Basic Mistakes Job Seekers Make – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post 1052

Basic Mistakes Job Seekers Make – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post 1052

Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post 1052 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com for publishing our contributions here.

Credit: cottonbro studio

Edmond Dantès

Edited: Ron Lach

Preamble

Gone are the days when people joined a job in private sector and retired honorably from there or departed from the world while on job; it still happens in the government sector. Our society is still split on this matter. Older people still believe in measuring loyalty in number of years served while younger people favor switching jobs to grow more quickly. Generation Z believes a very long time at a job is five years. Older people say younger generation is impatient and wants things quickly, the culture of immediacy. 

While the debate goes on, we look at some of the basic mistakes job seekers are making. I have personally conducted hundreds of interviews and have seen this happening.

Making mistakes is not just done by new entrants in the workforce, these are also done by experienced people who are in the process of switching jobs.

Here, we look at some of the basic mistakes observed about job seekers.

Clarity of Purpose

While new job seekers may be given concession about applying for any and every job because they are desperate to start work, the already in-job people are also unclear about their purpose for switching job. It is a common query as to why someone at job is interested in switching to a similar position with similar benefits in another organization. Faced with this question, some response like this may come.

• I am not satisfied – reasons are always incoherent, and non-substantial.

• I do not agree to company policies – at any position in an organization, you are not supposed to agree or disagree with the policies; you are required to follow. The policies are made over time with learning and reasons. It is not advisable to disagree without any valid reason.

• I do not get along well with my boss – a dangerous area because it indicates that you may be a mentally rigid person or has rough edges to your personality which makes it a challenge to get along with people.

• I want to grow – but you are applying for a similar position. There is no growth in it. And maybe if you stay at the same place, you may grow earlier.

• I want to use my knowledge and skills – what is stopping to use these in current job?

There are many more such implausible reasons that are presented. The point is that first the candidate should clear his/her mind about why change. Fresh candidates should also think why they want to get a certain job.

It is very important to be clear in your purpose and objective for finding/ switching a job. If you are clear, you will give a better answer. The other recommendation is to be truthful and honest, making up things will most likely backfire.

This brings us to next related point.

Lack of Research

Lack of research comes in several ways. 

Fresh candidates do not do research about job and organization before applying. They just apply randomly and do not even keep track of how many jobs and places they have applied to. They have no clue what the job requirements are, neither do they know what will be expected of them at work. 

Working candidates know the job but they do not try to know about the organization. When asked did they try to find out about the company, they would say they did not. Why? No reason. Could they see the website? Yes, but didn’t get time. Obviously, it does not go down well with the interviewers. 

It is very important that you look at the website of the organization and try to read more from LinkedIn and Facebook etc. Having good information will have very positive impact on the interviewer. 

Not Tailoring Resumes and Cover Letters

Many job seekers send out generic resumes and cover letters to every job opening. This approach is ineffective as it fails to demonstrate a genuine interest in the specific role and company. Sending out generic applications without customizing them for the specific job leads to trashing of your CV in most cases.

It is important to study the job description, identify key skills, and adjust your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experiences. customize your resume and cover letter for each application, highlighting the skills and experiences most relevant to the position.

The length and style of resume also matters. If you have no experience, one page CV is what you can make. You may increase length with the amount of experience you have, but in most corporate jobs, 2–3-page resume is preferred. For very senior positions, more pages may be accepted.

It is important to adjust CV or resume and cover letter as per each job requirement.

Applying When Not Matching

A very common problem we face is that the candidates apply for the job even when they do not qualify for it. This is happening more with online applications because it does not cost anything. It is a sheer wastage, and the bulk of such applications is trashed.

Do not apply if you do not match the requirements. Rest assured you will most likely not be called for interview. If at all you are called, you will be rejected rather quickly.

Poor Online Presence

In today's digital age, employers often research candidates online. Ensure your social media profiles present a professional image and avoid posting anything that could be considered inappropriate or unprofessional. Having inappropriate or outdated content on LinkedIn or social media profiles will hurt your quest for job.

Update your LinkedIn profile with current skills and achievements and clean up any unprofessional content on social media.

Poor Interview Preparation

Going into an interview unprepared is a major mistake and it is common. It is important to practice answering common interview questions, research the company and interviewer, and prepare thoughtful questions to ask when given the opportunity.

Another aspect of preparation is getting into a proper attire relevant to the job. We see people coming in wrinkled shalwar kameez for important jobs. Their looks are disheveled, and they are mentally also absent. This is suicidal.

Prepare for interview properly from all angles to increase your chances of selection.

Overemphasizing Compensation

Making salary the first or only priority and showing it leaves a bad impression. The question of compensation should be addressed appropriately when the time comes. 

Similarly, it is important to understand the full package of benefits, growth opportunities, work-life balance etc. and save final salary discussions for later in the process.

Compensation is important but several other things are equally or maybe more important. You must judge your own situation and the organization’s situation to put this matter in proper perspective.

Sum Up

Job seeking has been here since eternity and shall remain here as long as the world exists. Style and processes shall change. However, basic framework shall remain the same. It is essential to understand these things and prepare accordingly.

Concluded.

Disclaimers: Pictures in these blogs are taken from free resources at Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash, and Google. Credit is given where available. If a copyright claim is lodged, we shall remove the picture with appropriate regrets.

For most blogs, I research from several sources which are open to public. Their links are mentioned under references. There is no intent to infringe upon anyone’s copyrights. If, however, it happens unintentionally, I offer my sincere regrets.