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Little Mistakes That Keep You Unemployed
If your job search is dragging on and on, you might want to look in the mirror. Because the person looking back may be sabotaging your efforts. Do you make the following mistakes in your job search? If so, stop now. And start getting more calls for job interviews. Mistake #1) Not Following Up If you fire off resumes without checking to see if employers get them, and fail to keep in touch until a hiring decision is made, your dream job might go to someone less qualified, but more persistent than you. Here's how one of my clients, Mike M. from Boston, followed up right. And got a great new job. "After going to about 20 interviews, I found that following up on resumes submitted via email is very important. Probably a third of my interviews were obtained within a day or two after a follow-up," says Mike. How did he do it? "I sent my resume and cover letter again via email, and included one or two 'wow' points about myself in the email message." Here's an example of a follow-up email Mike sent: Hello, I would like to follow up on the status of my resume submission for the Forecast Analyst position, as there is a very strong match between the position requirements and my skills and experience. [I've attached my cover letter and resume again for your convenience.] As I have a strong desire to re-enter the consumer products industry, I would again welcome the opportunity for an interview. With a track record of delivering up to $1 million in annual cost savings through accurate demand forecasts and supply-chain planning, I'm confident I could bring the same performance to ABC Co. Sincerely, Mike M. Nothing earth-shattering there. Just plain, smart persistence that set Mike apart from other candidates. And it worked -- he got hired. You can do this, too. Mistake #2) Not Thinking Things Through Last week, I tried calling "Jill" (not her real name) in reply to a job search question she had emailed me. After 5 rings, Jill didn't pick up the phone ... and neither did an answering machine. So there was no way to leave a message. What if I had been a busy hiring manager calling to set up a job interview? I would have passed on Jill and phoned the next candidate. So I emailed Jill to suggest that she get an answering machine. Her reply: "I do not have access to an answering machine because of my limited income." To which I was tempted to answer: "Your income may be limited because potential employers can't reach you!" Think it through. Would you go trout fishing without a creel? Of course not -- how would you carry home the fish you caught? So why send out resumes if you don't have an answering machine to "catch" calls from employers? Especially when you can buy one at Radio Shack for less than $30 -- about what you'd pay for a couple of large pizzas. That's a fair trade in my book. Question: Are there any "leaks" in your job search? Are employment leads slipping through your fingers? Think it through now. Mistake #3) Not Getting Input From Others After reading more than 10,000 resumes over the years, I've found about 90% of job seekers are suffering from an "affliction" that keeps them unemployed. What is it? Let me illustrate with a story ... You're eating dinner and your mom asks: "Could you get me the salt?" You walk into the kitchen and, after searching all the cupboards, you call out in a frustrated voice, "I can't find the salt!" Then your mom walks in, picks the salt up off the shelf in front of you and says, "Look! It was right here in front of your nose!" In psychological terms, you have a "scotoma." (Say: ska-toe-ma.) I have discovered that most job seekers suffer from "resume scotoma." They unknowingly overlook obvious errors in their resume ... until someone, like me, points them out. Here's an example. "Jerry" from New York sent me a resume used to apply for jobs as a logistics manager. Yet, most of his resume was filled with irrelevant facts ("Honorably retired from the United States Marine Corps"), empty assertions ("Extremely dependable") and unnatural language ("Excel at directing a cohesive staff in the successful attainment of objectives.") Jerry had overlooked a host of flaws. When I asked if he had shown his resume to anyone for input, his response was a predictable, "No, I never thought of that." To avoid "resume scotoma" -- and get hired faster -- show your resume to at least 3 friends before sending it to employers. Your friends will find gaffes and goofs that you won't, even though they're right under your nose. Now, go out and make your own luck! Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes. Since 1996, he and his team have provided resumes, cover letters and online job-search assistance to clients in all 50 states and 23 countries. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal's National Business Employment Weekly, CBS Radio, and many others. As a reader of this publication, you're eligible for a special offer. Get your Free Job Search Kit ($25.00 value) at the Guaranteed Resumes Web site - http://www.gresumes.com
MORE RESOURCES: Careers at Givaudan Givaudan Meet Native American Veterans where they live with a VA career VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Careers | Career Opportunities West Virginia University I moved to Alaska after college for a job. I lost all my friends because I put my career first. Business Insider Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University 15 Companies Offering Health Insurance to Part-Time Workers U.S News & World Report Money Careers at FEMA FEMA Physicians are the nation’s top earners – a slideshow Medical Economics Jobs and Training at FDA FDA.gov Jobs at Liberty University Liberty News City of Tampa Careers City of Tampa Job Seekers University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Nursing jobs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Career Opportunities UMHB Statement by Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su on October jobs report US Department of Labor Careers at Union | Human Resources Union College Careers Washington State University Recruiters urge candidates to use AI to apply for jobs Financial Times US employers added just 12,000 jobs last month as hurricanes and strikes sharply reduce payrolls The Associated Press Working for ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom October 2024 jobs report: How two major hurricanes, labor strike might affect the numbers - NBC News UF Health Careers UF Health - University of Florida Health Work for Us (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service Careers at Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group UN COMMON CAREERS VCU Health Work With Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Careers Medline Reservists (On-Call) FEMA Jobs and internships Bureau of Transportation Statistics Job Opportunities Bellevue School District How to Apply FEMA Careers Micron Careers at Discovery Education Discovery Education Jobs report on eve of election will be among the most muddled in years The Associated Press Careers KPMG Join our team FHI 360 Internship Opportunities | Careers Boston Consulting Group What Trump's election victory means for job seekers Business Insider Careers at Jacobs Jacobs Careers in A&O Shearman Work At Chess.com Chess.com Students and graduates JPMorgan Chase Career Paths FEMA Careers at Balfour Beatty Balfour Beatty Highest-Paying Engineering Careers in 2024 University of North Dakota The secret to career success may well be off to the side The Economist The 16 Best Jobs for Creative & Restless ADHD Brains ADDitude magazine Mental health at work World Health Organization The 10 jobs that landed the biggest pay rises in financial year 2024 The Australian Financial Review Benefits for the whole you Accenture Why Employees Quit HBR.org Daily JobFeed NSW Department of Education Two unis walking the career path alongside graduates The Australian Financial Review How to realize the potential of rising digital jobs World Economic Forum Careers Turner & Townsend Current opportunities Turner & Townsend AI Will Transform the Global Economy. Let’s Make Sure It Benefits Humanity. International Monetary Fund Careers City of Norfolk (.gov) 9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2024 and Beyond HBR.org Daily 8 global issues shaping and driving job creation World Economic Forum Jobs Energy.gov Careers at King County King County More and more jobs can be done from anywhere. What does that mean for workers? World Economic Forum > Careers > Job-listings National Reconnaissance Office Employment Opportunities Unity Health Toronto Jobs Dublin City University Careers City of Somerville Careers UTSA Today Careers at USI University of Southern Indiana Careers with the City of London City of London, Ontario Apply for a Job - The City of Vancouver, WA |
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