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By Cynthia M. Piccolo
badHabitsOfIneffectiveJobSeekers image

Wondering how not to conduct your job search? We have compiled a list of the bad habits of ineffective job seekers. Are any of these bad habits yours?

    Not having an up-to-date résumé. Don't undercut your experience or hide the fact that you do have the latest certifications. Failing to pay attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation in your résumé, cover letter, and any email or other written communication. This also means failing to proofread written communications and failing to do basic checks, such as whether the cover letter is addressed to the correct employer.
  • Using texting short forms, silly acronyms, or emoticons in professional communications related to your job search. Keep such things where they belong – in informal communications to family and friends – and out of your formal job search communications.
  • Having a cheesy, cutesy, and/or potentially offensive email address and/or instant messaging identifier for use in your job search. Reserve your fun ID for communicating with family and friends; for your job search, create a separate identity, ideally – for ease in connecting you to your application – your name, e.g., Jane.Doe@ or John.R.Doe@.
  • Having a cheesy, cutesy, and/or potentially offensive answering machine message during your job search. Put the fun message on hold until after you've landed the job.
  • Sending a generic cover letter that does not gear your skills, experience, and interests to the employer and its particular position.
  • Expecting jobs to come to you. Sometimes this happens, sometimes it doesn't – be active in your job search and maximize your options.
  • Not keeping track of your applications. Knowing to which jobs and to which employers you've applied will help you to avoid sending the same application twice. This will also provide you with a quick reference about which job you're being asked to interview for when the employer calls.
    • Applying for jobs that don't interest you, or for which you are unqualified, just because you can. Don't waste your time or the employer's time.Failing to follow up on jobs for which you're qualified, but didn't receive a response.Failing to use your network. Remember: Not all jobs are advertised.
  • Spending time you should be devoting to your job search surfing, playing games, or napping.
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