outlets is stupid and self limiting.
2. Don’t Apply or Interview with a Company Because of Preconceived Notions
This is another one that really hurts people. Consistently I bring people opportunities and the response is that they wouldn’t work for that company because they’ve heard bad things about them. First let me start by saying that I appreciate that there are bad companies out there that truly treat their staff terribly. However, I’ve found that in some cases the perception out there is far different than the truth. Regardless of the reputation, the only way you will ever know is to talk to the company and make your own decision.
But why you may ask? My friend worked there and was treated horribly, was overworked, felt like it was a sweatshop, had a problem with person X. This thinking is the problem. The fact of the matter is that when someone doesn’t work out at a company they rarely leave with a positive impression. How many of you are so enlightened that you could say – “You know, the company asked me to leave because I couldn’t meet their expectations. I’m sure that it was a two way street and that we both made some mistakes.” I know that there are many of you that can say that, but that is not always the case and you should go out and make your own decisions instead of limiting yourself based on the experiences of others that have different skills and a different work ethic than you.
3. Outdated Resume
This is something that is just plain inexcusable. If your resume sucks you will not get that job. Recently I went into great depth about resumes and offered some helpful tips. You can read this here:
The style of your resume is important. Other things are even more important. Make sure you have your correct contact information on there – If I call and get a disconnected number there is a 50/50 chance that I’ll try the second number. Also make sure that the resume you are sending out is up to date. If I ask about the current job listed on your resume and you tell me that you haven’t been there for 18 months I feel like I’m being tricked. A company will too.
4. Don’t Follow up With a Thank You Note or Email
This just flat out kills you. Right or wrong, stupid or smart – there are things that are expected of the job seeker. Following up with a thank you note is one of them. It used to be expected that it be hand written but honestly an email will suffice. Some employers are willing to overlook this. However, there are many out there that will quit considering you if they don’t receive one. You can read more about thank you notes by following this link from a post of mine last year:
5. Apply to Anything and Everything
This is another area that can hurt people. I know that you need a job. However, with 10% unemployment you need to be realistic about what you apply to. If you just got laid off as a teacher you will find it very difficult to get hired as an insurance producer. These chances diminish even further when you apply for the job by just sending your resume and by not telling me why you would be able to make this transition. I feel that many people take the approach that if they just apply to everything then someone will eventually call you back. WRONG!
When you are looking for a job you need to look for positions that fit your skill set and apply with specific information about why you should be considered. I have not problem with someone being out of the box or reaching a little bit – this shows creativity. However, in order to be successful doing this you need to be able to make an argument. You should also listen to the person that is telling you no. If you can tell that they aren’t open minded then stop wasting your breath. Understand that probably 1 in 10 people will be open minded enough to consider someone that doesn’t have the required experience and even be open to hearing you argument.
So that is the first part of the article. You can find the second part here:
Ten Common Job Hunting Mistakes Part II
Let me know what your thoughts are and if you have any suggestions.
Have a great week! As always you can reach out directly to me at sthompson@insurance-csg.com.
Ten Common Job Hunting Mistakes Part II
Let me know what your thoughts are and if you have any suggestions.
Have a great week! As always you can reach out directly to me at sthompson@insurance-csg.com.
Check out some of my recent articles on the blog here:
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