Job Application Mistakes

As fallible humans, we’re all entitled to make the occasional mistake. However, given that you’re reading this, it’s probably a safe assumption that you don’t want to make any errors while applying for a job. Though fear of failure can overwhelm you, it’s a better idea to keep an eye on yourself to avoid a major faux-pas that will sabotage your chances of success.

Mistakes happen, and even the best person has made faux-pas. After all, humans learn by experience, so a few errors helps us be better people in the end. One moment in your life that you don’t want to be in a learning curve is when you’re out looking for a job – a mistake during an interview or on your resume can cost you the chance of applying for a position you really want.

We all make mistakes at some point in our lives, and most of us learn from these errors. When you’re looking for employment, it’s not the time to be making mistakes, and you definitely need to be confident and sure that you’re doing the right thing to land that open position you’re applying for. With a little knowledge about a few big mistakes job seekers often commit, you’ll increase your chances of being hired.
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The first and most damning mistake a job seeker can make is to assume that simply applying for the position will be enough to get an employer’s attention. These days, mass communication means that any job has a large number of applicants applying. Some employers even find themselves in the unenviable position of having to distinguish real applicants from applicants who are applying for the job in order to fulfill a requirement of a welfare program.

Knowing that there’s an arduous screening process involved in filling an open position, you should always contact your potential employer via telephone, email, or if possible, in person, asking a simple question, such as whether your application was filled out correctly or if your resume was received, to show that you’re interested in the job. One call, visit, or email should be enough to show that you truly do want to fill the position available.

A major mistake some people make is either lying about or covering up parts of your resume that may not leave a good impression. Phrasing can certainly be important in saving face, but lying or denying any shortcomings on your resume can be fatal to your chances of success. If your embarrassments in your prior work history must be addressed, try to put a positive spin on them, or at least make sure that you don’t put a negative spin on past bad relations. Try to discuss past situations neutrally without sounding like you’re trying to gloss over shameful secrets – employers have a sixth sense about denial.

Sometimes, you have a blemish on your resume that may raise some questions. When writing out your work history, use careful phrasing to minimize a past experience that may have been bitter. Lying or trying to deny bad relations with a previous employer is the worst thing to do. It’s far better to be honest about what happened and try to put a positive spin on the experience or, at the very least, a neutral one. Glossing over bad relations or lying about them can end up costing you a chance at a job.

One major mistake many people make is lying about a past job where you left on bad terms. Potential employers seem to have a sixth sense about experiences that you glossed over or were dishonest about, so it’s best to try and put a positive spin on a blemish on your resume. Show that you’ve learned something from the experience or play up important parts of the past job, rather than trying to cover up a bitter relationship.

A mistake that’s almost as bad as lying on your resume is hard-to-decipher buzzwords to highlight good points of the resume. Unless a buzzword is part of a title, it’s best to find a more traditional way of phrasing your strengths. The opposite extreme of using hip, trendy words is sounding too dull and legalistic, which is something else to avoid when applying for a job. These same rules apply to cover letters as well. Ease of reading and professionalism can be hard to balance, but it’s very possible, so strive to achieve that tone. It never hurts to be just a little friendly (but still professional) in your choice of words for a resume or cover letter. Slang and buzzwords are mistakes, but the right tone will go a long way.

As might be expected, there are many other mistakes you can make when trying to land a job, which can be more or less grievous than the ones listed here. For example, never eat during an interview and don’t chew gum while speaking to a potential employer. Researching the mistakes not to make when looking for a job is easy – search on the internet to find a more complete list. Learn what not to do well, as the knowledge will serve any prospective job seeker.

These mistakes certainly aren’t an extensive list, and there are plenty more mistakes job applicants can make. However, these are the most common and glaring errors that the everyday person tends to commit. If you’d like to know more about what to do and what not to do to make yourself more attractive to a potential employer, a search on the internet will provide you with more faux-pas to avoid when looking for a job.

There are many more mistakes people tend to make when searching for a job or attending an interview meeting. Some of the worst errors are eating during an interview, or making crude jokes about someone’s race or gender. Of course, there are many small, subtle mistakes people make when job seeking that are often unconscious, so if you want an extensive list of what not to do when trying to land a job, look up the information on the internet.