How to NOT Find a Job (Bad Ideas)
Try to avoid the following traps:
- Relying on another person or organization to find you a job
- Not telling friends, relatives, and acquaintances that you are looking for work
- Using only one or two methods to look for work
- Waiting for the outcome of one job application before making others
- Indiscriminately distributing generic resumes to a large number of companies (this untargeted "shotgun approach" clearly shows a lack of genuine interest in any specific company – a fact that reflects poorly on you)
- Giving "Anything" as an answer to "What type of work are you looking for?"
- Giving "Because I need a job" as an answer to "Why should we hire you?"
- Giving "Because you pay well" as an answer to "Why do you want to work for us?"
- Failing to look at your employable value from an employer's perspective
- Submitting poor resumes and cover letters
- Submitting a resume without a cover letter, or submitting a resume with a generic cover letter
- Addressing your cover letter "To whom it may concern"
- Applying via e-mail by attaching a file that the recipient cannot or does not want to open
- Not asking for – or rejecting – constructive criticism and advice on resumes, cover letters, and interviews
- Not gathering background information on companies and organizations in your field of interest
- Attending job interviews without doing the necessary preparation and research
- Not critically assessing your unsuccessful interviews
- Following up an unsuccessful interview by complaining to company personnel
- Applying for jobs that don’t interest you, or for which you are grossly under-qualified
- Not applying for jobs for which you are marginally qualified
- Restricting your search to jobs with specific hours or a certain duration (examples: full-time or part-time work, permanent work, non-shift, non-weekend, or non-overtime work)
- Restricting your search to a certain geographic area
- Dismissing job opportunities for any reason which you have not thoroughly examined from all angles, and investigated available alternatives (example: lack of transportation)
Any one of the above examples may prevent you from becoming employed. The more that apply to you, the more difficulty you'll have in finding a job.