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Job applicants may be the cause of their own seeming inability to get hired after all. If you are like many other individuals looking for a job today, you know that every opening is an important opportunity not to screw up. Yet, many applicants are making the same mistakes every time they apply for a job. If you are one of those who cannot understand why you haven’t landed a position just yet, it may be because you are making one of these common mistakes.

Top Job Applicant Mistakes to Avoid 

What’s costing you your position? It could be one of these mistakes that job applicants are making regularly.

  • You are giving out references who really don’t want to say anything good about you or cannot do so because of a negative experience with you in the past. Don’t think those hiring managers really are not going to pick up the phone and call your references. What are your past employers or co-workers really going to say about you?
  • You are handing out a resume that’s too hard to read. Though handwritten resumes are always a no-no, it’s just as bad when the font is too small or the design is poor. Be sure your resume is easy to scan and take in by someone who is reading dozens of them at a time.
  • Are you getting hung up on the job search even before you get a chance to apply for a job? Some people spend a lot of time – too much time – dealing with perfecting their resume. If you are putting too much time into creating a resume, you are not doing yourself any favors. It’s better to turn in something that includes your contact information, basic skills and job history rather than not apply because you think your resume isn’t good enough.
  • Once in the interview, are you telling grim stories about yourself? Don’t speak in a self-defeating way. Don’t make it seem as though all of the work you’ve done for the last few years has been a failure. Focus on the successes you’ve had instead.
  • Are you curious about the employer? If not, they do not know you have any interest in the job or helping the company grow at all. Don’t start off conversations focused on yourself and talk nothing about the company. Be sure to show enthusiasm that’s genuine about the company and ask good questions.

When you avoid these negative job interview habits, you’ll quickly start to see your job search results turn around. The fact is, you could be the one causing your own demise and have no idea to you are doing so. Be careful to avoid these potential mistakes. Get the help you need in your job search by reaching out to Davis Staffing. Read other helpful articles about successful job searches and interviewing here.

Keys to Getting that Interview…Followed by a Job

Focus Your Resume on Results, Not Daily Tasks