Avoid These Mistakes When Applying for a Job

If you’re preparing to head out and get your first job, or are seeking an entry level position in a company where you could see yourself growing, I want to help you avoid some mistakes that could slow down your job searching progress. 

Entering the workforce can be fun, but you can come up against some roadblocks. Hopefully after reading this you’ll be able to step into your first entry level position with confidence and success. 

We’re going to talk about two mistakes that you need to avoid. Let’s dig in. 

Mistake #1: Failing To Create A Targeted Resume and Cover Letter

I know it’s much easier to just make one resume and cover letter and call it one and done, but don’t do it. I repeat… Do. Not. Do. It. 

Why? Because every job opportunity that comes your way is not the same. It needs to be specific to the job you’re applying for. It needs a targeted resume and cover letter. 

When I say targeted, I mean it needs to have specific keywords unique to that job. It needs to talk about the soft skills and hard skills unique to that job. 

This doesn’t mean you have to spend hours building a new resume and cover letter, but you need to spend some time making it specific to the job you’re applying for. Don’t be general. Be specific. 

And your cover letter is the same. It needs to explain why you’re the person for this specific job. Why do you want to join that specific company? 

I talked about this in a previous episode of The Workforce Link Podcast, “Why You Need to Ask this Question in Your Cover Letter.”

Okay, so to recap, avoid this mistake: failing to create a targeted resume and cover letter. 

Mistake #2: Not Preparing for the Interview

You’ve got this, right? It’s just a job. No need to prepare because there are a gajillion jobs out there anyway. 

Listen to me, friend. Do not go into a job with that attitude. You’re setting yourself up for failure. This may be your first entry level position, but you have to think ahead. People are watching you and your attitude means everything. 

If you’ve never been to an interview before, don’t freak out, either. But, don’t act like it’s not a big deal either. It’s important to find that balance. 

So, how do you prepare? 

1) Review some common interview questions. Here are a few that most employers ask: 

1. Tell me about yourself
2. What are your strengths?
3. What are your weaknesses?
4. Tell me about a time you had to overcome a challenge.
5. Where do you see yourself in five years? 
6. What motivates you? 
7. Why do you want to work here? 

2) Practice those answers. Practice them in the mirror so you can see your body language when you’re answering. 

3) Ask some friends to do a mock interview with you. They’ll pretend to be the employer and ask you the questions. Be real, just like you would answer them sitting across from an employer. This is really, really great practice. 

You can never be too prepared for the interview. I promise you that. 

Make your resume and cover letter targeted and prepare for the interview. 

And guess what? If you need some help with that, we have staff at our Missouri Job Centers ready to help you. If you live in the Central Region of Missouri, we have 8 different locations you can go to to get resume assistance and job interview practice, if you need it. 

We also have some online resume and interview workshops at cwdregion.com/workshops.

Good luck in your job search and don’t forget to share your successes with us.