As the year gears to an end, we’d like to share with you some of the ways we have seen job seekers sabotage their job search and why this may be the reason you’re not hearing back from recruiters, and/or employers.
With the unemployment rate spiking every year, it’s critical for you to be aware of how you can avoid falling into the following traps and up your job-hunting hustle.
– Sending mass applications, with NO due diligence– Now, sending mass applications is not necessarily the bigger problem here. However, if you’re sending them out with little, to no due diligence whatsoever, you’re likely hurting your chances of getting a job. As recruiters, we are able to tell every time a candidate did not do their homework on a job they applied for. This is especially the case for people who put in their applications for EVERY single job we advertise, regardless of the title, technicality, or years of experience required. As a job seeker, it’s critical that you take the time to understand more about the company and the role you’re applying for. Recruiters and employers put in a lot of time to draft a JD because they are seeking to attract the right people. Further, continuously ask yourself if you would be fulfilled in the jobs you are applying for and if the organization’s values are aligned to your own. If you’re just figuring out your career, check out this cool video we created with, 10 questions you should ask yourself when choosing a career.
– Repeatedly applying for jobs that you’re not qualified for– We are aware that some job seekers do this as a technique to have their profile enlisted in the recruiter’s/employer database. However, this can be done in a different way. You can ask to email your CV for future job consideration, or, you can sign up for the career mailer newsletter to receive direct job updates. Incessantly applying for roles you are not qualified for, shows a disregard of the job requirements the employer is looking for on your part could be interpreted as lack of intention and attention to detail.
– Disregarding application instructions- Aah, this is a big one that we have mentioned before. Most job seekers don’t view this as a roadblock to why their applications are not being considered. From our observation, there is still a lingering mind-set about what sending in an application ACTUALLY means. Only attaching your CV, when there were requests for you to attach other documents, or fill in an application form is not acceptable. We cannot fail to insist that for every job you intend to apply, you read and understand the application instructions carefully. Set aside time so that you don’t feel the need to rush and miss key instructions. Would you rather spend little time applying for a job without following instructions which increases the likelihood of you not being considered, or spend more time and send in a brilliant application?
– Only relying on job boards – We have previously touched on why it’s important to utilize multiple job hunting techniques when job hunting. We urge you to not only rely on job boards, as sometimes; not all jobs are advertised on online platforms, with the rise of social recruiting, several companies are sharing open roles through untraditional platforms such, Telegram, Whatsapp, or just headhunting on LinkedIn. Be proactive; go to networking events, connect to recruiters and employers on LinkedIn, join social media job groups and utilize the relationship you have with your weak ties. Sound unfamiliar? Read this insightful article on how you can get a job using your weak ties
Additional tips you can use to avoid sabotaging your job search:
– Always send in a PDF version of your CV and not a word document. It’s more professional and reduces the risk of information being altered. Besides that, with the increasing rise of AI, there are chances that your CV will first be read by a machine.
– When sending out requests for help; whether to a recruiter, a close network, or a weak tie, ensure your communication is clear, concise, and does not shift to the recipient the mental energy to know what exactly you want. (Stay tuned, for our upcoming article on how to ask for help, when job hunting!)
– Unless there is an utterly justifiable reason, do NOT burn bridges with people (employers or peers), who may inform a decision to get you hired by other employers in the future.
Friendly reminder that uncle Google is your friend, and there is plenty more you can find on the web on how you are sabotaging your job search and how to end that cycle.
Currently looking for a job? Read our article, 5 strategies to hack your job hunting hustle and stand out from the rest!
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