4 Outdated Job Search Tips And Rules
Like many of you, I am also on the hunt for a new position. I have been searching on and off for the past year. I was lucky to land an internship during the summer, but unfortunately the company could not offer me a full time position. The market is tough for many of us at the moment.
On average, a job search can take around 5 months. During those 5 months you are going to be given endless advice from friends and relatives on the best way to find a job. Hundreds of dos and don’ts, but not every piece of advice helps you in the long run and some may actually hurt your prospects.
In this article, I am outlining four outdated job search tips and rules to avoid in your next job search.
1. Don’t Apply Unless You100% Meet The Qualifications
Reports show women tend to be more “selective” when applying for jobs and apply to less jobs than men. According to research by Linkedin “women are 16% less likely than men to apply for a job” and “women apply to 20% fewer jobs than men.” Some of you may have also heard the statistic stating women only apply if they meet 100% of the qualifications while men apply if they meet 60%.
This statistic is convoluted and not entirely accurate the way it is presented but an article by the Harvard Business Review shows there is some truth in this statement. According to their survey, they found 41% of women and 46% of men said they didn’t apply because “I didn’t think they would hire me since I didn’t meet the qualifications, and I didn’t want to waste my time and energy.”
Almost no one will have 100% of the skills and experience listed on a given job description. A job description is the company’s dream wish list, but this is the real world and build-an-employee is not a shop that exists. If you’re applying for a job, you probably already have a good idea of what that type of position entails.
Look at the core responsibilities and skills. What is it that makes you backdown, the mile long description, or a lack of self confidence? Don’t let those long descriptions intimidate you.
2. If You Mass Apply For Jobs You Don’t Need To Network
As much as we often bemoan people who succeed only because they know important or powerful people, networking is important to career success. It takes about 100 - 200 applications to get one job offer.
Can you get a job without networking? Yes but it’s like pulling teeth from a shark.
Networking has a higher chance of resulting in a successful job offer. According to CNBC as many as 70 % of jobs are not even published on publicly available job sites and 80% of jobs are filled by networking.
For more on the benefits of networking, check out these other Beyond Discovery blog posts!
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3. Don’t Show Off Your Personality
People are not automatons and anyone who expects that is not being realistic. Personality is an important component to the hiring process and to the potential success of a given candidate in a company. There is nothing worse than finding someone who is qualified who then can’t work with anyone else in the office because of personality issues.
Your personality will naturally come out during interviews, but it can also shine through in your resumes and cover letters. Your personal branding is also an extension of your personality and can even help you land a job! Many of you are probably new to the idea of branding yourself in your job search, so go check out this post: How Branding Yourself Can Revitalize Your Job Search.
4. Follow Uo So You Stand Out
Read the job listing. Does anywhere on the job listing say to call them and follow up? If not: DO NOT CALL THEM! The last thing you want to do is annoy your potential employer. At best you’ll be told they’ll contact you when they have an update and at worst you’ll annoy them and they’ll think you can’t follow instructions. This also goes for showing up unannounced at the business, or being presumptive and telling them you will call them to set up an interview.
The job search can be tiresome, and for those of you dragging yourselves endlessly through job boards and find yourself getting frustrated, check out this post on Patience And Perseverance In The Job Search. I wish you all luck and success in your job search!
Related:
To Follow or Connect? Simple Tips To Navigating LinkedIn Networking
Find a Job Fast: The Job Search Accelerator For Career Professionals
Meet The Writer!
Hi! I’m Madeline Jefferson. I am a freelance writer, editor, and designer who has a wide breadth of experience and knowledge on many subjects including: fiction writing, religion, law, politics, history, literature, chronic illness, and mental health. I have a B.A. in Religion and Middle Eastern Studies from Washington and Lee University. As a freelancer I offer services such as: blog writing, copywriting, ghostwriting, manuscript editing, and print and digital design. You can find me on: LinkedIn; Twitter, Instagram; and on my website: https://www.madelinejefferson.com/.
