Common Job Search Mistakes to Avoid: Expert Advice
Speed up your job search by avoiding these common missteps
It’s time to move on from your current role. Whether through choice or redundancy, a job hunt can be complex and stressful. Make sure you’re getting started on the right foot by avoiding the most common job search mistakes and putting your best foot forward at every stage of the process. You’ll get ahead to land your next role in no time!
Where do you start with a job search?
A job search can be a long process, with numerous stages to navigate. You’ll need to prepare your resume, find opportunities to apply for, send applications, carry out research, attend interviews, follow up and negotiate a compensation package, all before you even turn up on the first day.
While the job search process can be difficult, the phase you find trickiest depends on who you are and where your skills lie. For example, an outgoing person may shine in an interview, but struggle to prepare a strong resume to get them to that stage. Another applicant may write a stand-out resume, but stumble in the interview.
That’s why it’s so important to prepare for every stage of your job search. Learning how to avoid common job search mistakes is a key part of that preparation.
Top job search mistakes
When you’re looking for a job, what should you not do? Here are our top job search mistakes to avoid. By bearing these guidelines in mind, you’ll be able to make the most of every single opportunity and land your next role sooner.
Having unclear goals
The first step in looking for a new job is to decide what roles you’re aiming for. Do you want a similar job in another company? A step up the career ladder? A complete career change? There’s a lot to consider and, if you’re just desperate to move into a new position, there can be a temptation to throw your job search wide open.
That’s not usually the most successful strategy, though. A targeted job search is likely to be quicker – and not just that. By spending time deciding on your requirements at the very beginning of the process, you’re more likely to end up in a role you’re happy with in the long run. This is a challenging, but important, stage of the job hunt that you need to work on before taking any further steps.
Not dedicating time to your job search
Your next role is unlikely to fall into your lap as soon as you think about changing jobs. To ensure your job search is successful, you’ll need to allocate time to writing your resume, finding roles to apply for, and attending interviews. It’s a commitment, but with planning and organization it’s perfectly manageable. If you can dedicate a set amount of time each day or week to your job search, you’ll maintain progress even on the tougher days.
Ignoring the hidden job market
Annoying though it is, not all jobs are advertised. That means you need to figure out how to access unlisted jobs. There are companies that don’t advertise jobs on the main job boards, which is where your personal and professional network comes into play.
If you’re wondering how to find jobs that aren’t advertised, you can tap into your network, volunteer, attend industry events, join industry groups, and follow your target companies on social media. Unadvertised jobs can have fewer applicants, meaning you’re more likely to land these jobs if you can find them.
Not tailoring your resume
The strongest resumes are tailored to each specific vacancy that you apply for. That doesn’t mean that you have to start from a blank page every time, though. That wouldn’t be a productive use of your time. We recommend creating a master resume, covering as much as possible that could be relevant to your next steps in terms of skills, experience, and educational attainment.
That way, when you spot a suitable role, it should just be a matter of deleting irrelevant details and creating a bespoke Professional Profile to show off your suitability.
Expert Tip
Your master resume can be as long as you need, but by the time you’ve tailored it to the requirements of a specific vacancy we recommend it should be no longer than two pages. Find out more about how long a resume should be here.
Not sending a cover letter
Some recruiters expect a cover letter with every application; other recruiters never read them. The trouble is, you never know quite which type of recruiter you’re sending your resume to! With that in mind, the most sensible option is to send a cover letter every time. Sending the same letter, though, is a common job search mistake.
The cover letter should directly address the requirements listed in the job posting, as well as your motivations for applying to the role and the company. A generic letter won’t achieve that or impress anyone. Fortunately, once you’ve done a handful, you’ll find it doesn’t take long to write a few paragraphs outlining your suitability for the role.
Not proofreading
While many hiring managers these days are willing to overlook the odd typo – especially for roles that don’t require perfect English – it’s really not a good look. Failure to proofread your resume, cover letter, and application form doesn’t say much about your attention to detail or professionalism. Nor does it show that you’ve spent time crafting the perfect documents for the role. Avoid this job search mistake by using a spell check, reading the documents several times, and then asking a trusted friend or colleague to review them for you.
Focusing on what you want, rather than what you can offer
This is an easy job search mistake to make, but if you can avoid it you’ll be positioning yourself as a top candidate. When writing your resume and cover letter, don’t focus on what you hope to gain from the role or what you want your next steps to be. Instead, focus on the value you can bring to the company and how you can help it to achieve its objectives.
Expert Tip
Including quantifiable achievements for every role you list is a great way of showing the impact you can have.
Not being active on LinkedIn
Whether you love or hate social media, an up-to-date LinkedIn profile, and an active presence on the platform, are an essential part of the modern job search. Make sure your profile is as complete as possible, then get busy liking and commenting on posts. When you’re ready, start creating your own posts. It’s a great way to keep yourself in people’s minds, so that when a vacancy becomes available, your network thinks of you first.
Expert Tip
Make it easy for recruiters to find your profile by including plenty of industry- and role-specific keywords within the About, Skills, and Experience sections.
Ignoring your network
Speaking of networks, your network is your biggest asset when it comes to changing roles. Neglect it at your peril! Now is a great time to reconnect with former colleagues and managers, catch up with friends, and ask for referrals. People love to help, so mentioning your job search among your network could lead to rapid results.
Not applying for jobs unless you meet all the requirements
Remember that a job posting is simply a company’s wish-list. Even if you don’t meet all the requirements, it’s worth applying. After all, if you can already do everything, there’s not likely to be much scope for development and it’s not likely to be much of a career progression for you. While job searching can knock your confidence, don’t apply only for roles where you tick every single box – you can bet people less qualified than you are applying!
Not following instructions on how to apply
The advert asks for your resume in Word format, but you send a PDF. It asks for a personal statement of 1,000 words and you send 1,500. If you can’t follow these simple instructions, it won’t fill the hiring manager with confidence about how you’ll perform in the role. This is a job search mistake that you can easily avoid by reading the application instructions carefully.
Not preparing for interviews
Congratulations, you’ve landed an interview! While this is fantastic progress, you’re not at the finish line yet. Make sure you thoroughly prepare for the interview by researching the company, practicing common interview questions, finding a suitable outfit, and planning your route to the office. Failure to adequately prepare is a basic job search mistake that could mean you miss out to someone who was willing to put in the legwork.
Not taking online interviews seriously
Online interviews are still interviews and need the same amount of preparation - if not more. While they may seem like a more casual chat – and often are – they still need to be taken seriously. Prepare in advance by choosing a suitable background for your call, ensuring you’re confident with the technology, and wearing something appropriate.
Not preparing questions
You’ve made it to the end of the interview and things are looking positive. One of the easiest job search mistakes to avoid is the final question. It’s almost guaranteed to be “Do you have any questions for us?” And the answer should never be “no.” Go prepared with a list of questions to ask at the end of the interview. Even if you choose not to ask them all, and even if you’re full of nerves, this list will make sure you end the interview on the right note.
Not following up
Enthusiasm can get you a long way. Following up after submitting an application or having an interview can reiterate to the recruiter that you’re keen to progress with the role and keep your application fresh in their mind. That’s not to say you should harass them every couple of days, but a well-timed follow-up a couple of weeks after applying or a couple of days after the interview can work in your favor.
Not requesting feedback or acting on it
If you get a knock-back, it’s not the end of the world. While it can be disappointing, it’s a common part of a job search and the right role is still out there for you. Deal with the disappointment by turning this negative into a positive. Ask for feedback on your resume or interview, so that you can avoid making the same job search mistakes next time.
Don’t get overlooked
If you’re applying for roles aligned with your experience and skill set, there’s no reason for you to be overlooked for roles. Consider how you can meet the company’s needs at every stage of the process, spend time creating careful applications, and present yourself professionally throughout and you’ll soon make progress. Avoiding the job search mistakes we’ve discussed above will ensure you present your best self to the hiring manager.
Make sure there are no glaring mistakes in your resume by requesting a free resume review from the experts at ZipJob. We’ll make sure your job search gets off to a head start by making sure your resume stands out for all the right reasons.
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Written by
Jen David, Editor & Content Writer, Jen David, Editor & Content Writer
Jen David has been writing CVs since 2010 and is the founder of CV Shed. She has worked with clients in numerous industries and at all stages of their careers, from students through to senior executives of global businesses. She loves producing polished, focused CVs that appeal to both human recruiters and applicant tracking systems, enabling her clients to take the next step in their careers. Jen has written and edited numerous articles for publication on industry-leading job boards.
