Despite the myriad job-hunting tips available today, many job seekers are still clinging to outdated pieces of job search advice and resume writing tips. To help you discover who belongs in the “Don’t Listen” category, check out these old-school pieces of job search advice that a few “career experts” still recommend to job seekers. If your career guru suggests these tips, take advice from someone else.
Faulty Job Search Advice You Shouldn’t Heed
“Apply to all job postings.”
No matter how desperate you are to find a job, don’t apply to every job posting. Seek for positions that fit your experience and skills. Once you find a few jobs, network with those firms. When you’re ready to apply and you’ve made a few connections, customize your resume and cover letter to each position. This way, the employers will see that you’re serious about working for their company and that you’re worth an interview.
“Make your Facebook profile unsearchable.”
Changing your name’s spelling on Facebook and applying every privacy setting to make it impossible to track you online could send a red flag to employers. As a job applicant, you need to be as transparent as possible on social media. Show the employers you have nothing to hide from them. Do your best to be your true self online and you won’t have to worry about blocking hiring managers from your Facebook.
“Separate your personal and professional online profile.”
Have you heard this piece of job search advice from somewhere? Forget about it. Although it sounds like a piece of great advice, doing so can harm your online presence. Employers want to see that you can blend your professional and personal lives as one on social media. By combining the two, you’ll show them your experience and your personality online.
Likewise, as mentioned above, you need to be transparent as a job seeker so employers will see your genuine personality. Make sure you post only proper content online, so recruiters won’t find anything suspicious. Also, it will save you a headache from managing two social media accounts for yourself, while hunting for a job.
“Include as many buzzwords as possible in your resume.”
No matter how “innovative,” “driven,” or “responsible” you may assume yourself to be, no employer will believe you unless you can prove it through an accomplishment story. When writing your resume, remember this job search advice: use relevant keywords tailored to the position instead of excessive buzzwords. This will help you stand out to employers and make your resume appear more reliable.
“When writing your resume and answering in job interviews, focus on your GPA and your degree.”
You know who cares about your grades and degree? Your parents and your professors. That’s all. Your parents, whose ancient thinking enables them to brag that their son is a 4.0 Engineering student, care. Your professors, and those people who have never seen the real world that exists outside those sacred gates, care. But business owners, employers, and hiring managers don’t care. Can you do the job? Can you work under pressure? Are you willing to go the extra mile? That is what they care about; not your 3.80 GPA while pursuing an Accounting degree.
Where to Find the Best Job Search Advice?
Today, job quests are more on making the right connections and being thoughtful and persistent while hunting for a job. If you avoid these outdated pieces of job search advice, you will lead yourself to more interviews and jobs. Meanwhile, if you have problems regarding your application tools, hire our skilled resume writers. Visit this site for more details.
Sources: youtern.com| career-manage.com.au|thebalance.com|workitdaily.com
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