Are you in the process of searching for a new job but can't seem to get the callbacks you want? You could be making some big job search mistakes.
Don't worry, though! We can help you identify what you're doing wrong in your job search, and teach you how to fix it. Here are seven common mistakes job seekers make:
1. The Aimless Search
If you're sending out resumes without knowing what your ideal job is, you're wasting your valuable time. So, before shipping off another application, be sure to sit down and define what type of job you're looking for. Try to make an interview bucket list. This way, you'll have a more focused search and can create a customized resume to match.
2. Bad Interviewing Habits
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Do you have bad interviewing habits? In other words, do you assume you're on a first-name basis with interviewers? Or do you slouch in your seat? If so, be sure to learn about appropriate body language and ways to address interviews so that you can always come across as a confident candidate with plenty to offer.
3. Bad-Mouthing A Previous Employer
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Many interviewees get stuck with the question, "Why did you leave your previous employer?" While you may want to say that your previous boss was a jerk, this is not the time or place to mention it. So, if you're asked this question, just say you are looking for new opportunities that align with your career goals.
4. Not Attending Job Fairs
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While job fairs may feel like impersonal functions for individuals who are desperate for work, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, some great networking opportunities can be found at job fairs, not just with company representatives but with other job fair attendees.
5. Wearing Unprofessional Attire
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When interviewing, company representatives are watching your every move, including how you're dressed. If your attire is too casual, sexy, or plain outrageous, your amazing resume or interviewing skills may do little to get you hired.
6. Forgetting To Follow Up
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Another mistake to avoid is not following up with an employer after your interview. To make sure you remain on the employer's mind, send a follow-up email of about three or four paragraphs that summarizes your skills, reiterates your eagerness to be hired, and thanks the entire staff for their time.
7. Sending An Ultra-Long Resume
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Although your professional history may be so amazing that you want to share every piece of it, it's important that you avoid creating a resume that stretches out too long. By focusing on related positions and highlighting the top moments in your career, you can easily reduce your resume to two or three pages.
As you can see, there are a lot of ways to make mistakes when conducting your job search. The good news is that these mistakes are avoidable if you are aware of them. By following the tips above, you'll find job search success in no time!
Need more help with your job search?
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
As a 20-year career coaching veteran who used to be in staffing and recruiting industry, I know exactly what companies are thinking about right now. And you need to pay attention because a lot of the remote jobs you see aren't going to stay remote.
If you want to stay remote or if you want to get a remote job now, you need to know these three things...
1. Startups & Lifestyle Companies Will Likely Stay Remote
The first thing you need to understand is that startups and lifestyle companies are the ones that will most likely keep jobs remote. Startup companies are trying to save money, so if they don't have to rent space and have all that overhead, it gives them more opportunity to spend money to build the business. So they're going to be more inclined to allow you to work remotely.
Lifestyle companies are ones where the executive team wants to work remotely, so if they want to work remotely, then they have to let their employees work remotely too. This is one of the reasons why remote work is here to stay.
2. You Can Usually Work Remotely As An Independent Contractor
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The second thing you should consider is being an IC (independent contractor) versus an FTE (full-time employee). It's much easier to be remote when you're in IC. That's because as an independent contractor, a company can't legally dictate where you work and the hours you work. So if a company hires you as an IC, you often can do the work wherever and whenever you want.
As a full-time employee, though, the company you work for can dictate where you work. Therefore, they could let you work remotely now, but then change their mind and bring you back in. So being an IC has advantages. However, if the company ever has to cut costs, ICs are the first ones to go because there aren't any ramifications. There's no impact on their unemployment insurance and other things like that. So you have to be careful because you're easier to fire.
3. If You Work On A Laptop, There's A Higher Chance You'll Get To Work From Home
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The last thing I want you to think about is that the work that can mostly be done remotely is tech work or computer work—something where you can take a laptop or a cell phone and do the majority of your work. And so staying in that kind of work can increase the chances that you can do it remotely from anywhere in the world.
However, one thing that's happening now is companies are figuring out they can pay people less money because they want to work remotely. So salaries are going down. And on top of that, they're saying, "Well, if I can hire people remotely, I can hire people in other countries. They'll take a third of what people here in the U.S. want." So competition is going to increase for these remote jobs, which means these salaries are going to decrease. So you've got to be prepared for that. You need to be thinking about these three things and the pros and cons of each one.
Need more help with your job search?
I'd love it if you signed up for Work It Daily's Power Hour Event Subscription! I look forward to answering all your career questions in our next live event!
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