If you’re looking for a job, then chances are you’ve applied for quite a few over the years. In fact, according to recent data from Glassdoor and Indeed, the average job hunter applies to around nine jobs per month. This is where some people go wrong: they apply to every open position without ever really considering whether it’s right for them or not. This can lead to disappointment (and wasted time) when interviews don’t pan out as expected—or even worse, when you land a job that doesn’t suit your needs at all! To avoid these pitfalls and make sure your next application is well thought out, here are some things you should consider before putting pen (or finger) to keyboard:
Not having a clear idea of what you really want.
The first step in applying for the right job is to clearly understand what you really want. This can be difficult when you’re still inexperienced, but setting yourself up for success is essential.
To help with this process, ask yourself these questions:
- What do I want to do?
- What are my strengths? How can they be put to use in this industry?
- What are my weaknesses and how do I overcome them in my chosen field?
You should also consider your experience level and career goals as well. For example, do not apply for an entry-level position if you have extensive experience or education but no work history yet—it won’t make any sense! Instead, focus on finding a job that fits your work history’s scope while allowing time for growth.
Not recognizing and sticking to your strengths.
If you are applying for a job in a different field, it may be tempting to highlight your transferable skills. However, as we discussed earlier, if your experience is relevant only in an unrelated industry or setting, you want to focus on the skills and experience that are most relevant to the job at hand. For example:
- If you’re applying for an assistant position at a law firm but have never worked in law before (and don’t anticipate doing so), highlight any clerical or administrative experience you have had instead of pointing out that you know how to organize files and manage Excel spreadsheets.
- If you’re applying for an entry-level accounting position but have spent most of your career as an IT support specialist (and don’t expect to transition into accounting anytime soon), focus on explaining that work experience rather than highlighting how well organized you are or how fastidious about details.
Not being willing to negotiate salary.
Negotiation is a great way to show that you are serious about the job and are interested in making the best possible deal. You should be prepared to negotiate salary, but also other things like benefits, vacation time and bonuses. You may even be able to negotiate when you will start the new position, or what hours you will work.
If your potential employer is aware of your willingness to negotiate, they will see that as a sign of interest on your part—they know that if they meet your terms for salary and benefits, then there’s a good chance that you’ll accept their offer. If they don’t know how much money is important to you, they can easily lowball offer without knowing what effect it might have on their chances of hiring someone who would be very happy with their current situation at another company (whereas if someone else offers them more money).
Being under-qualified for the role you’re applying for.
- Being under-qualified for the role you’re applying for.
The first thing to do when determining whether your skills are a good fit for any given job is to take a look at the job listing and make sure that it matches your experience and qualifications. You should be applying for jobs that require a specific set of skills, so if there are requirements listed in the job description that aren’t on your resume or LinkedIn profile, this may be an indication that you aren’t as qualified as you thought. If you think about it from their perspective: why would they want to hire someone who has less expertise than what they need?
Applying for everything and anything just because it’s open.
You’ve heard it all before: the best way to get a job is by applying for jobs you are qualified for and that interest you. But there’s one more thing you should be doing: applying only for jobs that fit your personality.
By this, I don’t mean that everyone reading this article should apply for their dream job right now. We all have different dreams and goals (and how many of them do we really think will come true?). But when it comes down to what kind of work environment we want, there are certain traits that will help us make our decision easier on ourselves when we’re looking into job opportunities. For example, if you’ve always been drawn towards working with people rather than numbers or planning out projects from start to finish, then working in sales might be more suitable than being an accountant or IT manager at a company where those things happen every day.
For some people who were born creative thinkers but grew up with parents telling them not everything needs fixing right away (even though they often did), finding jobs, where they can use their creativity, is important—but so is having enough structure in their lives so they know what’s expected of them each day without making everything worse than it already was before they came onto board!
You are failing to address why you want the job or how you’ll benefit the employer.
If you’re looking to get hired, there are two things you must do:
- Address why you want the job and how you’ll benefit the company in the position.
- Demonstrate those qualities through your resume, cover letter and interviews.
You were lying on your resume or application.
While it’s true that you should always do your best to present yourself in the most positive light, don’t lie on your resume or application. If you’re tempted to embellish or exaggerate, remember this: If you get caught lying on paper, it can be difficult—or even impossible—to recover from your dishonesty.
It’s also important not to list skills that aren’t actually yours when applying for a job (like being fluent in French). This is just another way of lying about who you are and what you can do.
If it’s necessary for security reasons or other reasons specific to the job search process, use a fake name and email address instead of using someone else’s information. The same goes for phone numbers; use a cell phone number if possible so potential employers can reach out with questions about the job or interview process without having access to their home line numbers.
Keep these factors in mind when deciding whether to apply or not.
- Think carefully about what you want. In certain situations, it’s best to keep your options open and be flexible. But in other situations, it’s important to take a step back and think about whether or not the job is actually right for you.
- Make sure you’re qualified for the job. This may seem like an obvious one, but there are plenty of people who apply for positions they aren’t even remotely qualified for—and that’s not going to get them anywhere!
- Make sure you’re able to negotiate salary (if applicable). You should always try negotiating your salary when possible since this gives employers an idea of how much value they place on your skillset and abilities as well as how valuable those skillsets are in today’s marketplace. If a company won’t negotiate with its employees now, then why would they ever do so in future? You’ll have no leverage once hired if they don’t offer raises every year too because inflation will eat away at any increases anyway!
In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you’re applying for the right jobs. If you’re unsure, we suggest taking some time off and doing some soul searching before making any decisions. In other words, don’t rush into anything!
When you work with experts at Accurate Staffing, our professional recruiters can help you plan ahead for job interviews and achieve the best-possible results. To find out more, please contact us today.