What Not To Do While Searching For a Job

So much goes into searching and getting hired for a job that there’s always a chance of committing a mistake. The whole procedure between searching for a job and getting hired for one is not only complex and challenging but frustrating too. And, losing a good opportunity due to one silly mistake can make it even more frustrating. So, knowing what not do is as important as knowing what to do while searching and applying a job opportunity. Avoid the following mistakes if you want to get hired as soon as possible.

Apply without reading the job description carefully

Once you make up your mind that you are applying for the certain job vacancy, you should read each and every word carefully. Some candidates do have the tendency of not reading job description word by word and this habit significantly decreases the chance of getting hired. Some employers have special instructions embedded in the description and if you don’t follow them, they immediately know that you don’t give attention to details. And hence, you are rejected.

Apply for jobs for which you are not qualified

This is the silliest mistake on the list. There’s no reason, but, many candidates apply for jobs for which they are not eligible. You should note that applying for such irrelevant posts does not increase your chance of getting hired in any way. So, be sure you are fit for a job role before hitting that apply now button on job boards.

Commit errors in your application

Be sure not to commit ANY mistake while applying for a job. A typing error in your resume or cover letter does not define your expertise in the job responsibility (unless you are applying as a proof-reader) but that definitely affects your probability of getting hired negatively. An employer gets hundreds of resume for a single post and all of them possess similar qualifications and experience. So, every minimal thing is considered for filtering out candidates. If you don’t proofread every document before sending out your application, you may be rejected for your carelessness.

Copying resume

A resume is meant for giving the employer all important information about the candidate in just a look. This means your resume should reflect what you are and not what someone else is. You can use a resume template if you can’t make one for yourself. But, avoid copying anyone else’s resume, especially, when you are applying for an executive level job. This mistake may be ignored for candidates at entry level but it will never be ignored for senior level applicants. So, read this before you plagiarize an executive resume.

Rely entirely on recruiting agencies or job sites

Avoid relying entirely on recruiting agencies or job sites if you want to get hired as soon as possible. It is not that you won’t get any updates from these sites but those updates won’t be of much help if you are not proactive. Search for jobs on all possible mediums and keep following up with the recruiting agencies if you have submitted your resume. Go to the company websites and apply directly for a job. You can also opt for cold pitching. Do whatever you can do to increase your chance to get hired.

Make contradictory statements

This is one of the most common mistakes done by job applicants. They will have something on their resume and something else in their mouth during the interview. This mostly happens with the candidates who have cooked up stories about their qualities, qualifications and job experience. So, the best way to avoid this mistake is, to be honest. If you are telling the truth, you won’t have to remember what you wrote in your resume or told in the email to the company.

Bad mouth about your former employer

Even if your current interviewer and your former employer are cut-throat competitors, the interviewer will not like you insulting your former boss. If you tell bad things about your former employer, the interviewer will have no reason to believe you won’t say the same thing about him once you leave the job. Your former employer might really be an asshole but control your urges to tell that to your interviewer during the interview. Even if you are asked directly about your former employer keep your answer diplomatic if you don’t have anything good to say.

Hope you save your chance of getting hired by minimizing the mistakes you commit while applying for a job.