Do Any of These Job Search Faux-Pax Sound Familiar?

Many articles tell you what to do on a job search, and some have instructions on what to avoid. However, some things fall into the category of what you absolutely should never, ever, do. Here are a few epic fails that will completely ruin your job search.

Placing Blame

By all means grumble about your job search — in private. However, don't mention specific companies, and certainly don't talk about specific interviewers somewhere where they could possibly see or hear about your comments, such as on Twitter or Facebook. Word gets around quickly, and negativity will put prospective employers off, particularly when it's expressed through an easily searchable medium.

Using the Shotgun Approach

Yes, you want to apply to a variety of employers. However, if the volume of emails you send out starts to affect your data plan, you might want to reconsider and target your search.

Sending Generic Resumes and Emails

Small businesses likely use the tried-and-true method of checking resumes — having someone look over each and every one. Big businesses, however, often use keyword tracking software in order to automatically discard resumes that are irrelevant. Either way, customization helps your job search, and generic resumes hinder it. Someone reading your resume should at least notice that you customized it to the company.

Forgetting to Check Your Attachments

Generic emails are annoying, but sending an email to the wrong person is even more embarrassing. The recruiter ends up with an email that is completely wrong for the position, and if you reference specific data for the other company, it's not going to look good. During your job search, always give your emails another look before hitting Send.

Following Up Too Much

There's a time and a place for followup, and that's with a phone call or an email. However, requesting repeated followups because you didn't like the information you received from the first one is not acceptable, and it'll result in a "do not employ" note in your file.

Getting Your Parents to Follow Up for You

If there's one thing that's worse than an overly needy candidate, it's a candidate with overly needy parents. If you're an adult, you need to work out how to manage issues on your own. A recruiter does not want irritable parents turning up demanding more information; it'll end with another note placed in your file. Even if that note falls out, some companies and HR departments have long memories.

Hopefully, these epic fails don't apply to you; perhaps you're smiling and thinking that some of these surely would never happen. Unfortunately, most recruiters have seen all of these and more. Don't be a human resources horror story. Keep these points in mind, and keep your job search focused on appealing to recruiters and customizing your resume.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net