Don’t Fall for These Job Search Myths

It is easy to get stuck in the draining cycle of searching for a job.

The most exasperating thing is realizing that you are not making any progress –you’ve already sent a handful of resumes but still don’t receive any callback. You’re getting exhausted and are on the verge of giving up. You may have also ask yourself a few times, “Why is this happening? Why can’t I make it?”

Or maybe you have mastered all you need to land a job. You’ve perfected your resume—got into details, tailored it for a specific job, flaunted your strengths and skills as a candidate, displayed your numbers of achievements and everything. But that’s not all.

There are many pieces of advice people or publications may implore on you during your job search. While some are true, others are complete myths. And it could be that the very reason you are not succeeding in your job search is because you have fallen victim to one of those myths.

Below are the key myths to keep in mind when beginning a job search:

1. All available jobs are advertised

Here’s a tip: Don’t rely too much on the job advertisements. It’s been studied that nearly half of all jobs are not advertised.

When recruiters advertise job posts, they are only making the hiring process harder for them as chances are they will be exposed to hundreds, if not thousands, of job applicants. How are they supposed to know if the candidate has the right potential? It’s not like they have the luxury of time to review all the resumes that flood their emails. In fact, according to Time, “recruiters spend an average of six seconds reviewing an individual resume.”

And so, what they do instead in order to fill an available position is to hire by word of mouth. In a way, they will only get to assess applicants that are referred to them thus making the hiring process as easy as possible.

2. Your entire resume should fit on one page

You’ve probably heard that it’s best to keep your resume as short as possible. Maybe it is applicable if you’re just starting your career and only have had just a few jobs. But what if it is the other way around? What if you have already worked for years? Will you just not include those relevant experiences of yours? Definitely not! Those are hard-earned and undeniably significant to land a job.

Instead of believing that you need to fit all the details on a single page, what you can do is alter the structure. Having a layout that is pleasing to the eye and that draws out the most important information is still vital. For jobs, include relevant experience and leave out what will not be pertinent to the position which you are applying for. Hiring managers may only quick-scan your resume the first time but if they like what they see, chances are that resume of yours will get a closer read later.

3. You don’t stand a chance if you don’t know someone from the company.

Knowing someone from the company—especially from the hiring staff—can give you a chance but that is only a first step. Knowing a person in the company won’t get you hired right away. While a referral is valuable, it’s not the most important thing. Recruiters still look through resumes for required qualifications and they won’t brush you aside just because you don’t know anyone at the company.

4. You should lower your salary expectations to get hired.

The main thing to remember is that you’ll get hired if you are the best person suited for the job. As per an article from money.us.com, “employers aren’t likely to prefer someone else just because he or she comes cheaper.” But in case you’re hired as a cause of your lower salary expectation, chances are you’ll only get frustrated when you realize you’re underpaid. To avoid this from happening, know your worth and do not lie about your salary expectation. 

Herbert is a creative writer at https://greatpaper.co.uk. He values the importance of family towards his craft, and travels to give his writing a fresher perspective. He is fond of hiking, biking, and engaging in extreme sports.