Getting your player ready...
Whether you’re looking for your first-ever job or your tenth, you’ll run into myths about landing a job. Don’t let these myths distract you from doing what it really takes to find and land the job you want.
Myth 1: My Experience Will Get Me a Job. It’s true the experience you have is an important part of landing a job. But it’s not as important as you might think, warns Gregg Ward of Orlando-Ward & Associates Inc. “Many hiring managers are much more interested in whether or not you’re the right ‘fit’ for their team,” he says. “You may have all of the experience in the world, but if you’ve got the kind of personality that gets on others’ nerves, they won’t hire you.” Myth 2: I Didn’t Hear Back – They’re Not Interested. If you’ve sent a great cover letter and you have a strong rèsumè, it can be disheartening to not hear back at all from a job prospect. However, this doesn’t mean they’re not interested, says Val Wright of Val Wright Consulting. “The majority of recruiters are overwhelmed, overworked and have an astronomical amount of open roles to fill,” she says. “In the world of ‘likes,’ retweets and #trends, we expect instant gratification and feedback, but landing a new role is a protracted process. Don’t assume the worst when your email isn’t answered immediately. Be courteous and persistent when you follow up.” Myth 3: They’ve Got My Rèsumè; They’ll Let Me Know If There’s Another Role Good for Me. Don’t assume that the company is going to spend its time matching you to another position if the one you applied for doesn’t work out. “Most companies do not have clever systems that track previous applicants and their skills to match them to future jobs,” Wright says. Instead, she recommends regularly checking the company’s online postings and applying again for jobs that look interesting. Also, stay in touch with recruiters. Myth 4: I’m Stuck on My Career Path. You might feel cautious or even apathetic about considering another career path, but sometimes that’s just the trick for landing a job.


