Mistakes Job Seekers Make That Turn Employers Off

The job search is fraught with pitfalls that can hurt your chances of finding a rewarding job. Unfortunately, you need to understand what these pitfalls are and how to navigate them without appearing unprofessional. Avoid these job-hunting mistakes the next time you're on the hunt for a new job.

1. Bad Phone Manners

If you have an unprofessional voice-mail message, delete it and record something appropriate as soon as you start applying for jobs. Employers also hate it when they can't leave messages because your mailbox is full. If you're searching for a job, check your messages daily and be sure to delete any messages you don't need.

If you have the chance to talk to a potential employer, don't blow it by sounding rude or annoyed. Once you start applying for jobs, you need to be prepared to answer every phone call in a pleasant manner. If you sound rude, potential employers are likely to wonder if you treat vendors and customers the same way.

2. Lack of Qualifications

Applying for a job that doesn't match your qualifications is one of the biggest job-hunting mistakes you can make. It's okay to apply for a stretch job once in a while, but you do need to meet the basic requirements of each opening.

3. Resume Blunders

Before you apply for anything, review your resume several times. Employers don't like to see resumes with typos or grammar errors. Such errors indicate that you lack attention to detail, which is a red flag for hiring managers. Another common job-hunting mistake is not including relevant keywords in your resume. Because many companies use screening software, you have to use the right words to ensure your application ends up in the hands of a human reviewer.

4. Poor Communication Skills

Strong communication skills are essential, whether you're applying for an entry-level job or an executive position. If a hiring manager leaves you a message, return the call as soon as possible. If you're communicating with employers via email, proofread each message carefully to remove any errors and ensure clarity. Polishing your communication skills is especially important if you're applying for jobs involving a lot of contact with customers.

5. Inadequate References

Employers check references to ensure your work history matches up with the content of your resume. Hiring managers also want to hear what your former managers think of your skills and personality. If you don't provide references, it looks like you are trying to hide something. Before you start your job hunt, take time to gather up-to-date contact information for each reference on your list.

Nobody is perfect, but employers are looking for candidates who behave in a professional manner. If you recently started a job hunt, be sure to avoid these job-hunting mistakes. Otherwise, you might lose out on some promising opportunities.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net