Are you sabotaging your job-search and career?

Are you sabotaging your job search without even realising it?  So often we start out with good intentions and then after a couple of rejection letters, give up on ourselves.  In this article, I cover the top 6 areas in which you could be sabotaging your job search and career.

Apathy and self defeating prophecies

I can guarantee with absolute certainty that the overwhelming majority of people will not find their dream job, plan their career, get a pay rise, or secure their promotion this year.  In fact, I can predict with absolute certainty, that you will sabotage your chances, if you:

• Focus all day long on your problems, rather than focussing on positive ways to change your life.
• Give up when the going gets too tough and treat a rejection as a rejection of you, rather than just the road you need to travel to get your ideal job.
• Fail to turn that resolution of a new job, pay rise, or promotion, into a specific, written goal, with a deadline and a strong emotional reason why you must achieve it.  (Most of us put up with a less than satisfactory job, yet don’t do anything about it).
• Fail to have long term goals and ‘big picture’ vision of your life so that you won’t lose your enthusiasm and motivation in a matter of months, weeks, even days.
• Seek quick fixes or give up when you don’t achieve your goal straight away.
• Hang out with negative people this year, so you become just like them and not achieve your goals.

Applying for jobs where you have insufficient qualifications, experience or knowledge.

Employers usually receive dozens of applications for each position advertised, so unless there is a huge shortage of workers within the sector, why apply for a position in which it is highly unlikely that you will secure an interview because you don’t have the relevant experience, knowledge or qualifications?

Whether you are applying for jobs within the private or public sector, it is never a case of whether you could do the job or not, it is the employer’s perception as to whether you could do the job.  I mean, who would you choose?  Someone that tells you that they are great, but has absolutely no experience or qualifications in the area, or someone that mirrors the employer’s requirements relating to experience, qualification and knowledge.  It really is a no brainer!

The entitlement mentality

One of the biggest annoyances of recruiters and employers is the entitlement mentality – namely, I have relevant qualifications and knowledge, so what can you do for me?

Yes it is important to get what you want from employers – BUT having the entitlement mentality, is a great way to sabotage your chances of getting what you want from potential and existing employers.

Instead, focus on the needs of the employers by providing tangible evidence of what you can offer them, and this in turn will provide you with all the leverage you require to obtain exactly what you want!

(Note:  If you are seeking a pay rise, – then before you approach your boss, list down exactly what you have achieved for the company.  This will provide you with the perfect framework required to negotiate a pay rise, rather than focussing on the entitlement – ‘you owe me’ mentality).

Lousy career marketing documents

The most common way job seekers sabotage their job search and careers, is a failure to create marketing documents that highlights the value that they bring to the table.  The more value perceived, the higher your value and marketability to  potential employers.  In fact, I can predict with absolute certainty, that you will sabotage your chances, if you:

• Fail to talk about your achievements and successes and focus instead on listing companies and responsibilities.
• Submit marketing documents that are riddled with spelling mistakes and are difficult to read.
• Use online resume templates, from the major job boards, such as Career One, or Seek.
• Provide a resume that lists dates and academic pursuits from 30 years ago and lists each and every job you ever had, (including that part time job you had when you were 15 at McDonalds)
• Fail to address all the selection criteria and meet the exact requirements of the government agency.
• Fail to research, purchase resources or secure the services of a professional that will help you create marketing documents that showcases your value.

Not getting on the right wave length at interviews

So you are getting interviews, but still not getting a job?  You might be sabotaging your efforts, by not getting on the same wave length as the interviewer.  Whether the interviewer is younger, older, a different gender or race, make sure you establish rapport by mirroring, matching and pacing the interviewer’s mannerism and personal style and ensure that your conversation flows smoothly.

You can learn more about how you can become an influential communicator, in Chapter 6 of 10 key steps to Ace that Interview – http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=1958737

Not following business protocols

Are you sabotaging your job efforts by not conveying professionalism at every step? I can predict you will potentially sabotage your chances, if you:

• Fail to send at least a brief letter of introduction when you send a resume via email.
• Have an answering machine message that makes you sound like a party animal, not a polished professional.
• Have a cutesy email user name, rather than a professional sounding one.

Details, courtesy and business protocols matter!  Everything you do in your job search should convey an impeccable professional image.