Jobseeking mistakes you should avoid.

Looking for a job is never an easy task, even at the best of times. Admittedly, there are plenty of things out of your control – the economy, who is and who isn’t recruiting, how many people are applying for the same job as you – the list goes on….

The one thing you can control though is the job search itself. And one of the best things to do when undertaking your jobs search is to try and minimise the mistakes and errors that you make. We know that none of us are infallible and mistakes are only human. However if you try and make a conscious effort not to make mistakes, then you are giving your job search a much better chance of success.

We’ve put together some of the most common jobseeking mistakes that can be made when looking for a job. So if you have been doing any of these, then now is the time to stop.

Applying for jobs you are not qualified for…

Virtually every job advertised lists the essential criteria that the employer is looking for. If you don’t meet that criteria, you are not going to be considered for the job, so don’t waste your time applying. Why put in all that effort for something that you really do not stand a chance of getting?
If you are either under qualified or over qualified for the position, the harsh reality is that you are not what the employer is looking for. We’ve all heard the clichés about it being an employers’ market at the moment. For most market sectors, that is unfortunately true. They will select the people who meet their requirements. So be fair to yourself and devote your time instead to applying for jobs that you have the skills and experience for.

Only using the major job boards

If you do a quick Google search for job boards, chances are the big players, Monster, Reed, Totaljobs etc are the first sites you come across. Yes, of course it is worthwhile registering your CV on them and checking what jobs are listed etc. But don’t only use these sites. There are many regional jobs boards covering specific geographic areas. There are specialist  jobs boards for particular market sectors. There are boards dedicated to graduate jobs, to jobs in startup companies.  Don’t limit yourself by only searching the biggest jobs boards. Use them in conjunction with some of the other smaller or more niche sites. You may stand a much better chance of having your CV picked up on one of these than on one of the big jobs sites.

Only looking online

When looking for a job these days, most of us immediately use the internet to search what jobs are available. However don’t forget about other sources of vacancies. The printed media may be finding it tough at the moment but there are still many companies out there who use the traditional newspaper to advertise their vacancies. Look at both local and national newspapers. Look at specialist industry magazines. Check out jobs fairs in your area. Your job search should not be done exclusively online. Use all the resources you can find.

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