4 Mistakes NOT to Make While Job Hunting in 2013

With the approach of the new year, many people will be begin anew their job search efforts.  If 2012 was not a successful year for in you – in terms of your job hunt – it might be because you are undermining your efforts without even realizing it.

Here are 4 common mistakes that you’re possibly making in your job search:

Listing job duties on your résumé, rather than accomplishments. 

Do not simply provide a “list” of job duties and responsibilities on your résumé.  Highlight the quantifiable achievements and benefits that you provided past employers, focusing on your most recent employer(s).  Quantify, quantify, quantify.  Most (if not all companies) value workers who enhance profits and save time and money.

Thinking your résumé will get you a job

Your résumé will not get you a job – that is not what it was designed to do.  It is a marketing document that is intended to get you an interview.  Therefore, it should not be a detailed compilation of every aspect of your life.  It should include your strengths, your achievements and those interesting facts that will –in a business sense – allow you to stand out from the crowd.

Not paying attention to your references. 

Providing good quality job references can mean the difference between receiving or losing a job offer.   Most companies check them; on average 96% of HR professionals claim to always conduct reference checks, but most job seekers do not put the effort into compiling and maintaining this critical list.  To learn how to best ask and keep quality references, please read How to Get and Keep Quality Job References found on the Candidate Resource Hub of the Snelling website.

Becoming Disenchanted. 

The job hunt is a full-time job, and for many, it can be a long-term endeavor.  The process can be frustrating, especially in this job market where 55% of unemployed people have been unemployed for 15+ weeks.  With this kind of long-term debilitating outlook it is hard to not turn harsh and bitter.  This is very hard to hide. It oozes out in our words, our actions and our body language during interviews, phone conversations, networking events, etc.  Put in the work every day to find a new career, but also do not be afraid to “get away” for a bit and decompress.  Go for a simple walk – anything – to clear your head and gain a little perspective.

Remember, Snelling is here to help.   We work with all of our candidates so that they can present themselves in the best light possible, whether they are arriving for their temporary assignment or are searching for their next right-fit job.  Our Candidate Resource Hub, as well as our talented staffing managers in our offices nationwide, is here to help. Check out our other articles deal with resume writing, interviewing, and integrating social media into your job search. If you want that edge, this is where you can find the right tools.

By Christiane Soto, Snelling.com

NOTE:  A full-color, downloadable PDF is available.