Stop. Deep breath. You’ve been looking for a job for a long time. Maybe it’s been longer than the “average 25-week search reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.” What should you NOT do? You should, absolutely NOT, under any circumstances act desperate for a job. Even if you are. No matter how you feel, act like the confident, competent professional you know you are. Why?

A Forbes post by Susan Adams recently revealed data from a survey of 500 executive recruiters that suggested executive level job seekers are “are preparing poorly for interviews, putting together weak resumes and appearing too desperate to take any job that comes their way.”

Biggest mistakes, according to the article?

Not listening well during an interview. Using your mouth more than your ears is usually a red flag – no matter what type of job you seek.

Letting people know you feel down and out.

“Susan Weil, a New York career transition coach, recalls one client, who was an unemployed banker, finding himself in a social situation with people from his field. When asked what he had been doing lately, he answered, “I’ve been up to nothing.”

Wouldn’t that have been a great opportunity to talk himself up and possibly made some new connections?

Don’t spend a lot of energy trying to apply for  job that you’re overqualified to do. While there are strategies you can use to overcome the “overqualified” label, chasing after these jobs is not a good use of your time.

Go the extra mile…Write a thank you note. Send it with a stamp. Make sure it is personalized.

The article suggests that “… you may have to talk to 150 people before you get a job.” Does it sound like a lot? Maybe that is good news for those of you who haven’t been talking to many people…Maybe it can give you hope that there IS something new you CAN do to get your search moving!

Learn what I can do to help you with your search!

photo by unique gifts