Avoid These Common Job Search Pitfalls

Posted on Nov 23rd 2009, 01:05 am, under Career Advice

The last thing you want to do while you're out job hunting is waste your time, your money, or both. Unfortunately, there are dozens of opportunities for you to do just that, especially when you're getting desperate. Without consideration, things that seemed like good ideas at the time can turn out to be bad decisions in hindsight. Here are a few you should avoid:

1. Never pay a headhunter for his services. A search consultant or third-party recruiter is paid by companies to get results and fill positions. Therefore, a real recruiting professional would never take money from candidates. If you ever get any invitations from headhunters about job openings, and you turn up to find that what they're really offering is career coaching sessions, you're probably walking into a scam. Leave immediately and don't look back.

2. Don't go to job fairs. Ironically, these events, specifically organized to help people find jobs, have a really low success rate. You should steer clear especially of those huge job fairs that attract thousands of applicants; employer booths may be plentiful, but nobody will be taking resumes. 

On the other hand, some other job fairs do yield somewhat better results, such as "open hour" affairs hosted by a specific company, and college placement job fairs. But instead of trying to compete with hordes of like-minded applicants, why don't you try looking for employment through your personal connections?

3. Don't get certified for something no-one needs. If you're having a tough time finding employment, you may feel the urge to get extra qualifications to make yourself more attractive to employers. This isn't a bad thing; in fact, getting more education can be a great option. But before you pay for any additional training, check if it's worth it. Take a look at job boards and see what skills are most in demand. Don't pay for certification may be a waste of your time and money.

In addition, if an educational institution is pressuring you into entering their program, ask them which employers have employed their graduates in the last year. If they can't give you an answer, don't bother signing up.

4. Don't send your resume unsolicited. For companies, this is just like getting spam email. You can't blindly send out resumes with generic, non-customized cover letters and expect to get a job. What you need to do is establish verbal contact first, then ask if you can send an application. Cold calling is okay, but resume- and fax-bombing is not. If you have the time, go to the company in person and ask if they would be interested in hiring you. And if you really want to improve your chances of landing a job, follow the money.