Mistakes You Should Not Make during a Job Search

Robert Half International helps thousands of people find jobs each year. This successful job search company, with 360 offices worldwide, says characteristics some teens bring to school can take them out of the running if they surface during a job search. Teens may not realize they are creating a problem for their job search.


Waiting until the last minute to study

Even though you may have been able to procrastinate when you were in school, you can't delay getting a jump on your job search.

• Don't sit around waiting for the perfect job to appear. There are no perfect jobs.

• Start looking now and apply for all jobs that look promising. Jobs are hard to find, and you have lots of competition in these tough economic times.

Picking and choosing which interviews to go on

You may have gotten a lower grade in school by failing to complete homework assignments; however, you don't receive an A, B, or C on your ability to win a job. You get the job or you don't.

• Don't pick and choose among the interviews you are offered. Consider yourself lucky when you get a chance to interview and accept every interview invitation.

• Learn something at every interview. Even if the job you interview for is not the one you want, you may learn about another opportunity at the employing company.


Preparing poorly for an interview

To truly excel, you need to prepare for the interview much like you would for an exam. Don't overlook any information about a company with an interesting job opening.

• Research the company and the industry to determine how your skills meet the employer's needs. Make the connection for the interviewer.

• Ask a friend or family member to play the hiring manager in a mock interview so you can practice answering questions you might be asked. You'll give better answers if you are prepared.

• Give yourself several days to gather information about the company. Find out everything you can that will show you care about the position that's available.

Failing to revise your work

When writing a paper in school, you might have thought one draft was enough. Taking the same approach to your résumé and cover letter can spell disaster.

• Use the job ad as your guide. Emphasize your abilities and background that most closely match what the company wants in an employee. This may mean placing more focus on your certifications and "strong presentation skills" for one prospective employer, while playing up your "self-starting" nature and "ability to be effective with minimal supervision" for another.

• Review your résumé and cover letter several times before submitting them. Make sure they are free of typos. Eighty-four percent of executives Career Builder polled said it takes just one or two typographical errors in a résumé to remove a candidate from consideration for a job opening.

• After you proof your résumé and cover letter, have someone with good grammar skills review them to catch errors you might have overlooked. Asking for help with proofreading is important.

Goofing off

Fooling around in class may have been tempting, but it also was disrespectful to your teacher. You may not goof off during a job interview, but unless you are giving the hiring manager your full attention, you might as well not be present.

• Don't let your attention wander by thinking about the response to a question before the hiring manager has finished asking it. Asking a person to repeat the question shows you weren't paying attention.

• Stop watching what's going on outside the interviewer's office. What goes on outside isn't important to your future, but what's happening inside is.

• Keep your focus firmly on the potential employer throughout the entire meeting. You'll perform better when you remember more of what the hiring manager said.

Looking unprofessional

Be on your best behavior while waiting in the lobby to meet the interviewer.

• Talking on your cell phone, applying makeup, bombarding the receptionist with questions about the company are all distractions. This behavior leaves a poor impression.

• Remember that everyone you meet, including the receptionist, has the potential to influence the final hiring decision. Consider that all the people you meet may be forming an opinion of you that will be reported to the interviewer.

Adapted from a Robert Half International study reported by Career Builder.