Adams & Garth Blog

With competition for jobs at an all time high, the prospect of landing a terrific position in a reasonable time frame can seem daunting. While no one can tell you when your job search will end, you can certainly speed up the process by avoiding some of these common mistakes.

Mistake #1: Forgetting to put the basics on your resume.
Make sure your resume includes your name, address, phone number, email address, education, and work history.

Mistake #2: Using an informal email address.
Don’t put an email address like ilovefootball86@aol.com on your resume. Consider creating a professional email account especially for your job search with your first and last name.

Mistake #3: Having an unprofessional greeting on your voicemail.
If your voicemail greeting starts with, “Yo, what’s up?,” then you need to change it to something more professional, such as “Hi, You’ve reached Matt Smith. I can’t take your call right now, but if you leave a message I will get back to you as soon as possible.”

Mistake #4: Submitting a resume with typos.
Carefully proofread your resume each time you send it out. Don’t rely on your computer’s spell check program either because it will ignore mistakes like using “form” instead of “from.”

Mistake #5: Having inappropriate photos online.
Be aware that prospective employers can easily find those drunken pictures from New Year’s Eve on your Facebook page. How can you avoid this? Either set your profile to private or – even better – don’t post those pictures at all.

Mistake #6: Using only big name online job search sites.
These websites are a great tool in your job search, but don’t depend solely on them. Why? Because it can be expensive for some smaller employers to post jobs on them, so you may be missing out on many opportunities. Be sure to check out the smaller, niche job search sites; attend job fairs and networking events; and contact a staffing agency, like Adams & Garth, who can connect you with a variety of great employers.

Mistake #7: Submitting your resume to every recruiter, employer, and job site.
Don’t set yourself up for failure by blasting your resume to everyone under the sun. Instead, tailor both your cover letter and resume to opportunities for which you are qualified. Sending fewer resumes to more targeted leads will also make it easier to keep track of jobs you’ve applied for.

Mistake #8: Not following up after an interview.
Be sure to send a thank you note or email after an interview – even if you think the position is not right for you or the interview didn’t go well. You never know what could happen in the future. There could be a different position opening up at the company shortly that you’d be well suited for, so you always want to make a good impression.

Whether you’ve just started your job search, or you’ve been at it for a while, the employment specialists at Adams & Garth can help. Our staffing agency works with some of the leading companies in Staunton, Harrisonburg, and throughout Central Virginia, and can give you access to a variety of exciting opportunities. Best of all, our job search service is free for candidates.

Contact Adams & Garth today to learn more or search our current job openings now.