4 Common Job Search Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

It’s graduation season and so, the early careerists (grads through 25/30ish) are on my mind.  Times are changing and the career landscape is different than it was 10, 20, and especially 30 or 40 years ago.  Things aren’t the same as they were for our parents’ generations (no matter which generation you’re from).  And so, the guidance and advice many of us get in the early career stages, although well-intentioned, doesn’t always fit.  Early careerists are dealing with a murky landscape that’s riddled with algorithms and technology.

So, how do we navigate the job market today?  This blog is dedicated the pitfalls I see frequently and some guidance on how to avoid wasting energy in the job application void.

The 4 Pitfalls of Early Career Job Searchers:

1.        Being a beggar, not a chooser. (it’s a mindset thing)

To use modern slang: having a vibe that is in any way desperate is not what you want.  Even. If. You. Are.  It’s ok to need an income, stability, benefits, etc.  – most people you interview with understand that being between or changing jobs can be hard in many ways.  But you want your first impressions to be more reflective of the whole person you are.   I am not suggesting you be a know it all or overly confident in what you don’t know, however, there are a couple of things that happen when you get stuck in the beggar mindset on the job market.

-              It causes you to cast too wide of a net in your search

-              You ditch your values and what you really want

-              You lose sight of any job search focus

-              You don’t land the job(s) anyway

-              You land the wrong job (which ends up badly down the road)

-              You use up your energy and excitement around your career

To address your job search mindset fully, it feels important to bring up another job search myth people carry within them.  Ever heard someone say, “It’s a game of numbers,” when it comes to the job search (or dating lol)?  Most people interpret this as black and white, to mean “apply for as many jobs as you can.”  But let me offer the important grey area:  Yes, this is true in that if you apply for 0 jobs, you will land 0 jobs.  And, yes, you’ll increase your odds of landing a job the more jobs you apply for.  However, applying into a directionless abyss with a generic resume just to get a specific volume of applications completed is a recipe for either not getting a job or getting a job that you won’t like.  Think about this like driving into a well-lit tunnel versus a dimly lit black hole at night with no high beams. 

My advice, based on the success of my clients and what I know employers are looking for, is to spend your time being strategic and focused with high-quality applications that are a good fit for you.  This serves you and your future employer better in the long run.  When you have no strategy, no target, and don’t differentiate in this market, you won’t stand out in the sea of applicants, which brings me to the next pitfall.

2.        Being a generalist, not a specialist.

You need to know yourself well enough to pick some targets and not apply for every job you think you’re qualified for.  It’s ok if your first couple jobs aren’t your forever employment but there are some things you can do to better align roles to you:

1.        Know your values

2.        Know what you like to do

3.        Understand what you expect to get from work

4.        Don’t apply for roles that are a dramatic misfit to your expectations

Basically, pick targets that make sense for you.  Don’t pick everything.  Ultimately, it will cost you time spent on many applications and it’s a toss-up if you’ll like your new job.  Most people have 2-4 target areas they could apply for jobs within.  Here are mine:

1.        Business / Change / Transformation Consulting

2.        Career Coaching & Assessment

3.        Education / Faculty Positions

For each of these areas I have a different draft resume that I can edit based on the specifics of a position I’m applying for.  I make sure what I included is relevant and phrased appropriately to the role.  I also craft a cover letter to go with if there’s a place to include one.

I get asked frequently “Do I really need to write a cover letter?”  Yes, take the time to write cover letters if they give a space to include one.  This is your chance to say something compelling about you and why you’re applying, and/or to highlight things on your resume that you think are relevant.   Having templates for these that you can revise 25-30% will save you time.   Bottom line, doing this shows you are literate, not lazy, and can be thoughtful about who they are and who you are.

3. Having no story, only a list of random experiences.

Whoever is reviewing your application should be able to string together a story relatively easily from your resume and cover letter to the position you are applying for.  The job of the resume, cover letter, and parts of the interview process is to tell your career story, which includes:

-              Who you are in a nutshell

-              Why you’re interested in this role / company

-              What you’ve done that’s relevant to being qualified for the role

-              What makes you a unique candidate for them

This is part of why you need to have different resume versions.  The accomplishments highlighted for one organization / role type / industry are likely to not be a n exact fit across the board.  Your resume language needs to match the language being used in the job applications for a given role.  You should also use the most space on the things that are most relevant (hint: not everything is universally relevant).  Your LinkedIn on the other hand, serves as an overall highlights reel (more on LinkedIn in #4).

Beyond resumes, you have to be able to tell your career story during introductions and interviews.  You need an elevator pitch that summarizes who you are and what you’re looking for (if you followed the guidance in the first sections, you should be able to answer this).  Practice your pitch and prepare for talking to people.  Using your friends and family to describe what kind of work you’re looking for and why is a great starting point.   Then get the word out to your personal network and beyond!

4. You don’t believe “It’s about who you know, not what you know”.

I understand that job applications are merit-based and include previous job experiences, education, skills, and several other attributes that can be checked on paper. Yet, the big one seems to ring true to a common phrase: It’s about who you know (not what you know) - as much as it pains me to admit more of the things my dad is right about.  :) Knowing someone on the inside, doing a great job networking with a company, making an awesome first impression before you’re ruled in or out, these things matter and can be the difference maker in getting your resume considered.

-              Connect with people you know and tell them what you’re looking for

-              Be active on LinkedIn with your connections and pursuit of roles

-              Ask for introductions

-              Request informational interviews with people you find online and think their roles or companies are interesting.  Virtual coffees are a thing and many professionals love to help students if you happen to be just graduating.

-              Attend local business card swaps or networking events (check out your local Chamber of Commerce or an app like Meet Up as a starting point).

Working your network is probably the most important of these 4 pitfalls to avoid.  That being said, you can’t nail #4 if you haven’t spent the time to fill the first 3.

A few closing thoughts.  I understand the job market and the realities of work have changed a lot over the years, much due to technology advancement.  I also not denying the uncertainty in the political and economic landscape.  Still, in my opinion, the strong point of today’s job market is the access and choice we have.  Due to technology, we have more information about a company at our fingertips than we ever have before.  This means that we can target organizations and connect with them without showing up on their literal doorstep.  It also means we can learn about prospective employers and rule them in or out before we spend the time on an application.  Not to mention, we have hybrid and remote work scenarios in abundance.  The range of careers is also pretty stellar.

Yet, even with the fancy tools and gadgets of our continually modernizing world, it’s the people that are still the heart of organizations.  And people still want to work with others they like and are capable of the job.  Wouldn’t you hire for the same? 

To summarize how to make yourself a stand-out candidate and avoid the 4 pitfalls of early career job searches:

1.        Have a mindset that enables you to choose what’s right for you

2.        Have identified target(s) when it comes to job/role types that fit you (not everything)

3.        Have draft resumes for each target that use the right language for the industry or role type

4.        Use cover letters to showcase your interest in a specific company / role

5.        Know your career story and be able to adapt it based on who you are talking to

6.        Practice your story as much as you can

7.        Network, network, network!  Get yourself out there.