What Not to Do When Youre Applying for Jobs

What Not to Do When Youre Applying for JobsWhat Not to Do When Youre Applying for JobsThere are many things you should do when youapply for a job, but theres an equally long lists of donts. Thats because some actions and behaviors can really hinder your job hunt and are best avoided. From oversharing the details of your job search to making a typo in a cover letter, heres what not to do when you apply for a job. Submit a Job Application, Resume or Cover Letter with TyposCheck your resume, cover letter, and every single email you send for grammar and spelling - even if its just a quick email, LinkedIn katechese, or Facebook message to a networking contact. If you submit a job application with a typo, it can knock you out of contention for a job. This means writing in full sentences, andchecking spelling and grammar. Always, always triple-check the spelling of company and contacts names, too - those mistakes are particularly eye-catching. Dont Know Your Employment HistoryWhen you ap ply for jobs, whether its online or in-person, employers expect you to know your employment history, including dates of employment, job titles, and company information for each job youve held. What can you do when you dont remember your exact dates of employment? Heres how you can compile yourpersonal employment historywhen youre missing all the details. Tell Everyone Youre Job SearchingIt can be a good idea to tell everyone you know youre job searching - if youre unemployed. If you have a job and you want to keep it, be very careful who you tell that youre job searching. Also, make sure that youre using tools tokeep your job search confidential. You dont want your boss to hear youre looking and possible jeopardize the job you currently hold. Take Advantage of Your ConnectionsIts appropriate touse your connectionsto help you get a job. However, its not appropriate to try to bypass thehiring processin order to try to get hired. Use your connections carefully and make sure they are a dvocating for your candidacy in a professional manner. Dress InappropriatelyDont wear jeans or shorts, tank tops, crop tops or anything too low cut (cleavage is not a good thing when youre job searching) or too short. Make sure youre not showing too much skin i.e. your belly should not be showing. Dont wear spike heels, platforms, flip flops, or your favorite pair of old ratty sneakers. It is always important to be neat, tidy, and well-groomed and to present a positive prestige to the employer. Heres what youshould be wearingto apply for a job. Forget Your ResumeWhen applying for jobs in-person and when vorstellungsgesprching, bringing extra copies of your resume is a good idea. Also, consider bringing your transcript as well if youre interviewing for an academic-related position. Keep Your Phone OnFilling out a job application or an interview isnt a place to sneak in a few texts. If your phone is constantly beeping or ringing, it creates a very distracting environment and reflects poorly on you. So, make it a priority to turn your phone on silent and stow it away in your bag or pocket. Walk in with Headphones OnAlthough you might be dying to catch the end of your favorite song, take your headphones out and turn off your music-playing device. Stash both in your purse or briefcase before you walk in to apply for a job or go on a job interview. Bring Food or DrinkPlan ahead and grab a coffee or other beverage or a snack either before or after your interview, because it isnt professional to eat or drink during your interview. Finish (or throw out) your coffee or food before your interview. Also, while you want to have fresh breath during the interview, make sure to spit out your gum or finish your mint before you enter the building. Bring Your Parents or FriendsApplying for jobs or going to a job interview are solo activities. Leave your parents, friends, or significant others at home. If youre applying for a retail job and youre with friends have them wait outsi de the store or elsewhere. The only time this would not apply is if you and your friends were applying at a company that was hiring for several positions. Act UnprofessionallyNo matter how difficult your job search is, make an effort to greet your interviewer kindly, and be active and engaged during theinterview process. Be outgoing and positive, even if you dont feel that way. Dont Be Upfront About When Youre AvailableBe honest with your prospective employer about when its feasible to work. If you cant work evening shifts, for example, dont hedge during the interview. You dont want to end up taking on more hours than you can handle or commit to a schedule that wont work out, inconveniencing both yourself and your employer. Ask for MoneyI cringe when someone tells me theyve asked for a certain salary when they havent even been interviewed yet. Avoid mentioning compensation until you have a job offer or, at least, until the employer brings it up. Even then, be careful as to how youne gotiate salary. Top Job Search MistakesWhat are the worst job search mistakes you can make? Some are major mistakes that can halt your job search before it even gets going. Others are small ones that, given a competitive job market, can be enough to knock you out of contention for a job. Be sure to avoid the top job search mistakes, so youre in the best position to effectively job search.