6 Avoidable Job Search Mistakes That Scream, Im Unprofessional!

6 Avoidable Job Search Mistakes That Scream, Im Unprofessional 6 Avoidable Job Search Mistakes That Scream, Im UnprofessionalIf your goal is to come across as polished and professional, youll want to avoid these job search mistakes. TWEETYouve waded through the internet job boards. A few listings look like they could be just right. Now, its up to you to impress the hiring manager and get that bewerberbewerbungsinterview. Your resume can do the initial heavy lifting, but every contact you have with a prospective employer affects the way youre seen as a candidate.Avoid these 6 simple mistakes when looking for a job that scream Im unprofessional as you continue your search.1. Your vanity schmelzglasTheres nothing wrong with expressing yourself through a fun, whimsical email address. Yankeefan1aol.com or SweetSassyhotmail.com may be how your friends know you, but that doesnt make them appropriate for professional correspondence.A good rule of thumb is to use your name, first and last. If you have a very common name, you can adjust it by adding a number or a professional tag such as AdamJonesCPAgmail.com.You also want to show that youre keeping up with the times by ditching old email providers like Hotmail or Lycos. There are plenty of great email providers to choose from and Gmail is the gold standard today. If you still like your Hotmail account, just switch it to Outlook to show that you, too, can change with the times when looking for jobs.2. Your use of fun fontsMost resumes look so boring, right? Yep. And thats okay. You heard the same thing from your Freshman Composition teacher, Use a basic font, 12pt. Always. Why so boring? How will your resume stand out? manga Sans or other goofy fonts dont show your creativity to employers, they show that you dont know the rules of the game. Your accomplishments on your resume should do the talking, not the font.If youre not confident that you know the best way to format your resume and avoid job search mistakes, hire a r eputable resume service to do it for you.3. Your voicemail messageYour cover letter and resume got an employers attention. Congratulations But, if they give you a call and end up getting your voicemail and it sounds like this, Hey there, its Dougie, I cant come to the phone right now because Im out killin this towns tequila supply They are not likely to leave a message or call back. Ever.Again, it may sound boring, but you want your message to be simple and to the point, especialy when looking for jobs. Hi, youve reached Doug. I cant answer your call right now, but leave your name and number and Ill get back to you just as soon as I can.4. Your interview attireId like to take this one a step further. Its not just about dressing professionally for your interview. Carefully consider what you wear any time youll have contact with an employer. Even if you are just picking up an application or dropping one off, youll leave an impression. If that impression involves jeans with holes in th em, a backwards ball cap, or a skirt that leaves nothing to the imagination, they wont need to look at your application to make a decision.When it comes to the interview itself, consider what attire is appropriate for the position youre gunning for and then step it up one level. Its always better to err on the side of classy to avoid job search mistakes.5. You get too personal at the interviewYou want your potential employer to get a feel for you as a person, not just a resume, right? Yes, to a point. Its okay, even beneficial, to list charitable passions or hobbies that are relevant to the job, but it can also be easy to say the wrong thing at an interview. They dont need to hear about your love life, medical details, or affinity for cat videos. Aim for keeping the conversation personable, not personal.6. You dont do your homeworkInterviewers expect you to come into an interview with knowledge of their company. Why would you apply if you dont know anything about them? Go to their w ebsite and find some interesting tidbits that are most relevant to your area of expertise and work them into conversation. Have a couple of questions ready, too, because they will ask if you have questions.Remember this piece of advice when looking for jobs if you come to the interview acting like theyre just another company theyll treat you like just another applicant.At the end of the day, these arent meant to take your personality out of your job hunt, youll have plenty of ways to let your personality shine while also showing that you understand the basic rules of the process. When you show that you are not only a qualified candidate, but a professional individual, youll separate yourself from the rest of the pack.Hire a TopResume writer to help you land more interviews, faster.Related Articles