Common Myths About Job Hunting
There is a lot of content out there about how the job market operates. While some of these ideas are true, others are either outdated or simply wrong. Sadly, connecting to some of these false submissions about job search and how to go about it creates misconceptions that have kept many people away from accessing available job opportunities.
Employers have overtime complained of finding it difficult to fill certain positions mainly as a result of the skill gap, job seekers are also not helping themselves as they stick to some very common job search misconceptions; this has no doubt created a huge disconnect in the labor market. Quite often, job seekers focus mainly on building their capacities that they never take time to learn how to sell themselves to prospective employers.
Misconceptions about job hunting arise as a result of lack of information or application of false information. The job market is a very complicated terrain where skill and knowledge are just not enough to navigate through. Understanding how the market works and taking conscious steps is what guarantees job search success. Similarly, the intuition of distinguishing appearance from reality in the market can equally be helpful in a job search.
Common Myths about Job Hunting
- All vacant jobs are advertised: Most professional positions get filled either without advertising or advertising after someone has already been internally identified for it. You may wonder: why will a job still get advertised after finding a worthy candidate? The reason is not far-fetched from the fact that some positions legally require advertising before they can be filled. More so, internal hiring is adjudged by managers to be time and resource-saving. And those filling in generally perform better than external ones; this is not entirely true, as there is no shortage of better-qualified job seekers out there with the needed requirement to fill such roles. Sadly, applying for such jobs is simply an exercise in futility.
- Applying for several jobs will result in multiple job offers: It may deductively make sense to think that the more jobs you apply for, the higher your chances of getting called upon; but that is so not true in the job market. Most times, people get disqualified from the preliminary stages of recruitment, either because the job is inconsistent with their expertise, qualities, and age, or due to mistakes done in the course of application. Even though job searching on the web or print media is one of the major components of job hunting, it shouldn’t be viewed as having a higher success rate than jobs gotten through referrals and networking. It is important to explore all available job search options and go for only those that suit you.
- You can’t get a job without connection: In as much as knowing a top-notch individual in the organization you apply to work with can be helpful, in most cases; it may not affect your chances of being selected. What will give you an edge is your performance in the recruitment process, your understanding of the kind of work culture and people that exist in the organization, but expecting anything aside that will amount to doing a disservice to your competencies and qualities. Besides, the hiring manager will not be dumb to hire you only for your professional or personal connections. People conceive that it is a waste of time putting in job applications to organizations they know no one, but with millions of job seekers, relying mainly on personal contacts for a new job will only keep you longer in the labor market.
- You are unemployable because you just keep getting turned down: An unsuccessful lengthy job search can be frustrating. So the way to go is to treat getting a job like a job itself, Make a structure and set timely goals; it will help you manage your job search more effectively. Getting a good job normally takes time, so try and learn from every application and recruitment process you have been part of. Ask questions about where your application fell short and how you could improve next time. With professional feedback and practice, you will be able to improve your job hunting methods.
- Only the most qualified candidate gets the job: This is also not a true reflection of the job market. Most recruiting managers are mainly interested in assembling a good team; hence they are only after the best fit. People work better in groups when they have a lot in common. When a person just doesn’t get along with the rest of the team, regardless of how brilliant they are, there is going to be a disruption. So while in an interview, be friendly, confident, and upbeat. Attempt to build a rapport with your interviewer; after all, a job interview is not an interrogation. Though you have to possess the skills required to be eventually employed, being the most likable candidate can make you the most qualified on paper.
- A cover letter is not that important: With a high emphasis on resumes, and the emergence of its various forms, it is now easy to negate the relevance of a cover letter. The cover letter, also known as the letter of introduction remains a vital tool in job searching. If your cover letter is good enough, it will motivate the recruiter to spend meaningful time reviewing your job application. The only time you can ignore a cover letter is when an organization did not request it.
- Recruiters prefer single-paged resumes: Even though most career experts are emphasizing the importance of a brief and concise resume, it doesn’t mean you should leave out vital information. Make sure your resume captures all your professional achievements and projects you have completed. A normal length of a resume is two to three pages; anything less deems you inexperienced and only suitable for a beginner level.
- Lower salary expectation increases your chances of getting hired: It’s easy to think that employers will want to pay low salaries as a means of cutting costs. On the contrary, they just want to get value for their money, so once you are bringing in a lot of value, your wage will hardly be an issue. Even though low salary offers could work as a gap-closing measure, you are soon going to get frustrated over your underpaid status. Instead of lowering your wage expectations, present the employer with strong reasons to pay you what is proportionate to your qualification and eventual responsibilities. Besides, as long as your salary demands are within an acceptable industry level and justify your skill, stick to it.
- Your social media life doesn’t come into play in your job hunt: In this digital age, recruiters take time to screen candidates on social media sites before hiring them or not. Perhaps they want to see if you are a good communicator if the fact on your social media profile contradicts that on your resume, or if your capacity to drive the organization online. Therefore, use privacy settings for your protection, but don’t conceal everything. If they cannot find you at all, they might conclude that you are either out of touch or have something to hide. Always remember that the internet is a public space where whatever you post will be seen and judged by others.
- Employers keep resumes for the next opportunity: Sometimes at the end of a recruiting process, an employer will tell unsuccessful candidates that while they lost out this time, they are going to keep them on the pile for next time; they are just trying to be nice. When it’s time for the next recruitment, an employer usually starts from scratch rather than calling on previously unsuccessful candidates. So just move on, you wouldn’t be getting an email from an organization you couldn’t secure a job with.
Conclusion
Having false beliefs can lead you into making avoidable mistakes. No matter what you hear or read, taking time to understand and verify before putting it into practice will do you a lot of good. A job hunt is exhausting on its own, and going about it wrongly is absolutely a waste of time and energy.
