Job hunting can feel overwhelming at the best of times, and as we come off the back of a pandemic there is a lot of unemployment doom and gloom being shared. The reality is that while some industries are doing it tough, others are booming so we have decided to bust some of the myths around job hunting during tough times.
Myth 1 - There Aren’t Enough Jobs Out There
With the long queues outside Centrelink and the recent media news, it may seem that there just aren’t enough jobs to go around. While unemployment rates are on the rise, proactive candidates may be able to find roles in industries that are booming as a result of the pandemic and may not need as much experience as you think.
Research industries that are booming at this time, prepare a list of companies and check out their career pages online.
Other companies may not be advertising for roles but instead tapping into their resume databases, word-of-mouth connections and internal company posts on social media sites.
To connect with these opportunities, keep a consistent and professional profile on social networking sites like LinkedIn, ask friends, family and business connections to keep an eye out for the types of opportunities you desire. You can also try heading to virtual or physical networking events in your industry where employers may be looking for new team members.
Myth 2 – Your Resume Must Fit on One Page
Many job advertising sites such as Indeed.com[iv] advocate fitting your resume onto one page, although in some circumstances this may not be advantageous. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the average worker currently holds ten different jobs before age forty[iii], and this number is projected to grow. With this in mind, it is almost impossible to write a detailed paragraph about the last three related roles without your resume spilling on to more than one page.
Including a cover letter in your application is a must. Your cover letter will serve to summarise your related job experience, show immediate relevance to the job and why you are the best fit – creating the desire to want to get more detail from your resume.
When presenting your resume, make sure it is pleasing to the eye and draws attention to the most important information first which is far more important than simply focusing on the number of pages.
Myth 3 - The More Jobs You Apply For, The More Likely You Are at Getting Hired
In many cases, job seekers believe that responding to as many job ads as possible with the same generic resume and cover letter will increase their chances of getting hired.
With this myth comes the old statement ‘quality over quantity.’ Failing to tailor your message means you may be overlooked for the position as the relevance of your skills and experience to the job may not be obvious.
Instead, spend time to focussing on fewer jobs with greater quality applications which immediately demonstrate why you are the right fit for the role. The more quality applications you can submit, then the better your chances of getting hired.
Myth 4 - The Most Highly Qualified Candidate Will Get the Job
Building a successful team doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have the most qualified members. Most hiring managers decide to instead focus on a combination of factors including skills, experience and attitude.
For specific careers, having certain qualifications is a must however for others being able to show your experience and why you are an exceptional team player can be highly valued. To ensure these qualities come across in your job-seeking efforts share relevant case studies that showcase your experience in real situations.
At interview stage, be confident, positive and spend time building rapport so that the interviewer can see why you would be a great fit for the team even if not as highly qualified on paper.
By understanding some of these myths and misconceptions about job hunting during tough times, you can save yourself time, avoid costly mistakes and set yourself up to land that next gig! If you want to learn about new opportunities, contact a recruitment agency like Trojan Recruitment Group and receive advice from the experts in permanent and contract roles.
References
[i] https://www.westpac.com.au/docs/pdf/aw/economics-research/WestpacWeekly.pdf
[ii] https://lmip.gov.au/default.aspx?LMIP/GainInsights/VacancyReport
[iii] https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/nlsoy.pdf
[iv] https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-fit-resume-on-one-page
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-many-jobs-average-person-have-his-her-lifetime-scott-marker/
https://careers.workopolis.com/advice/busting-the-top-ten-job-search-myths/
