Looking for a job is not an easy task; it is a job in itself. Many job seekers find themselves overwhelmed in their job search journey. One of the many reasons for that is people still follow the traditional job searching and applying strategies. With changing times, the job market has changed significantly. Long gone are those days when one sent their resume and their job was done.
Today, looking for a job is more than sending a resume. One needs to have a strategy in place before starting their job hunt. They should have a good network, a spectacular resume with focus keywords, and a nicely tailored cover letter. Besides that, one needs to know themselves better.
When job seekers start their job search, they unknowingly make some mistakes. These are very common and can cost them their candidacy.
Let’s look at these five main mistakes that job seekers make during their job search journey and learn how to avoid them.
Relying on job portals
Relying solely on job portals is a job seeker’s biggest mistake. While job portals offer many opportunities, several people are using that platform. That means a recruiter can receive hundreds of applications for one job opening, and one’s application might get lost in them.
Another way a job seeker can search for a job opportunity is by networking. Networking is crucial for one’s career growth. It gives one access to many more job opportunities and learnings.
If a person is looking for a quick hire or wants to work at a start-up, they can use the Hirect app. The app has many founders, HRs and recruiters on it. It is easy to use and streamlines the entire hiring process.
Errors in the resume
A resume is a crucial part of the hiring process that helps a recruiter know a person better. More often than not, job seekers do not adhere to a proper resume format. They make it colourful, extend it to two to three pages and do not format it correctly. A resume should be simple, readable and only page. It should contain all the relevant skills and past projects.
After creating or updating the resume, a person should have someone trustable proofread it. They should ensure it does not have any grammatical errors or irrelevant information.
Not customizing the cover letter
Many applications can ask a job seeker to send their resume with a cover letter. It helps the hiring expert to know the person and their interests better. A cover letter allows a job seeker to tell the recruiter why they are interested in that position, their company and what they bring to the table. A well-crafted cover letter holds more power than a resume.
Writing a cover letter takes time and planning. Instead of writing a new one every time, a person can create a cover letter template. So, whenever one applies for a job, they only need to tailor their letter to the company and role.
Not cleaning the social media accounts
Social media is something many job seekers overlook. A recruiter looks at the candidate’s social media at some point during the interview. They do so to learn more about the person and see if they are the right fit for the company. Therefore, one needs to delete or archive the previous posts that portray them negatively. One should get rid of anything that looks even borderline offensive. They should also use their bio section as their extended resume and add their skills, interests and achievements. Not cleaning social media can hamper a candidate’s chances of getting a job. Therefore, job seekers should spend some time and clean their social media accounts.
Not preparing for the interview
If a candidate makes it to this step of the hiring process, they should prepare well to ace their interview. A recruiter will assess the person based on their knowledge about the job, company, confidence and communication skills. If they feel a person falls behind in these areas, they will reject them. Therefore, one must prepare before going for the interview. They must research the company and their role there. A well-prepared candidate looks confident and can present themselves better in front of the interviewer.
Job hunting can be a tiring process that can make people overlook these pitfalls. Therefore, a job seeker must be organized and have a strategy to have a smooth job searching experience.
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