Looking for work can be hard enough even when you do it right; so don’t add to the effort by engaging in the following bad habits too many of us indulge in when on the hunt for new employment.
- Thinking too much of yourself. That is: Arrogance. There’s nothing wrong with confidence, but be careful that you don’t cross the line from confidence to braggadocio. Don’t take all the credit for any work success you relate to a hiring manager; instead talk about how a particular project’s successful realization was part of a team effort. In addition, don’t do too much of the talking during the interview. You don’t want the hiring manager to talk all the time, but neither should you dominate the conversation. Instead, ask questions about the company’s goals, what your hiring manager sees as the position’s top priorities, what the hiring manager feels are his or her most pressing challenges, and so on. Then you can talk about how your skills and experience can help the hiring manager overcome those challenges.
- Somewhat on the flip side of arrogance, is coming off as too informal, familiar and casual. E-mail or text the hiring manager in full sentences, with correct spelling and grammar. Dress professionally and conservatively for the job interview. Watch out for becoming too friendly and familiar during the interview.
- Not preparing properly for the interview. Don’t just glance at the company’s home page and call it a day. Instead, find out as much as you can about the company by reading its entire website, Googling its name to see what comes up, even check out your interviewer’s profile on LinkedIn (you know he or she will have checked out yours before the interview). In addition, map out a plan for how you want the interview to go. Write down the most important things you want to be sure to tell the hiring manager about yourself.
- Falling so far into despair that you can’t climb out. We’re not going to mince words: looking for work is hard, it’s filled with rejection and the whole process oflooking for work can take weeks if not months. So it’s hard to not become discouraged. But you need to keep yourself from sliding into that dark pit. Be kind to yourself. Do something you enjoy each day. Remember that you’ve been hired in the past and you’ll be hired again. Know that this too shall pass. It truly will.
If you’re looking for work in Lake Oswego, Anchorage, Seattle, Portland, Tacoma, or Chicago, contact the recruiters at the Opti Staffing Group. We can help you find temporary or even full-time work with some of these cities’ top employers. We look forward to hearing from you.