"To change your job, change the way you search"- 5 common mistakes made while searching for a job.

Are you out there looking for a job change but just not able to taste success?

Is the inability to quickly find a job becoming a reason for you to challenge your candidature?

Are you very quick to blame the market for your inability to find a job change?

Honestly, the problem isn't in your candidature or the market, rather it's in the way you search. A very wise statement which I've come across, "To change your job, change the way you search", this statement makes perfect sense to me, hence I decided to name my article based on this quote.

Presenting to you below, 5 very common mistakes you might be making in your job search-

1.      Not having an active profile on leading Job portals

It’s a beautiful time for all job seekers as well as recruiters, it's so easy these days to source for candidates and also to be found by recruiters, why then do so many people not update their job portals on a regular basis? It's really absurd if you're wasting such a powerful tool.It’s a known fact that recruiters often source for candidates over Job portals, hence you should make sure that you have a powerful & updated profile wherever possible.

2.      Not Having an active and a powerful LinkedIn profile

LinkedIn is a very powerful tool for job seekers and many recruiters often source for candidates via LinkedIn hence it becomes very vital to have a powerful LinkedIn profile with relevant keywords to attract headhunters and also powerful content to impress those headhunters.Another thing to note, content on your LinkedIn should never be the same as your resume, LinkedIn is a platform with much wider uses and recruiters often go through both your resume and LinkedIn before making a decision, if both your resume and your LinkedIn have the same content then it will actually leave a bad impression in the minds of the recruiters.

3.      Not short listing job openings found according to the job description and the job requirements-

Another very common mistake most job seekers make is not short listing openings according to the job description and the job requirements. This is a mistake most candidates make due to desperation while looking for a job change. Just like a great actor always does, be choosy about the work you apply too. There are a few reasons why this should be done-

A) Allows you to give more individual attention on the few job opportunities that match your candidature, hence improving the chances of you getting selected by a staggering amount.

B) Avoids the feeling of disappointment and resentment of failing in an interview. If you apply to a job that does not require a candidate like you and somehow manage to get to the interview, there are very high chances that you might get rejected in the interview, this would shatter your self confidence and also waste the time you spent preparing for the interview.

 4.      Not making custom applications according to the job description and the job requirements-

This is one of the biggest mistakes out there while looking for a job. Each organization has a different set of requirements from its candidates, hence while applying you need to make sure you address those needs of the organization and then present a solution to the organization within your candidature. Your application consists of your covering letter as well as your resume and both should be customized according to the job post.

 5.      Not following up with the recruiters after applying-

Once you have applied, how sure can you really be that the recruiter has seen your application or how sure can you really be that they haven't forgotten your application after seeing it, due to various possible reasons. To avoid this common problem, you should always follow up with the recruiter, preferably over a phone call using the elevator pitch.

By avoiding these mistakes you can really improve your chances of getting a job. Everything in life becomes easier if a proper strategy is used, the same applies for your job search, hence make sure you have a proper strategy before you begin your job search.