What is the most common mistake job seekers make?
Surprisingly, the most common and most damaging mistake to a Job Seeker is failing to anticipate that hiring managers will perform an Internet search to discover more about them.
Shockingly, the majority of job seekers fail to realize that over 70% of hiring managers throughout the USA have rejected a candidate simply because of their online reputation. It is more likely than ever that any misstep will be uncovered even years after the fact. While some sources of this information are obvious: social networking sites, blogs, forums, and sites for posting videos and photos. However, there are less obvious sources that can be equally damaging. Google, for example, keeps Web pages cached and available to searchers. Consequently, even if a page has been taken down, it will show up in a Google search and may be accessed by clicking on the “Cached” link in Google’s results. ZoomInfo.com permanently stores Web pages that mention individuals by name and can be retrieved from their cache at any time.
A little extra effort at the beginning of your search will yield large results down the road. By reviewing your online reputation you know what prospective employer will see. This one step can give you a huge advantage over your fellow job seekers and interviewees.
Failing to plan their job search. Often job seekers aim their resume at any job posting and hope for the best. You should never give up hope, but “hoping and wishing” is not a good strategy. Sit down and plan your job search. If you have no idea of where you want to go then how will you get there? It is amazing the progress job seekers make once they have a structure to follow.
