Avoid these mistakes when looking for a job

MarketWatch

SAN FRANCISCO — Economists call it the labor market, but for job hunters competing with almost 15 million unemployed workers, it probably feels more like a labor jungle.

In times like these, bad news isn’t hard to find. But jobs are — and job seekers are all too aware of it. That alone can have negative ramifications, some experts say.

“Job hunters, because they are so fearful and full of anxiety, the way they are approaching job hunting is more off-base than ever,” said Andrea Kay, a career consultant and author of “Work’s a B---- and Then You Make It Work.”

They’re “not taking time to think about strategy,” Kay said. “They’re merely reacting.”

When asked about the biggest mistakes job seekers are making, the three most-cited problems were “too desperate/willing to take anything,” “poor interview preparation” and “weak r sum s,” according to a survey of 500 executive recruiters conducted for TheLadders.com, a career site for executives.

In this job market it’s not surprising people are “willing to take anything.” Still, career experts say it’s important to spend time digging up information on jobs that are well-suited to you, rather than applying to any open position.

The right strategy is not complicated, Kay said. “A good job hunter has two jobs: They should be discovering the problems that employers have for which they need help and then they should be presenting themselves as the solution.”

Developing a strategy can help you focus your search and, ideally, help you overcome that sense of desperation. Also, consider these other mistakes to avoid when job-hunting:

UDon’t rely solely on ads and online job sites.

Jobs often are not advertised, and the only way to find them is by networking. That means finding and contacting companies that can use your skills, Kay said. Contact that person via email or telephone. At small to mid-size firms, try simply walking in the door, r sum in hand.

UDon’t make your r sum a list of activities.

Focus on detailing your achievements, not listing what you’ve done. Also, your r sum should be tailored to fit the company’s job description so it catches the eye of the person doing the initial r sum sorting. More r sum rules: Two pages maximum, and no colored paper or cute graphics. If you drop off your r sum , use a slightly heavier paper so it stands out from the stack the company printed out from emails.

UDon’t go to the interview unprepared.

If the company recently made an acquisition or unveiled a new product, you need to know, and be able to speak intelligently about the company’s needs and culture.

UDon’t confuse “networking” with asking for work.

Networking is about developing relationships, Kay said. Contact people you know to ask for advice; don’t ask for work.

UDon’t treat support staff poorly.

Sixty-one percent of executives said they considered their assistant’s opinion important when evaluating job candidates, according to an OfficeTeam survey.