It’s tough enough even finding a job, much less the perfect job. Misconceptions about job hunting and the working world can easily bog down the search. Improve your chances of finding your dream job. Don’t get sucked into these common job-hunting myths:
1. The Internet is the best place to look
“One of the most prevalent misconceptions in job hunting is that job hunting on the Web is some magic elixir that will result in employers lining up to interview you,” says Randall Hansen, publisher of “Quintessential Careers.”
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While the Internet should probably make up one component of your search, says Hansen, it shouldn’t be your only strategy. Only about 15- to 20 percent of all job openings are ever publicly advertised in any medium.
“Networking is by far the most effective job-search tool you can use,” Hansen says. “Check out the resources offered by your college alumni association, join a professional organization or club, or subscribe to a trade magazine. Also consider setting up informational interviews with experts in your field, or keeping in touch with college acquaintances in your major.”
2. There’s no room for salary negotiation
With some jobs, this may very well be true. But most employers leave some wiggle room in their offers. The bottom line: You won’t know unless you ask.
Bargaining over a job offer shows your potential employer that you are discriminating about where you work. But that doesn’t mean the sky is the limit. Let’s face it, employers care more about what you can do for them. Check a website such as PayScale.com to find out what your job is worth, and then negotiate around that figure, highlighting your unique skills and talents that you’ll bring to the position. And don’t say that your salary requirements are a deal breaker unless you mean it.
Even if there isn’t any room for an increase in salary, consider negotiating your benefits such as vacation time, work hours, signing bonuses, starting date, relocation benefits, etc. You don’t want to find yourself a week later wondering if you could have gotten a better deal.
3. The person who gets hired is the one who can do the job best
If you’ve got the skills, you’re a shoo-in. Right?
Not so, says Hansen. More often than not, it comes down to interviewing skills and your rapport with your interviewers. Your qualifications, education and experience will usually get you an interview, but then “you need to prove why you are the best person to fill the job.”
Make a good first impression by showing up on time and looking clean and professional. Act confident but not cocky. Use concrete examples to illustrate your qualifications. Maintain eye contact and relax.
Before leaving the interview, make sure you find out how to follow up, says Carole Martin, interview coach and author of “Boost Your Interview IQ.” For example, she suggests asking your interviewer: “I’d like to stay in touch and follow up with you in a week or two to see how the process is going and where I stand. How do you prefer that I communicate with you — email or phone?” You’ll want to show your continuing interest in the job without becoming a pest.
4. A well-designed resume will boost my chances of getting noticed
A snazzy resume may actually be a hindrance. Most employers accept resumes via email, but many won’t open resume attachments.
The solution: Create two copies of your resume. The first one should be a simple version you can paste into the body of an email — sans formatting. That means no fancy fonts, bolds, italics, underlines or special characters. Keep each line under 65 characters and replace bullets with plain old asterisks, says resume expert Kim Isaacs. The second resume should be nicely formatted for you to carry in-hand to your interview.
5. What I think of an employer doesn’t matter as much as what s/he thinks of me
Of course you’re eager to impress. But in your zeal to get hired, don’t forget that the employer must pass your screening too. Job hunters overlook this key point until it’s too late. Think about this: There are 168 hours in a week. If you spend 40 of those at work, that means you’ll pass almost one-quarter of your week there. You better make sure you like the place.
Find out about management styles, the company’s stability and any company problems. Ask about the challenges specific to your position, what a typical day will be like and opportunities for growth and advancement.
Some employers may introduce you to your potential co-workers either on the initial or secondary interview. Chat with them about the work environment and what they like and don’t like about their jobs. If you haven’t had that opportunity before the company makes you an offer for hire, ask for the contact info of a couple of people you would be working with and give them a call or send them an email before accepting the job. It is important to impress the employer, but it’s equally important that you’re impressed with the job.
6. If a company isn’t currently hiring, I can’t get an interview
One of the most powerful job-hunting tools is an informational interview. You can arrange an informal interview with people working in your field to learn more about working in the industry, get expert career advice and, most importantly, build a network of contacts in your field.
A friend of mine in college was interested in working in the insurance industry, and he’d heard good things about an employer in the area. It wasn’t hiring at the moment, but he set up an interview with one of its executives to talk generally about a career in the industry. He took a copy of his resume with him, and the exec offered to keep it on file should an opening arise. Two weeks later, he was called in for an interview for an opening that the firm hadn’t even advertised yet. And he got the job.
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Not all informational interviews will result in a job offer, but they’re time well spent. It may not pay off immediately, but later in your career, you may reap the benefits of the contacts you made and advice you received.
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