Job seeking can be a confusing and tricky affair, which makes many fall prey to new or age-old misconceptions that are possibly hurting their chances at securing the dream job. Therefore, it is necessary to consider these job hunting myths to avoid with a grain of salt before implementing it to your job searching scheme.

Over the years several myths have surfaced regarding how to go about writing resumes. The notion that extravagant CVs are the most preferred is one of the most widely believed. This is furthest from the truth as recruiters prefer simple, clear and concise resumes. If they must spend too much energy, resources and time to understand the resume, it is more than likely that it will not make the cut.

The idea that only the jobs advertised are up for grabs is a grand misconception. According to studies, nearly half of all openings are occupied informally — that is either sans advertisement, or after a candidate has already been selected for the vacancy internally or externally.Leaders claim that these « hiring opportunities » saves valuable time, money and effort. Even if there is indeed no hiring going on, at least your resume will be in the company system, which improves the chances of visibility when a vacancy does come up.

The last myth is that there is a specific time in the week or year to apply to offers. Seemingly many believe that applying on weekends is a taboo, or nobody hires in December. If a recruiter uses a recruiting system such as ATS for HR Management (which most use nowadays), they will address all submissions made in sections, and not at the time they arrive. Therefore, it is best to apply first-hand, rather than waiting for the best time and narrowly missing the deadline.

Although cover letters are becoming increasingly irrelevant nowadays in the digital era, it is the only way for recruiters to have a vision into your brand and personality. Additionally, it can be useful to communicate professional discrepancies, such as project failures or employment gaps. These can be difficult to decipher from just a resume. Therefore, having one ready in case clients or employers ask for it, or need it to answer some questions is a great initiative. At times, it can serve to make the decision-making process for recruiters easier.

It can be disheartening if one is met with a series of rejections continually, which can possibly be because of adhering to the same job hunting myths to avoid and other misconceptions. However, with a little bit of preparation and insight into what goes on behind the scenes, job searching activities can be easy and transparent.

References:

1. 11 HR Experts Dispel Some Common Job Hunting Myths, Nov 19, 2018, Forbes.