The 4 Killer Job Search Mistakes - Mistake #3

This is a very tough job market. Many highly skilled, extremely professional job seekers are taking an unprecedented amount of time to find a job. There are, though, four killer mistakes that job seekers are making that turn a long job search into an even longer one. This multiple part series will cover these mistakes and give the job seeker (you) tools to overcome them.

In the first part of this series, we covered Mistake 1: conducting the search with a bad attitude. We learned the realities about the new job market so we can successfully navigate in it. We learned what it takes to process the loss, we have a way to deal with pressure points and we have chosen to look for the opportunity.

In part two, we covered mistake 2: Not Knowing Your Product and Your Target Market. Job seekers must understand the product they are selling and the market they are targeting before they update their resume and begin their search.

Mistake 3: Searching the Wrong Way

The majority of job seekers apply for jobs on line. For far too many, that is their only job strategy. Yet only 10% or less of job seekers gets their jobs by applying on-line. Only 15% of all of the available jobs are even listed online. Is there any surprise then that this is a mistake?

The majority of jobs are secured by networking and it is through networking that you will find the hidden jobs.

Where Should You Network?

There are job groups around the country that have a networking component. Most of the people in attendance though are also unemployed. You want to network as well with employed people. Attend an industry related group where your future hiring manager and future peers network. Attend a special interest networking group. Your common passion, say for photography, will create a bond. Volunteer. You will be surprised who knows the person you are trying reach.

How do You Network?

Many job seekers do not like networking and are not good at it. Like any skill, it must be learned and developed. There are good books about networking; my favorites are: Susan RoAne’s How to Work a Room and Harvey MacKay’s Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty. Networking is not you going up to people with the main goal of seeing how they can help you. Because of that I recommend another book for people to before networking: Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People .

Do not make mistake # 3 by limiting our job search to just applying on-line. Use the approach that reaps the best results: network!