5 Mistakes that Millennials do when applying for a job

You’re fresh out of college and full of hope that you are getting your dream job. You’ve been applying like crazy for months but unfortunately you are not getting any interviews nor getting hired. Don’t be discouraged! It’s likely that you’ve been doing these common millennial mistakes when doing your job search. 

Read. Read. READ.

The use of Social media to find applicants has been a common practice now for recruitment. Different job postings can be seen on social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

This might be one of the most common mistakes that job seekers usually make- Not reading the job post! A job posting is usually flooded with questions such as “How or Where to apply?”, “What are the requirements?”, “Where are you located?” “Is programming required?”. The answer to these can be usually found in a link included in the post, so make sure to check that because that’s where you’ll find all the needed details.

Take time reading through the job post instead of just scanning it so that you will not miss any important details. Make sure that you also understand the roles and requirements of the position you are applying for before sending your application.

While recruiters do not discourage applicants to ask questions, keep in mind that you’ll be communicating with your future employer. It’s best to present yourself in a smart manner.

Remember: Too much or too less is harmful

It only takes about 6 seconds for a recruiter to look at a resume -precious few seconds at a chance of getting that dream job. While it is important for every job hunters to make their resume stand out, writing too much or too less could be the deal breaker.

Including all the seminars you’ve attended throughout your college years will not really give you a huge advantage nor listing out all those extra-curricular activities you’ve participated. Employers don’t really care at the number of activities you’ve done before. Instead, highlight your roles and duties in certain activities. This will show how good of a leader or team player you are.

Contrarily, don’t cut too much details that there’s barely anything on your resume. Recruiters should have enough information to see you as a valuable asset.

Do your homework!

Questions such as, “What do you know about our company?” Or “Why did you apply here in our company?” are common interview questions asked by recruiters. Although these are predictable, there are still a lot of applicants who can’t answer these questions. So before you go to any job interview do your research first! 

Learn about the company and the job you are applying for. This can better prepare you in answering interview questions. Knowing that you did your homework and coming in prepared creates a lasting impression that you take your application seriously and position yourself as the best candidate.

Ghosting is real

Applicants missing on the day of their interview is becoming a common occurrence now and it is very unprofessional. If you have confirmed to attend your interview then be sure to be there! Can’t make it due to some unforeseeable reasons? Handle it professionally by letting the Human Resources know in advance and ask to be rescheduled. This shows how eager you are actually are for the position and will surely be appreciated by recruiters than not responding to them at all.

Ghosting your interview without notice could also end you up in the blacklisted applicants of the company, costing you any chances of ever getting hired in the future. 

Clear your digital footprint

In this day and age, it is now very common that a prospective employer is going to be looking for your digital footprint. Some recruiters go to social media to see what type of person the candidate is. What should you do?

As soon as you enter the phase of looking for your first professional job, keep your social media profiles private. Review your timelines and choose what you would like to share publicly. Remove any photos or comments that could potentially put you in a bad spot. Remember, what you share online is a representation of who you are. You would want your future employer to see you in the best light and not as a problematic future employee.

Take time to contemplate on what job searching mistake you might be doing so far. Work on it and improve yourself. Getting a job in the current market is hard so you’ll really need to step up your game to get that dream job. Best of luck as you venture into the professional realm!