5 ThingsYou Are Doing Wrong in the Job Search
By: Madeline Toy
Tags: Job Hunting, Job Search, Jobs, Jobseeking Advice, Jobseeking

Searching for a job can be heart-wrenching. You put in the time, the effort, and many sleepless nights to only be met with an “unfortunately you didn’t get the job” email. It’s absolutely exhausting to stay in that cycle, and the rejection digs into you a little deeper with every rejection email that pops into your inbox. But, what can you do better? What are you doing wrong? Here are 5 things that you are doing wrong in your job search.

5 Things You Need to Change When Looking for a Job

1. Allowing Imposter Syndrome to Take Over

One of the main things that starts to happen as the rejection letters start to role in is a thing commonly known as imposter syndrome.

What is imposter syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is a something that happens when you begin to doubt your talents and skills. You begin to feel like you are inadequate to do a job/task, and that you will inevitably be prone to meet failure at any second. You may begin to ask yourself…

“Who am I to deserve a job in my field?” “Do I really know my industry?” “I will just fail at the next position. All these recruiters don’t believe in me. Should I believe in myself?”

This is a dangerous path to walk on and can lead you to sabotaging yourself before even stepping foot into the interview room.

Instead of having this inkling of thought invade your head, think about the possibility behind a rejection email. With every rejection email, you will only get closer and closer to where you need to be.

Have you worked in a management position for 4 years? Own it.

Do you have a groundbreaking portfolio the displays your work over the years? Flaunt it.

We all have special unique experiences and ideas to bring to the table. Never downplay yours.

2. Neglecting Networking

Networking is powerful. Who you know matters, and may just be the reason you get your next job.If you haven’t met any professionals in your field, it’s time to get connected!

With COVID-19, networking can be tricky. But, if you know of virtual networking events, you don’t have an excuse not to go. There are many virtual webinars, happy hours, and more to attend. You just have to find the right group to join.

Not big into the “big group networking thing”? Reach out to someone new on LinkedIn. Ask them for advice and get to know them. Generally people are always looking to help other fellow professionals out.

3. Applying to Jobs with Hundreds of Applicants

When you see that a job has 300+ applicants, you may want to really think through whether or not you want to apply to the position. If it is one you really want, go for it. But, just know it may be difficult to land an interview.

Try filtering job posts by the date they were published and be specific with your job search filters. This will help you find jobs that may be your dream job but with less applicants than other postings.

4. Not Updating Your Resume

Your always evolving and so should your resume.

If you are a few years out of college, you may want to start to remove unrelated job positions you had in high school. You want to make sure that your resume is only boosting/complementing you on your next desired job position.

Once you remove any past job positions that are no longer relevant, it’s time to add in powerful keywords to your resume. You can do this by picking out at a job post on LinkedIn that you liked and adding those keywords mentioned to your resume —it will help the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) learn more about who you are and give your resume to the right person in the company.

5. Applying to EVERYTHING

The last thing you need to quit doing in your job search is to apply to everything. Only apply to the jobs you genuinely want and can see yourself doing. By only apply to jobs you like, you will be able to spend more time crafting a phenomenal cover letter and resume for a job you care about.

It’s Time to Get Started

Now that you know what you are doing wrong in the job search, what can you do to increase your chances of actually landing the job? Read this next article on the top LinkedIn job search tips to help you find the your next job!