5 Job Hunting Mistakes to Avoid
How to be prepared for the job market in 2021
I have always assumed that your doors are wide open with a college degree. I thought that the reason why everyone goes to college, and I should go as well, is to have a perfect job.
Little did I know that this was only one of many naive assumptions I had as a student. Don’t get me wrong; college years were so far the best years of my life. However, if I had done more research or listened to some of the advice I have received over the years, I could have avoided some unnecessary trouble seeking a job.
Looking for a job is always a struggle, but it has gotten even more complicated in recent years. Strange requests from employers or requirements to have years of experience have brought a job search to the next level.
I started job hunting right after college. Before I could even apply for any job, it was essential to create a resume and the base for my motivation letter. I spent days looking for manuals and tips and putting it all together.
Weeks went by, and I was sending job applications one after another every day. I spent 8 hours a day searching for jobs around the globe on different platforms. Yet nothing has happened, no responses.
My brain could not comprehend where I was making a mistake. I had everything the companies were asking for, and they didn’t even bother to invite me for an interview. I was baffled and disappointed in myself.
Besides my motivation letter, which was not astonishing in any way, I quickly understood that having only one resume is not enough, and it is better to have at least 10. Coming to this realization made me think of other things that are essential for a successful job hunt. Here is what you should be aware of before applying for a job.
#1 Choose your college major wisely
Knowing what you want to do in life is extremely difficult when you are only 18 years old. You may want to become a scientist, but you actually don’t spend as much time thinking about it in real life.
Choosing a major is one of the biggest decisions of your life. It will define your future, thinking, and people you meet. I chose what I liked instead of what I loved. This mistake made a huge impact on my future carrier.
I picked a major that fit me the best and was the easiest from my perspective. Majors that were only a bit harder yet made more sense for me, I avoided. College is hard. It always has been, and it always will be. Escaping difficult majors just for the sake of simpler education does not bring anything positive.
Do yourself a favor and think about a job that would make you happy for the rest of your life. You don’t have to decide on the particular position yet, only picture the possibilities.
There is no need to sacrifice your college experience at the expense of tough classes; nevertheless, it is always important to think about the consequences in the long run. If you are one hundred percent sure you want to be a doctor, then go for it. Otherwise, I recommend picking something general and specialize as time goes.
#2 Invest your time in supporting documents
Finding a perfect job is not exclusively about education. It is also about you and what you represent on a piece of paper. Sadly, as well as about the time period we live in.
When I started applying for jobs, my resume was very weak. The desperation to start applying for jobs as quickly as possible made me do a bad job with my application documents.
I spent only a few hours editing and formatting the papers. It did not look like anything a professional would create. I included basic information about my education, work experience, and personality, thinking how exceptional I was.
Dozens of rejections and I promptly realized I have to invest more time preparing the documents and adjusting them depending on the job positions.
The internet offers tons of templates, which can help you shape your resume and motivation letter and make them significantly more wealthy. A resume and a motivation letter should be eye-catching. Not too long, but not too short either.
You can say wonderful and unique things about yourself if you have a small piece of inspiration. Templates will help you choose the right format and titles of chapters, appropriate content and remove redundant information. Vibrant colors, big letters, centered text, or a combination of unsuitable fonts. All this will guarantee you that your resume will end up in the trash before someone looks at it.
#3 Eliminate unnecessary information
It took me a while before I realized that sometimes my resume says too much about me. Information overload can, on certain occasions, harm your job application.
If you are interested in a job, it is crucial to look up the company advertising the job position. I always research the company’s location, its staff, news, or products. When something is not clear enough, I search for more details on Google or Youtube.
If I find anything that is not consistent with my resume, I modify my documents. For instance, traveling and small jobs belong to the information I add or delete depending on the type of position.
The company’s headquarters and branches can be located all around the world. If your resume says you worked abroad a lot, everyone will automatically assume you are applying for the position not because you are interested in the position but because you want to travel.
This is nothing else but my experience speaking. If I had a dime for every time someone asked me about my traveling, I would be rich by now.
“Do you intend to travel while working here?
“Will your traveling affects the job?
“Is it possible to trust you?”
Every time I hear these questions, I get furious—the time when people admired travel experience and working abroad is long gone.
#4 Take extra credits and internships
After 3 months of searching, I concluded I do not have enough experience for any job in my field. I majored in ecological engineering, assuming I will work in some well-known NGO in the future. Nevertheless, it was impossible to find an organization that would give me a chance only with a master's degree.
Yes, master’s degree. For some reason, even junior positions require at least 2 years of experience, if not more. It can be very depressing for someone who studied 6 years from books and scripts and has no practical experience.
I spent most of my free time abroad working in different fields, gaining valuable experience, and not thinking about consequences. Unfortunately, the skills I obtained are not very relatable; thus, people tend to overlook them instead of giving them value.
If you want to get an amazing job, I advise you to work for it as much as you can. Find what the job market needs, and once there is an opportunity to learn practical skills, do not hesitate to take it.
Relevant internships, volunteering, school projects, and similar activities can’t be missing in your resume if you want to impress. Maybe taking internships sounds obvious, but the college years run so quickly that the school is over once you are finally ready to learn.
#5 Sometimes, you should exclude your education
Because I was getting desperate with my search, I began applying for basic administrative or assistant positions. I applied for every job offer I was eligible for. I was sure I am exactly what the companies needed. Smart, creative, organized, and experienced in the particular area.
I was mistaken, again.
The companies did not like seeing my high education accomplishments in my resume. They looked for someone with a little bit of knowledge but no interest in moving up the career ladder.
My friends who run big companies actually confirmed this absurd theory. Hiring someone with a college degree only threatens them and their colleagues; hence hiring someone without one is a much better idea.
If you are job hunting and see no response whatsoever, maybe it is time to delete your college degree from your resume so you have a solid chance of being invited to an interview. Sometimes less is actually more.
After 6 months of job searching, 150 submitted job applications, and only 6 interviews, I finally got a job. A real paying job. However, my job hunt has not come to an end yet. With good supporting documents, you can reach your goals.
I might have made some bad decisions in my life, and maybe I have had way too much fun in college, but if there is anything I am proud of, it is my ability to learn fast, be confident, and work under pressure. Anyone who wants to see it sees it.
