Get The Job You Want: 10 Job Search Mistakes To Avoid

By Dorcas Karuana,
How successful is your job search? Do you feel frustrated when results do not come as fast as you expect?
Recently, a reader wrote this to me:
“I have read your articles on job searching and application and I appreciate then since they give me motivation to go on even harder with my job search.”
I graduated last year, did Sociology and Public Administration, Second Class Honours, Upper Division and up to now have been looking for job or even place where I can do intern, but it has not been forthcoming.
Sometime, it’s frustrating when there is no positive result to talk about. What am I doing wrong that makes me not to be hired by the employers as someone who does not have work experience?”
Here are some of the top job search mistakes that many people make and how to avoid them.
1. Relying on online job postings. Some of the best chances for jobs from ads are in specialty trade publications and websites of specific industries. Myers suggests spending no more than 5 percent of your time on public job postings.
2. Mailing unsolicited CVs- Unsolicited resumes are considered garbage, scrap paper and wasted effort. Myers advocates abandoning this job search tactic completely.
3. Looking only for job openings. Searching for companies with “openings” is an obsolete job-hunting method. Shift your focus from “openings” to “opportunities” (which exist nearly everywhere).
4. Ineffective networking. Networking should be the primary focus of every job search. The best networkers are listeners rather than talkers, have a clear agenda, and are not shy about asking for feedback and guidance.
5. Leaving yourself open to many kinds of jobs. Focus on finding the RIGHT job — not “just any job.” Don’t try to be “all things to all people.”
6. Being unplanned in your search. Be 100 percent clear about your job search objective. Have a well thought out methodology, daily solitude and planning, space in the home dedicated to the search, and a system for accountability.
7. Doing it alone. The job market is just too tough to think that you can achieve optimal results by yourself.
8. Letting others control your job search. Remember: only you can “sell yourself” effectively and land a job. Myers suggests working with a small selection of professional recruiters, who can serve an important role in your search.
9. Not preparing well enough for job interviews. All job interviews are comprised of five basic elements: articulating your value, conveying your knowledge of the company, asking intelligent questions, negotiating compensation, and following-up. Each of these items has to be practiced in advance so you can “ace” the job interview.
10: Not knowing your market value. Never disclose your salary requirements — always get the employer to name the salary or range first.
Dorcas is a Human Resource Officer at Corporate Staffing Services. Email: dorcas@corporatestaffing.co.ke Website: www.corporatestaffing.co.ke