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Have you been searching for a job in vain? Do you keep wondering what you are doing wrong? Save yourself the hassle and follow these tips to land a job in no time.

Job seeking can be arduous, especially if it’s a first job or a transition into a new career. You may find yourself sending your CV to many companies in vain. Don’t lose hope. Read this article and find out common mistakes job seekers make. And learn how to avoid them. Or better yet, hire a reputable recruitment agency to do the job hunt for you.

It is very easy for desperation to creep in when looking for a job. We then end up making many mistakes that we could avoid if we had taken our time.

Here are three common avoidable mistakes that job seekers make and their solutions.

1. Not tailoring your resume correctly.

Most job seekers tend to use the same resume for every application. This can be detrimental as some jobs require certain specifications which might not fit in your one-size-fits-all resume.

Instead, customize your resume for each position by comparing the relevant keywords in the job posting to those in your resume.

When you customize your resume, your potential recruiter will be in a position to match your skills to the skills they are looking for. This will increase the chance of a phone call or an interview.

How to customize your resume for each job application

There are simple tips that will help you craft the best resume for your job search and impress a potential employer. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you apply for a new job.

These tips are;

• Customize your title: Your resume will be the first thing that the employer sees. It is then advisable that your title be keyword optimized. I.e., include your current job title or one that you are applying for.
• Create a summary of qualifications: The other most important thing to ensure you have added is a summary of your qualifications. Do this by inserting keyword phrases from the job posting. Add it if a particular qualification or responsibility is listed in the job posting that resonates with you.
• Display skills front and center: From the job description, what skills does the company say are must-haves? Ensure that you move your information around until you fit those skills. Then list them clearly in your resume.

2. Not carrying out relevant research on the company.

If you walk into an interview and don’t have adequate knowledge of the company, you easily come off unprepared. From their perspective, it is unprofessional and a bit lazy if you can not do a little background search on their company ahead of the interview.

Research the company you intend to apply to, then prepare relevant questions and quality talking points. This way, the company will know that you are interested in working with them. And that they can trust you to be prepared to tackle any workload on time once you are on the job.

What should you research about the company?

• The skills and experiences that the hiring company values.
• The key players in that organization.
• News and recent events about the employer.
• The company’s culture, mission, and values.
• The company’s clientele, products, and services.

How will you research a potential employer?

There are many ways to find out about your potential employer. Here are a few to note: 

1. Visit their LinkedIn business page if they have one and see what the average tenure of an employee is.
2. Read both the negative and positive reviews on Glassdoor, Indeed, or any other industry review sites.
3. Research the hiring manager, executive team members on LinkedIn. This way, you might find common ground with the individuals that will be interviewing you.
4. Check the company’s social media to see how they interact with others who comment on their posts and how they respond to negative reviews, if at all.

3. Not asking the right questions.

Most job seekers never realize that an interview is a two-way street. I.e., an opportunity for the candidate and the employer to learn more about each other and see if they are a good match.

Candidates, however, view themselves as a desperate attempt to sell themselves and win over the employer while neglecting the glaring red flags that may exist in the company.

If you make it to the interview, prepare some thoughtful, well-researched questions for your interviewer. If not, you might come off as unprepared or uninterested in the job.

Here are a few great questions to ask in a job interview.

1. What happened to the previous person in this position? How long were they in this position before leaving?
2. How do you deliver feedback? How do you prefer to get feedback?
3. What do the day-to-day responsibilities of the role look like?
4. What are the key performance indicators in this job position? How do you measure them?

How Mindsoft can help you

Read through the Mindsoft blog to find our collection of informative articles on Job hunting. We know that it is not easy; however, armed with a solid resume, a positive attitude, and an innovative, critical eye toward the company and its potential, you can make yourself stand out as a cut above the pack. And trust me, do that, and your interviewer will be as thrilled to meet you as you are to meet them.

Contact us if that doesn’t work, as we also prepare candidates for interviews to set them up for success.