You have your resume sparkling, your coffee is hot, your internet job searching skills are in action…but wait! You may be about to commit one of these 3 mistakes people innocently make when applying to a job ad. Make sure you do not fall victim to these easily preventable job searching set backs.
1. Apply Without a Plan
There is nothing worse to hiring managers than responding to an applicant with an interview, and then a job offer, only to be told that the candidate is not ready to take the position. Anything other than a standard two weeks notice to a current employer is unacceptable when hoping to be hired for a new job. This means that applying to positions that require you to move or go out of town to receive training, and not having a solid plan in place to relocate or be absent from home, will only leave your potential employer frustrated and you possibly out of a job again.
2. Not Minding Your Online Presence
One of the first things that modern-day hiring managers do when they are considering responding to an application is check out the candidate’s profiles on social media and perform an internet search. Before you send in that first application, make sure there is nothing that could be seen as inappropriate on your Facebook, Instagram, and other online profiles. There are certain security measures you can take to prevent your friends from “posting on your wall”, which will keep you in control of your reputation in the online world.
3. Not Researching the Company
So you get that anticipated response to your application! You then go in for an interview, and it goes great! After waiting for that final call back you decide to learn more about the company you are about to get hired for. You discover that they have a terrible reputation for how they treat their employees. You are now caught in a situation where you have to decide to follow through with the job you have before you (not to mention you have stopped “job searching” while you were interviewing with the company) or go with what your research has turned up and turn down any further talks. It is a completely preventable problem that only takes a quick internet search before hitting send on that resume.
Landing your next dream job is a process that involves many elements. The process all starts when you submit your resume to a job advertisement. Make sure you get off on the right foot by avoiding the above 3 mistakes. Happy job hunting!