Common job search mistakes to avoid when navigating the career maze

Once you hit the job market, you will be in a constant race with other equally talented professionals until you win the job offer of your dreams. Job searching will be an exciting time in your professional life, where you get to gauge the true extent of your skills and abilities. For some job seekers, it will be a difficult time to navigate due to the many job-searching mistakes they make. It is important to have a strategic approach to job hunting for you to succeed within your time frame. So, let’s have a look at the most common mistakes you are making during a job search.

1. Ignoring your professional network

Remember that friend who messaged you on LinkedIn saying, “Hey, I heard you were looking for a new job.”? Respond to them. Your professional network can do wonders for your job search. Many professionals who get recruited with attractive job offers do so through their professional network. In fact, something as simple as mentioning a referral in your cover letter can boost your chances of getting hired. So, tap into your professional network the next time you are on a job search and get as much help as you need from them.

2. Neglecting personal branding

Personal branding is very important for professionals in the digital age. Since a majority of candidates who apply for a given position are equally qualified, employers have a hard time shortlisting the best job seekers. However, job seekers who have highlighted their personal brand through their resumes catch the eye of recruiters as these candidates show potential. The first move you must make to establish your personal brand is to optimize your LinkedIn profile. Then, you must add a link to your LinkedIn profile to your resume and other job searching materials. If you are struggling to bring out your personal brand through the resume, read this article which explains how to uncover your personal brand.

3. Forgetting to follow up

One thing that many job applicants fail to do is to follow up on their job applications. Unlike in the old days when you had to send a letter by mail and wait a few weeks for an answer to come, following up after a job application is much easier in the modern world. All you have to do is drop an email to the hiring manager or the HR department asking about the status of your job application. More importantly, you must never forget to follow up after a job interview. Candidates who take the time to draft a follow-up email within 24 hours after an interview stand out among their competitors.

4. Using generic job-searching materials

Do you use the same resume and cover letter to apply for all jobs? Generic resumes and cover letters don’t do much for you in the job market. In fact, they will make you seem unqualified for most of the jobs you apply for. The trick is to tailor your resume and cover letter for each job description. This way, your job search materials show potential employers that you possess a majority of the qualifications they demand. Use the employer’s job description as a guide and incorporate the keywords on it into your job application.