FACE TO FACE
The Top 10 Mistakes of Job Seekers
by Fred Coon

So many people wonder why they have trouble getting a job. They go on interview after interview, thinking they did well, but then don’t get a call back. Hopefully this article will help.

1. Mailing Unsolicited Resumes
   Jack Chapman, author of "Negotiating your Salary: How to Make $1000 a Minute," states that unsolicited resumes are "garbage, scrap paper, wasted effort and job-search (junk)."
   
   
2. Looking for "Vacancies"
   Many jobs are not advertised. Job research conducted by Mark Granovetter of Harvard states that 43.4 percent of jobs are created for the applicant, often at the time of the interview.
   
   
3. Inept Networking
   When people are beginning their careers, asking their friend to get them a job probably works. Once people enter the senior job market, this strategy doesn’t work anymore. Person-to-person networking is the most effective way to land a job.
   
   
4. Trying to Go After too Many Types of Jobs
   You will not find a job by applying to everything and hoping one lands in your lap. You must pick certain targets and go after them.
   
   
5. Losing Your Motivation
   It is hard to face rejection on a daily basis which is what usually happens when people are looking for a job. However, you cannot let this rejection get you down or you will never find a job. You must look at life with the glass half-full, not half-empty, if you want your job search to be successful.
   
   
6. Thinking a Recruiter Is "Working For You"
   Recruiters don't work for you. They are paid by the hiring company. Many people think that just because they send their resume to a recruiter, somehow a job will mysteriously appear. The opposite is actually closer to the truth. Unless recruiters have a job opening that matches your skills, you go into the computer or dead-letter file, along with thousands of others.
   
   
7. Not Preparing for Interviews
   Prospective job seekers always tell me that as long as I get them in front of the decision-maker, they will take it from there. Most people think the purpose of an interview is to "interview." Wrong. The purpose is to eliminate your competition. If you don't know how to do this, then you will not be successful in securing the position or money that you want. You can never be over-practiced or over-prepared for an interview.
   
   
8. Talking about Money too Soon
   Employers are quick to ask how much money you want. If your answer is too high, you are too expensive. If your answer is too low, you are not worth it. The key is to focus on value, not money.
   
   
9. Not Planning and Scheduling Your Time Properly
   Most people spend more time planning vacations than they do their job searches. Like most things in life, if you do not plan properly, nothing will work out the way you want.
   
   
10. Not Asking for Help
    There are many myths about conducting a job search alone. Society expects you to know how to find and land good jobs on your own, but no one ever shows you how. There are companies out there that have qualified people to help you with your job search—you just need to do your research.
    
    

Well, that’s it...the Top 10 Mistakes Job Seekers Make. If you avoid these you just might be on the right path to landing your dream job. Good Luck!

About the Author: Fred Coon