The word “faux pas” literally means a false misstep or socially ackward act. Hmm, I certainly have been on the receiving end of faux pas and will readily admit that I committed a few myself. However the one place you don’t want to commit faux pas is in your job search.
You may be familiar with a few of them already – don’t be rude to the receptionist, don’t bad mouth former employer, don’t misspell or mispronounce someone name…I am sure there are a few you can add to the list.
This week, I just wanted to remind you of the importance of being “on” every step of the way when you are deep in a job search. Here are a few faux pas that you should keep an eye out for:
Don’t be invisible in the online world: You don’t have to tell the world about every activity in your life, but you have to show recruiters and employers that you exist and why you matter.
Don’t steal someone’s brand identity: It’s easy to see another jobseeker’s resume and marketing materials and think, “That’s what I do, I can just stick that in my resume” – bad move! Make sure you have a resume that speaks to your background, experience, expertise and value proposition. Even if a colleague shares your career background and has similar experience, you are not him/her
Don’t have a generic job search: What are telling people about your job search target? Are you looking for a job in human resources or are you looking for a position as a human resources specialist doing job classifications and position descriptions? See the difference in the clarity of the target?
Don’t believe in the “hidden jobs” hype: Sure there are great, high paying job opportunities that will never get advertised, but they can be accessed by anyone who does the work and is willing to think outside of the box. Do more than surf the Internet for your next job.
Don’t go into networking event unprepared: Ever been caught off guard or been blindsided with a question? Having a deer-in-the-headlights look on your face is not going to impress new contacts or referrals. Have a plan and perfect your pitch
