– No online presence — employers and recruiters scour for talent on LinkedIn, so if you're not there and not optimized for the right keywords, you're missing out. – Rely solely on job boards for opportunities — it has the least effectiveness rate when compared with using recruiters and networking through contacts.
– Ineffective networking – most people think that networking is telling your contacts that you are looking for a job and giving them your resume. This is not effective as you've just lost control of your job search because you're waiting on others to respond rather than being proactive in your pursuit.
– Lack of a good profile summary – it needs to speak to "Here's what I can do for you." – Irrelevant information – if it doesn't apply to the job or the employer, it brings no value to your resume. – Not applying relevant keywords – hiring managers and the Applicant Tracking System look for
keywords that indicate a match with what they are looking for before taking more time to review the resume. – List of responsibilities instead of accomplishments and success achieved – employers want to know how well you performed on the job.
– Late arrival – if you know you'll be running late at least call to apologize and offer an update on your expected arrival time. – Lack of rapport – people hire people they like and feel comfortable around. – Not asking questions – demonstrate that you are truly interested in the opportunity.
– Negative talk about your current or previous employer – this is not considered professional and employers do not want people who have had conflicts in their past jobs. – Unprepared and unfamiliar with the company – do your research and understand the employer's business.