Mistakes That Can Derail Your Job Search

Applying for any job
There isn't any point wasting your time applying for jobs that you're not qualified for. It's a waste of time, energy and effort. Make sure to focus your job search and apply to jobs that are a match for your skill set and experience.

Mistakes on your resume or cover letter
Make sure to triple-check your spelling and grammar when sending information out to employers. Keep in mind that hiring managers will be seeing this and first impressions are important. It's crucial to make sure everything is grammatically correct, or you risk the chance of immediate disqualification from consideration.

Make sure you are organized in your job search
As a recruiter, I have spoken to candidates that don’t even remember what job they have applied to with my company. This can really trip you up if you don’t have an organized list of the opportunities that you have already applied for.

Always research a company prior to the interview
I send my candidates the company website before the interview and encourage them to educate themselves. With all of the competition out there, it is hard enough to get an interview so preparation is a step that should not be over-looked. Look on the website for company details, products they produce, company history, and knowledge of c-level executives doesn’t hurt either. If you walk into an interview and don’t know anything about the company, it will look like all you want is a paycheck instead of a career.

Best foot forward during the interview
If you are fortunate enough to get an interview, always remember that there are most likely around 30 candidates that didn’t get an interview - maybe more.

Have questions
Have a list of questions for your interviewer. Remember that you are interviewing company as well. It looks good to an interviewer if you have about three to five questions to ask.(Where does your company want be in the next 5-10 years; Where do I fit in this scenario?)

Stay positive
As much as you may dislike your former employer or boss, do not speak negatively about them.
Remember that the hiring manager is looking for a great fit for the team as well as a skill set, so if you complain about ex-managers or your past job, this might be a sign to the manager of things to come for her/him.

Be patient
As much as you may want a job, please remember that managers are interviewing multiple candidates for one position. It is okay to send a follow up email thanking them for their time, but do not continually email or call the manager asking for feedback.

Times have changed in the job market, so remember the old cliché:
You never get a second chance to make a first impression!

- Angel Diaz, Resource Manager at Kavaliro