The day you graduate from college may be one of the happiest days of
your life. The sense of accomplishment, the acknowledgement of a job
well done, the pat on the back from your family and peers elates you.
The future looks so bright, until you begin to search for a new job and
are met with rejection after rejection. Then you begin to wonder if all
of your years of hard work pursuing a college degree were worth it, if
you can not find a job.
Some first time job seekers may be making mistakes that they are not
even aware of. If you have found yourself committing any of the below
offenses, stop, and change course immediately.
1. Unprofessional initial contact — You always want to make a great first impression. Whether you are
responding to a job posting via telephone, email, fax, or postal mail,
you want that first contact to be professional.
By email, fax, or mail, address the hiring manager by name, and
proofread to make sure you didn’t make any careless mistakes in spelling
or punctuation. Always include a well thought out cover letter with
your resume that is designed for the specific job you are seeking. For
more information on creating cover letters look here.
By telephone be sure there is no noise in your background. Turn off
the television and radio before placing a phone call or returning one.
Be sure to speak in a professional manner using please, and thank you.
2. Missing the interview without calling to cancel — This one
may seem like common sense, but more people do this than you know. If
you can not make a previously scheduled interview, even if it is because
you have already found a new job, let the company know. You never know
when you may need to apply to that company in the future, and you do not
want to have burned a bridge.
3. Dressing unprofessionally — For an interview you want to
look your best. Your hair should be neat, not overly styled. You should
wear professional clothing, preferably a suit. Here are some tips on professional interview attire.
4. Bringing friends or family to an interview — You may be
thinking, who would do that? Lots of first time job seekers do it. They
bring their mother/father, or boyfriend/girlfriend, or best-friend with
them to the job interview for moral support. This is not the doctor’s
office, or even the admission’s office at school. Bringing people with
you to your job interview looks really bad to your potential employer.
If you are incapable of completing an interview without someone holding
your hand, how can you go to a job each day on your own and perform
well?
5. Being unprepared — When you go in for an interview it is
important that you bring a current copy of your resume with you, and at
least 3 references. Even if you previously emailed a resume to the
company, it is best to be prepared to submit it again.
Also, you want to research the company so that you are informed. When
the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?” which they
surely will, have a few prepared. Do not ask about the pay rate in the
initial interview. Instead ask thoughtful questions about the company
itself or the particular job you will be doing.
6. No thank you — When your interview is complete, thank the
interviewer for his or her time. You also want to send a thank you note
either by postal mail or email.
7. Using social media in a negative way — Many potential
employers search the names of their potential employees online. What
will come up if your name is searched? If it is anything negative, or
inappropriate, you may just kiss the position you applied for goodbye.
Take caution when online, including comments you leave on other people’s
social media pages. While you may have set your Facebook or Twitter
accounts to private, the page you are commenting on may not be private.
These comments do show up when your name is searched using a search
engine.
If you avoid making these mistakes, you will be well on your way to landing that first job.
http://www.fastweb.com
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