Top 5 Job Search Mistakes

A job search has good days and bad days. In this post, let’s rally together and see if we can bring you more good days. As most know, jobs don’t fall into your lap. You have to be a positive hunter who shows tenacity, drive and ambition.

Here are my top five job hunting mistakes:

Networking ineffectively or not at all. Networking should be at the crux of your job search. It’s not just purely attending events or individual meetings and asking for a job. It’s being patient and methodical and listening before you ask. Be eloquent in how you mention that you are actively engaged in a job search.
Being anti-social. In today’s executive job market it’s career suicide to not have a LinkedIn account, but putting up a profile isn’t enough. You need to optimize your profile to be discovered by recruiters searching for talent, and make the best impression when they find you. You also need to engage your network by continually sharing relevant resources and participating in discussions – both of which demonstrate your value and expertise.
Struggling on your own. People trust their money to a financial advisor, but then try to perform their own career management. Working alone can demoralize you and decrease your productivity. Why struggle? There are certified career professionals who can expertly navigate you through the job search mine fields and help you reach your goals more quickly.
Being indiscriminate. Don’t just go after any job for the sake of it. Target your job search strategy according to your skill set, career goals, and personal ambitions. Evaluate where you want to be, and the job title you desire, and work fearlessly towards that goal.
Wasting time on job boards. Contrary to popular belief, job boards bring minimal return. They list, in fact, a small percentile of the overall jobs that are available right now. Spend no more than 5% of your job search time perusing job boards. The bulk of your time should be spent engaging your network – the people who can lead you to the job opportunities that may never be listed.