Mistakes happen, and even the best person has made faux-pas. After all, humans learn by experience, so a few errors helps us be better people in the end. One moment in your life that you don’t want to be in a learning curve is when you’re out looking for a job - a mistake during an interview or on your resume can cost you the chance of applying for a position you really want.
The first and most damning mistake a position seeker can make is to assume that simply applying for the position will be enough to get an employer’s attention. These days, mass communication means that any job has a large number of applicants applying. Some employers even find themselves in the unenviable position of having to distinguish real applicants from applicants who are applying for the position in order to fulfill a requirement of a welfare program.
Knowing that there’s an arduous screening process involved in filling an open position, you should always contact your potential employer via telephone, email, or if possible, in person, asking a simple question, such as whether your application was filled out correctly or if your resume was received, to show that you’re interested in the job. One call, visit, or email should be enough to show that you truly do want to fill the position available.
Sometimes, you have a blemish on your resume that may raise some questions. When writing out your work history, use careful phrasing to minimize a past experience that may have been bitter. Lying or trying to deny bad relations with a previous employer is the worst thing to do. It’s far better to be honest about what happened and try to put a positive spin on the experience or, at the very least, a neutral one. Glossing over bad relations or lying about them can end up costing you a chance at a job.
A mistake that’s almost as bad as lying on your resume is hard-to-decipher buzzwords to highlight good points of the resume. Unless a buzzword is part of a title, it’s best to find a more traditional way of phrasing your strengths. The opposite extreme of using hip, trendy words is sounding too dull and legalistic, which is something else to avoid when applying for a job. These same rules apply to cover letters as well. Ease of reading and professionalism can be hard to balance, but it’s very possible, so strive to achieve that tone. It never hurts to be just a little friendly (but still professional) in your choice of words for a resume or cover letter. Slang and buzzwords are mistakes, but the right tone will go a long way.
As might be expected, there are many other mistakes you can make when trying to land a job, which can be more or less grievous than the ones listed here. For example, never eat during an interview and don’t chew gum while speaking to a potential employer. Researching the mistakes not to make when looking for a job is easy - search on the internet to find a more complete list. Learn what not to do well, as the knowledge will serve any prospective job seeker.
Tags: Job & Career Hunting