Silly Self Sabotage

Everyone who has ever recruited or hired people has seen plenty of silly errors. While some errors may enliven a boring day in the recruiter's office, they hinder your chances.

You may think you would never do something so stupid. But we see these errors every day.

Finding the right job is hard enough; don't make these common errors.

Multiple Objectives, One Resume

So you want to be a technical writer or do marketing or manage the Intranet. List them all on one resume and you will never get called. It is not my job to figure out what you want to do. But it is my job to weed out the unfocused.

Solution: One resume tailored to each objective.

Ignore the Requirements

You have seen a job ad and you are interested. You don't match all the requirements so you just ignore them when you apply. And just why should I dig to see if you have met the requirements?

Solution: Cover letter includes section with requirements stated and your matching achievements. Two columns is easy and attractive. Put in something closely related if you have one you do not match.

We won't even talk about all those who apply with few – if any – of the requirements, but it happens. Don't ruin your chances with the company or recruiter for the future. Skip the jobs where you do not match most of the requirements.

Be assertive, the requirements are wrong.

Sure, you know better – this is the job you want. Tell the recruiter all about why what the organization says it wants is wrong and how you know what skills the job should require (say, yours?). And the recruiter should ignore her boss/client for you why?

Solution: Apply for jobs for which you are qualified. If there is a requirement that you feel is not relevant, ask about it but don't fuss. When you do contact a recruiter, remember that most handle a range of jobs. Be positive and professional and you might get a call for another position that does match your skills. Always better than being on the "you won't believe this applicant I had" discussion list.

Blast your resume all over

So you got a list of recruiters or other organizational contacts and you immediately e-mailed your resume to everyone on the list. And maybe you sent it out to all at once rather than to each individually. And you signed up with every recruiting agency you could find – some of which also blasted your resume all over. So now you look desperate; but you don't look like a good candidate.

Solution: Target your resume to the types of organizations that have jobs you are qualified for and interested in. Contact each individually and tailor your cover e-mail/letter to them. Use reputable recruiting agencies, recommended by people you trust, that will only send your resume to their clients who have a specific need for your skills.

Answer that ad immediately

At last, an ad that looked like just what you want – and you zipped off the resume or hit the reply button immediately and included a general cover letter or nothing at all. And the recruiter is supposed to know why you are the best candidate…even though you give no indication of how well you match the organization's values and needs?

Solution: Check out the organization before you answer their ad. And then, if you are still interested, put a little effort into showing that you were really interested in the organization and the job. Your cover e-mail or comments when you send in your resume can talk a lot more specifically about how your skills match their needs if you actually know what they do and what is currently going on in the organization.

Ignore your friends and networks

OK, you don't want to bother your friends for every job lead. Or you don't know anyone in the organization that has the opening. Maybe you are embarrassed to ask for help or contacts. Or you don't 'have time' to contact someone – even if they could help you understand the organization and tailor your application. Besides, you hate to ask anyone you know for their support and risk hearing a no. Sure, you know many organizations have employee referral programs and give some priority to such referrals but never have asked contacts about their program.

Solution: Think about your contacts. See if you know anyone in the organization or who knows someone who is. Ask for their help. You will certainly learn something that helps in your job search. And, you may find a way in via the employee referral program. A recent survey of corporate recruiters in metro DC indicated employee referrals were either the first or second largest source of hires in 2002.

Forget your manners

The secretary is giving you the run-around. The receptionist told you to have a seat but did not offer you anything. The first interviewer is late. The hiring manager doesn't have your resume. And you get upset; don't they know you are busy? Then you get huffy, or complain loudly, or make snide comments.

Solution: If everyone you deal with makes you wonder about the organization's culture, maybe it is the wrong place for you. But mistakes happen in the best places. If there is just a glitch or two, stay calm and polite. Ask for information or the restroom if you need it. Check to see if you should reschedule if the delay is a problem. Never go to interviews without extra copies of your resume. Take something to read or do. And remember, many senior managers ask the support staff for feedback on applicants – thinking how you treat your customers relates directly to how you treated the support staff.

Be defensive

Why does every interviewer keep asking about why you got laid off? Why are there so many questions about all those jerks who were your past bosses? What business is it of theirs what you have been doing the past six months? Why do they keep asking about your career change reasons? Why do they ask about your professional activities outside work, like you have time?

Solution: Be prepared for common questions and test your answers with good friends. Don't be negative about past bosses or companies – the interviewer will think about how negative you will be if she hires you. Give yourself time to grieve a job loss and get your feelings sorted out with others before starting interviews so you will not sound upset or defensive. Bad things happen to almost everyone. If you can sound positive about the good things and be brief about the bad, you will win the interviewer's confidence that you can succeed in their organization.

Job search and interviewing are hard work on both sides of the desk. You are making a big life-impacting decision in taking a new position and need to know you can succeed there. Internal and agency recruiters are often swamped with poor to mediocre candidates while their hiring managers are demanding three to four "perfect matches." Both recruiters and hiring managers want to hire people who will succeed in their jobs and feel the pressures of making those decisions.

You can increase your chances of success by:

• Applying for jobs where you match most, if not all, of the requirements;
• Seeking out those organizations which match your needs and values;
• Avoiding common mistakes;
• Developing a relationship with all the recruiters, internal and external, you talk to; amd
• Acting like the top-notch professional you are (or aspire to be)!

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