The job hunt is not a fun or easy task. With the current economic uncertainty, and the large numbers of people being laid off, it is becoming even harder to find a position. Hiring managers are being more picky about the candidates they bring in for an interview and even more picky with who they hire. Careerbuilder.ca suggests some unrealistic ideas that many job seekers have about their job hunt.
- Unrealistic Idea #1 – The job search will not take very long. There is no guarantee as to how long your job search will take. There are a number of factors that determine this, including your own education, experience and expectations, as well as the market demand. Also remember that the interviewing and hiring process could take as long as 6 weeks! If you have applied for a job and think that you are THE candidate, be sure to follow-up, ensuring that your resume was received, as well as getting the time line for interviews and hiring.
- Unrealistic Idea #2 – Only a few resumes need to be submitted. Job searching is a full time job in itself. You may need to send out hundreds of resumes just to get one phone call. Remember the more jobs you apply for, the better chances of getting an interview. CAUTION: Don’t just apply for jobs for the sake of applying. You need to make sure that these are jobs that match you skill set, experience and education.
- Unrealistic Idea #3 – My resume and cover letter are fine. If you are not getting called for interviews, there is a good chance that your resume and cover letter aren’t up to snuff. You must ensure that your resume includes not only your skills and qualifications but evidential proof to back up these claims. Remember to read them over, and then read them over again and read them over once more! When you are done that, hand it to someone else to read over. Perhaps you problem is a small spelling or grammatical error you originally didn’t notice. For more resume and cover letter help, refer to “The art of writing a cover letter” and “Maximizing your resume’s impact”. If you are still unsure about writing a resume or cover letter, seek professional help.
- Unrealistic Idea #4 – I have all the skills necessary for my ideal career. Carefully assess your marketability. You may have a great education, and even work experience, but perhaps you lack soft skills the hiring manager is looking for, such as leadership or communication skills. Some things may be out of your control, such as market trends, and even the area you live in. This may be a good time to consider furthering your education or even looking for jobs in another city where there is more demand for the type of work you are looking for.
When on the job hunt, remember to be realistic, yet persistent. Persistence pays off, and if you are hiring for jobs you are actually qualified for, you will get that call eventually.
1 response so far ↓
Jason Monastra // December 9, 2008 at 3:44 am |
I am going to write on some of these. Your number one statement is huge as most people have an unrealistic view of what the process is, as well as how long it takes. I think if people were more understanding of what they were doing, they would have clearer expectations.