In an interview with Business Insider, Robert Hohman, CEO of jobs and recruiting marketplace Glassdor, highlighted four mistakers many job seekers make when looking for thier next position. Here's a breakdown of some of the most common- and easy-to-fix - mistakes people make in their job search:
Applying to too many places
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Once you've embarked on a job search, it makes sense to want to apply to as many companies as possible. After all, it's a numbers game, right? But Hohman said that instinct can lead to problems. A "spray-and-pray" job search strategy rarely yields ideal results. But, he said, it's one of the most common mistakes that job seekers make. "It really doesn't serve anyone," Hohman told Business Insider. "It certainly doesn't serve the employers, who get a bunch of applications that frequently may not be relevant to them. But it's not great either for you, because it takes a lot of time to fill out all those applications." Executing a more thorough approach with fewer companies is much more likely to result in a response.
Failing to thoroughly research the company culture
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You need to make sure that you're looking at companies you would actually want to work for. That means digging into employee feedback on job sites and social media.
"Listen to the voices of the employees that are working there. [Let them] tell you about what's working and what needs to be improved," Hohman said.
Failing to come into the interview armed with salary data
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You can show up to a job interview with a positive attitude, a handful of good questions, and a copy of your résumé, and you'd still be missing something important.
Many people arrive at the interview unequipped with the data they need to negotiate a fair salary.
As someone who has negotiated thousands of salary packages with candidates, Hohman said that "the candidates that come armed with data do the absolute best."
"They have a good sense of what their pay is for the role and they have a data-based argument about why they deserve to be paid a certain amount," he said.
Not prepping properly for the interview
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Hohman said the job market is very competitive right now.
But by prepping more thoroughly for an interview, you can demonstrate greater interest and speak more to your relevant skill sets to impress your potential employer.
-This article is originally appeared on "Business Insider" by Dominic Umbro and Aine Cain