Whether it’s your first time to look for work, or have been in the workforce for years on end, surely there have been rumors about how job applications and screenings go. Some may be true while some are not, or are exaggerated versions of the truth.
Here are ten of the most common job hunt myths, debunked:
You need connections to land a job.
While connections are helpful, it is not necessary. Many people get jobs through ads, sending in a resume, and getting interviewed. Sometimes it might not feel that way due to the fact that there are a lot of people competing for jobs, there are indeed a lot of open positions for everyone – with or without connections at their selected company.
Nobody reads cover letters.
False! A well-written cover letter can help get results. Think of it as a helping hand to your resume. While there are some hiring managers who ignore such efforts, there are those who don’t – the thing is you don’t really have a way of knowing which type you will be dealing with. However, as a staffing firm, we deeply encourage applicants to do so as it won’t hurt your chances of getting hired – rather it will increase it!
Employers will call right away if they want you.
Some employers take weeks, sometimes even months to respond to candidates. Reasons vary, such as waiting until the end of the open application period, or simply because there is higher-priority work that they attend to. Whichever the reason is, you as an applicant shouldn’t jump into conclusions if you don’t hear back straight away.
Job seekers need to find creative ways to “stand out,” especially in a crowded field.
As with the aforementioned points, writing a great cover letter and building a strong resume would display a good track record that would tell your potential future employer to pick you. However, always remember that things like fancy designs, getting your resume delivered via overnight mail, video resumes, and other gimmicky moves will never make up for lack in qualifications.
Holidays mean a halt in job hunt.
The odd fact is, a lot of hiring actually gets done in December! A secret here is that some managers would even scramble to get positions filled before the New Year. Another secret is that you may have fewer people to compete with in your position of choice, since many job seekers usually slow down their search during the holidays.
Your CV / Resume should be on just one page.
While at some point prior to today, resumes were supposed to be limited to just one page, it’s very much different now. Two-page resumes are pretty common, especially for more experienced people. A one-page CV / Resume is for those with only a few years of experience – everyone else is okay exceeding the supposed limit.
Lowering your asking salary will make you a more attractive candidate.
Always remember that employers are trying to get the best person for a job, as long as it’s within the limits of what the company can afford.
Interviewers always know what they are doing.
While a lot of people are trained to interview effectively, and staffing firms such as ours exist, there will always be a few out there who are unprepared, or may even ask bad questions rather than conduct strong interviews. It’s the job of staffing companies like us to be mediators. In the absence of a trained middleman, the sad truth is there will be times you may have to sit through uncomfortable interviews.
You need to call to follow up on your application, especially if you want to stand out.
In all honesty, most employers will tell you that follow-up calls won’t help, and would sometimes even hurt your chances. Looking at the bigger picture (especially for larger companies and corporations), if hundreds of applicants called to follow up then it would take a colossal amount of time to screen such calls
Employers will call only the references you listed.
Potential employers may call anybody you have worked with or might know you – good reference checkers would call former managers, listed or not. This is especially true for those not listed, as the omission may even be intentional, since it’s most probable that the list in your resume are people you selected to present you in the best way possible. The only persons typically considered off-limits are people in your current employment; everyone else is fair game.
What do you think about this??
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