When you’re job hunting, you need to be careful about what you write, say, or how you apply. This is crucial for making a positive impression on recruiters and landing an interview. Here are some common mistakes that job seekers make and how to avoid them.
Not Researching a Company You’re Applying With
It’s important that you do your research on a company to learn about their culture, what they think makes an ideal employee, their hiring process, and so on. Otherwise, you may miss out on valuable clues that can guide you. So be sure to check out resources like their website, “about” page, blog and social media pages.
Failing to Have a Social Presence
Speaking of social media, “70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process,” according to a 2018 survey. If you have zero social presence, they’re far more likely to pass on you and opt for another candidate that does. That’s why it’s critical that you’re at least somewhat active on key networks like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
Taking a “One-Size-Fits-All” Approach with Your Resume or Cover Letter
Most recruiters can tell if you’ve simply copied and pasted your resume or cover letter and haven’t made any effort to tailor it to the specific position you’re applying for. Not only does this show a lack of initiative, but it’s also harder to make it through an applicant tracking system that filters candidates by keywords. So it’s necessary to take a few minutes to tweak your resume and cover letter so that they match each job you apply for.
Making Your Resume Too Long
Going overboard on resume length is another major issue. While you certainly want to give recruiters enough information to show why you’re a great candidate, you don’t want to go overwhelm them with information. Most career experts agree that a resume should be one page long for most candidates and two for some if there’s a lot of information to unpack. So unless you’re applying for an upper-level management position, try to stick with a maximum of two pages.
There’s a lot that goes into a successful job hunt, and you don’t want to make needless mistakes. Staying clear of these common issues should help increase your odds of getting an interview.
Need help with your job search? Contact the professionals at Axiom Staffing Group today.