3 Common Job Hunting Mistakes of Recent Grads

Job Hunting Mistakes Millions of young people are slowly losing their faith in the future, according to 24-year-old Council on Foreign Relations research associate Matthew C. Klein.

Nowadays, fresh college graduates find it hard to land jobs, not only because of the tight job market but also because of their flawed communication skills that make them unhirable.

 

Job hunters should wake up to the realities of the current job market. In this generation, prospective employers are not after candidates with impressive credentials. Fresh grads should now rethink the way they approach their job search.

Here are three common mistakes that are causing grads to stumble when it comes to job hunting:

Overconfident Resume

Young adults often include their notable accomplishments, credentials and experiences (ACEs) in every resume they hand out. Most recent grads would find this normal, especially if it highlights their skills and talent that will make them a good fit for the job.

However, these impressive credentials will be of no avail if they are unable to explain how these ACEs help the company they want to work for in the future. Interviewers prefer those candidates who have a concise and convincing explanation of how their skills will be put to use. Having a less imposing resume is even better as long as they can explain how to make things happen, given the credentials they now have.

College grads should focus more on how the ACEs will help bring profits, generate savings, and improve brand awareness without having to show off their skills and credentials in writing.

Incomplete Company Research

Career specialists often suggest that grads should do their research on companies they wish to work for. It is important to learn the history of the company and its background to increase their chances of getting the job.

Incomplete company investigation will not get the grads hired since they will be unable to relate their ACEs to the company’s goals and industry. It helps to visit the organization’s website and be updated on their plans, developments and initiatives. Signing up for the Google News Alerts about the company keeps job hunters aware of the recent news day by day.

Knowing how to deliver ACEs without relating them to the company can result in an instant rejection. Instead, grads should investigate the background of the company and focus on showing how their skills would be an asset to the organization.

No Interview Strategy

Having top-tier talent is not enough to ace that next job interview. A sterling resume may have been the golden ticket years ago, but times have definitely changed in the working world.

Grads should be able to convince the interviewer that their ACEs will benefit the company. Cite some scenarios and have a precise plan on how to handle challenges. Concentrate on coming up with ways to help the organization realize its goals.

It is helpful for grads not to focus on their need for a job but to speak more on how they can be of help to their potential employer.

Following the steps listed above will make it possible for recent college grads to become more employer-centric. Sticking to this process will increase their chances of landing the job they’ve always wanted.

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.