Job seekers today face an increasingly complex employment search. Not only is it necessary to post a resume on several online job search engines, it’s also a must to promote oneself on social media sites including Twitter, Facebook, and particularly Linkedin. Even creating an online multimedia resume on sites such as VisualCV is recommended by leading employment experts.
With all there is to do, it's not difficult for one or two minor mistakes to fall through the cracks. While such oversights may seem rather small, they can destroy the chances for winning over the employer. So what can candidates to do avoid common job hunting mistakes?
Interview Tips
One of the most common oversights seekers must learn to tackle is effective interviewing. Whether by telephone or in-person, candidates must follow a general set of guidelines in order to wow employers and land the position.
During phone interviews, candidates typically tend to be more relaxed and casual. However, a more lackadaisical tone translates into the employer forming a picture of an eye-rolling slacker.
The applicant should always stand up and walk around during phone interviews to promote a proactive, confident tone of voice. The person should also answer “yes” (at the same time being honest) rather than getting off topic or going off on a tangent. Telling the employer more than they need to know may end up reflecting poorly on the candidate.
As with the phone interview, the job seeker should not be overly casual during an in-person interview. Depending on the organization, business casual (e.g., good slacks and dress shirt with no tie) is acceptable with a few exceptions. For example, government employees and executives typically dress formal, while many technology companies employ a business casual dress code. Other common interviewing mistakes include
- asking the employer about salary and vacation time
- exhibiting poor body language that tells the employer he or she doesn’t like the question, this is boring, or that he or she is not a team player (e.g., looking at watch, folding arms, frowning, or eye-rolling)
- taking mobile phone calls or texts during an interview (turn the phone off before entering the room)
Inflating the Resume
In today's difficult labor market, inflating or even lying on the resume is tempting to get a leg up on the competition. But if the employer suspects the candidate has not been honest about skills and experience, it is a surefire guarantee the person’s application will be immediately discarded. Job seekers should always highlight relevant experience but never lie just to land the position.
Avoiding Resume and Cover Letter Errors
The number one error employers look for is spelling or grammar oversights on both the resume and cover letter. Job seekers should always run the word processor's spellchecker to ensure spelling accuracy. Proper grammar and punctuation is important as well; mistakes such as run-on sentences, misplaced apostrophes, and improper use of capitalization can make the candidate appear uneducated and unqualified.
Job seekers should take a step back and reassess the effectiveness of the search strategy. Are there gaps present in the search campaign? Mistakes made that could have cost that coveted position? Learning how to avoid costly errors in the interviewing process, being truthful about skills and experience, and ensuring the accuracy of the resume and cover letter is key to perfecting the search for gainful employment.
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