Job Seeker Pet Peeves
I have worked with job seekers for well over a decade and there are a handful of things that just drive me crazy. So, I wanted to share those with you, in hopes they will help you in avoiding them as you are applying for a new job, updating your resume, or approaching the interview process in general.
Number one: Lack of professionalism. Now, I know every industry, company, department and even job is a little bit different in terms of how casual, laid back versus structured and/or formal it is, so certainly there is some wiggle room on this topic depending on the opportunity that you are interviewing for. But when you are approaching applying for a new job, interviewing with someone you have never met before, or representing yourself to an organization that you are interested in working for, please present yourself in a professional manner. Make sure you are communicating professionally and that you are putting your best foot forward. Likely, that is the expectation or the assumption on the interviewing and hiring manager side, so if they are not impressed by what they see, they probably won’t hire you. Be professional to set yourself up to make a good first impression, it will help carry you through and go a long way. As you develop relationships, you can get a little more comfortable and more casual in many cases, but it is never a bad idea to put on a little bit more professional polish, especially when you are approaching the interview process when applying for a new job.
Number two: grammatical errors. This can be in a resume, which is your first impression on paper, your LinkedIn profile, which is your digital resume and out there for everybody to see, when applying for a new job, or if you are emailing a hiring manager, etc.; proofread, proofread, proofread! Grammatical errors can be easy to overlook, but they can hinder the evaluation of your communication skills, your professionalism, and your attention to detail. Having well written emails, correct grammar, and clear communication, can be the cherry on top for many hiring managers when deciding between strong candidates, but if it is something that you don’t do well it can really hurt your chances during the interview process and how you are being consider for that job. So, please keep that in mind.
Number three: Lack of questions. If you are applying for a new job, it is just that, a new job. There should be things you are curious about or you have questions about. Even if the new role is with the same company, there should be questions that you have. Certainly, if you are moving to a new organization, you are looking at a new industry, a completely new profession or maybe you are relocating to a different state, there have to some questions that you have. Even if the only difference is a new manager, they have a different management style or could have a different method of communication, so there are always questions that you can ask. For every single interview have questions prepared, and even if they have answered every question that you had, think of something. It shows your interest, your engagement, that you were prepared, and you have given it some thought. I can’t speak highly enough about having some good, intelligent questions prepared for every single interview, and always have some back up, just in case they address everything you planned to ask prior to that interview.
Number four: No preparation. If you are going into an interview, you knew in advance that that interview was scheduled. Unless they are calling you completely on the fly because they came across your resume or happen to catch you and dive right into a phone interview, there is no excuse to not be prepared. After you apply for a position, make sure you have done a little bit of research on the company, the job requirements, and if you know who the hiring manager is, look at their LinkedIn profile. There is going to be an expectation going into any interview, that you have taken a little bit of time to at least look at their website and read through the job description. If you haven’t done that in advance, you can likely count yourself out for the opportunity in most cases. Make sure that you are prepared before every interview.
Number five: Lack of urgency and follow up. If you are looking for a new job, sometimes you have to hustle a little bit. If you get a response to an application or an interview request, make sure you are getting back to them in a timely manner. In most cases, when a company has an open position there is a reason for that, right? They have a gap, they have a need, they need to bring someone onto their team, and especially if they have a high sense of urgency, you better believe that they are going to be considering candidates who are showing that same hustle. Showing responsiveness is going to be interpreted as interest, and that you really want the opportunity. So, make sure that you have a sense of urgency and that you follow up after every step. Send a thank you note, follow up to check on where they are in the process with other candidates, and it will speak volumes about you and your professionalism. When following up, you are following through, and showing them that you are a serious candidate and want this job.
Number six: Not following directions. Everything throughout the application and interview process is typically part of the interview process; it is usually there for a reason, for them to measure how well you follow directions, can you follow through, do you respond, are you paying attention to the details, etc. During the interview process you are expected to be putting your best foot forward, so if you cannot follow directions, or have attention to detail, then they are not going to anticipate you would do so, if hired.
Number seven: Lack of flexibility. This is important, especially if you are working while trying to find a new and better job opportunity, it can be difficult to make yourself available for interviews. If this is you, you need to try to figure out a way to make yourself available early in the morning, in the evening, or on your lunch break. A lot of people are working from home now, maybe you can do a Skype interview or a zoom. So, give this some thought if you are serious about interviewing for a new job opportunity. Make sure you have a way to make yourself available for those interviews. If they can’t interview you, they can’t consider you for the position.
Alright, let’s quickly recap seven job seeker pet peeves that you should absolutely avoid. Number one: Lack of professionalism. Number two: Grammatical errors in your resume, in your applications, your email, and anywhere. No grammatical errors, please. Number three: Lack of questions. Make sure that you have questions for every single interview, show your interest, and show you are engaged. Number four: No preparation. Do not let that be you. Be prepared for every conversation and every interview. Number five: Lack of urgency and follow up. You must show urgency throughout the interview process, so they know you are serious and interested, and you have to follow up after every single interview. You are competing against several other applicants in most cases, so make sure they know you want it. Number six: Not following directions. Please make sure that you are reading every little detail of emails, applications, whatever they are asking you to do, make sure you are reading through it in detail and not skipping any steps. It is all part of the interview process. Number seven: Lack of flexibility. If you want a new job, you have to make yourself available for an interview and you have to be responsive. Have a strategy before you start actively interviewing.
I hope these tips are helpful for you as you get out there and find a new job that you love! If you have questions leave them in the comments, if this was helpful, please be sure to share it with someone else who might find it helpful as well.
If you need help with updating your resume, please download my free resume guide 10 Tactical Tips for Writing an Effective Resume, here: https://mailchi.mp/liveyourbestworklife.com/resume-tips.