10 Biggest Job Search Mistakes of New College Grads

10 Biggest Job Search Mistakes of New College GradsEven though it can seem daunting to enter the job force immediately after college, and though the market is tougher than it ever has been for entry-level hires, recent grads are actually among those most likely to land a job this year. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Here are 10 common mistakes that can get in your way during your first real job search, and beyond.1. Being too passiveThe trick is to be proactive. The days of being recruited without having to look are long gone. Those who utilize their network to every possible extent and really do everything in their power to get hired, are the ones who will be rewarded first and best.2. Being too internet-centricThousands upon thousands of candidates just like you are posting on job search boards and sending in their resumes to ansprechbar applications. The only way to distinguish yourself and actually be considered for ansicht jobs is to get out and get networking. Human connections are key.3. Being too insularThink outside the box when building your network. Consider asking generations above you for help. You never know who will be the key to get you through the door.4. Being too generalIf youre not customizing your resume to each position, youre crazy. Yes, it will take a bit of extra time, but the preparation will be worth it should you make it to the interview phase. And without showing each hiring manager or HR rep that you are precisely suitable for this particular position, you hardly stand a chance at getting your resume through the first skim.5. Using the wrong sitesSocial networking is one thing. Professional networking is another. If youre relying on Facebook and Twitter only for your connection-building purposes, youre missing a huge part of the picture. Make a platform for yourself on professional networking sites as well. It may not be as fun, but it will likely prove so much mora useful.6. Not foll owing upIf you dont follow up, youll miss a good chunk of opportunities. Dont just send your resume and forget about it. If you want that job, make sure you get an interview for it. Hustle7. Setting the bar too highYoure just out of college, all jazzed up, and out to find your dream job. But dream jobs can take decades to attain. You might not even really know what that would look like now. Focus on getting a good job now, and let perfection work itself out later. A little humility will get you a long way in the beginning of your career.8. Being unprofessionalThis includes your image what you wear, how you conduct yourself, how you speak, and how you present yourself online. Give yourself an image makeover. Make sure your online presence is 100% respectable. And start acting like a grown-up everywhere you go.9. Not taking the interview seriouslyDo your research. Dont just swan in and expect them to hand you the job or internship without making you work for it. Learn about the compan y before hand and prepare for the interview. If you dont, youll look like an amateur. And you certainly wont get the job.10. Not using the tools available to youYou have a career office for a reason. Use it. They wont hand you a job on a silver platter, but they can platzdeckchen you up to be in a better position to land one yourself with a little hard work and preparation.

How to Get People to Like You (Even When You Have to Criticize Them)

How to Get People to Like You (Even When You Have to Criticize Them) When youre faced with a situation in which you must share critical feedback in a work context, such as an annual review, project discussion, or committee update, most of us want to remain honest while maintaining good relationships with colleagues. So how can you share honest and valuable feedback in a likable manner? This is bedrngnis as easy as you might think.As a frequent recipient of the feedback that I am blunt, have a big personality, and am full of myself (a critique Ive received since that age of eight), I put effort into offering feedback that is productive and will also result in decent ratings for my own likability.This is tricky, because having these conversations with coworkers involves imparting advice and information that they may bedrngnislage want to hear, but need to know. This also isnt what necessary helps you win friends, fans, or followers or helps you cultivate a reputation as a loveable or e ven likable leader.While avoiding being disingenuous, I do make efforts to find ways to cultivate positive relationships with peers, co-workers, team members and those in my charge as mentees or assistants. It does not have to involve baked goods, lunch at a great restaurant, or socializing over drinks after work. It involves authenticity and carefully managing expectations.Harvard Business School researchers Paul Green, Francesca Gino and Bradley Staats write that the paradox of giving honest feedbackunless masterfully deliveredis that much of the time, it results in the recipent feeling upset and avoiding or disliking the person who provides it.The idea behind performance appraisals, and feedback in general, is that to grow and improve, we must have a light shined on the things we cant see about ourselves. We need the brutal truth, the authors write. Theres an assumption that what motivates people to improve is the realization that theyre not as good as they think they are. But in fact, it just makes them go find people who will not shine that light on them. It may not be having the intended effect at all.Negative feedback manifests itself as a psychological threat. Whether its conscious or not, we dont know. Its probably a little of both, but its such a fundamental, deep-seated drive to want a circle of people around us that will prop us up. And well go to great measures to create that circle if we have to.Jane Claire Hervey, creator of the production studio, Group Work, writes in Forbes, When I noticed a problem within our operations, I pointed it out. If I thought there were areas in which we could improve, I spoke up. If I had a good idea, I gave it. But, more often than not, this feedback was met with silence and inaction, and over time I began to contribute less and less. Eventually she quit.But its still possible to follow this advice while maintaining your integrity as someone who is not offering participation trophies at every turn and looking to ga in friends, followers, and fans, but is still forthright and polite when delivering feedback.The traditional compliment sandwich approachoffering two compliments with criticism in betweenis no longer considered an effective way of conducting the critical conversation. Instead, use the parfait approach Offer layers of credible advice and information that is not doused in emotion. This is a way to make it about facts, not feelings. Influence people by discussing their performance objectively, eliminating the social component. Show numbers concerning productivity and prove the point with objective figures, not subjective impressions.Build rapport with team members by offering lots of avenues for talking about performance and delivering feedback. Claire Lew, CEO of Know Your Company, tells Forbes You cant assume that one channel of feedback is going to work for everyone. So the more avenues to provide for people to give feedback and weigh in, the better. Some people might prefer town ha ll meetings, while others prefer electronic employee surveys. The richness of how you communicatethe varying formats and mediumsallows you to reach everyone.Get to the point Melody Whiting, a life coach who teaches human behavior at The City University of New York, writes, When problems go unaddressed or are swept under the rug, everyone suffersincluding you. Avoiding conflict doesnt just keep you from fulfilling your responsibilities, it also erodes your self-esteem. No one likes being the office push-over and constantly questioning yourself can take a toll on your confidence levels. A lack of constructive feedback is also detrimental to your team, depriving them of mentorship and growth opportunities. Workplaces marked by poor communication and unclear expectations are also breeding grounds for Imposter Syndrome, low trust, and disengagement.Model the process of respectful critique. Leaders must start the process by actively modeling how to talk about performance and encouraging t eam members to do the same. In a recent HBR article, Ron Carucci suggests that if leaders want to start understanding how others genuinely perceive them they should practice the following Ask teammates to push back, read non-verbal cues, eye contact, and body language, dont rationalize, and know your triggers. In Chief Executive, Jack McGuinness suggests encouraging others to call you out on your own body language and triggers.Make it about the mission. Refer to the goal of the project or even mission of your organization, team, or corporation. Make sure find ways to express that this feedback is not personal, nor is about personality its about getting to the end goal. Talking about a time you received difficult feedback and how it helped you is one way to build rapport with colleagues. But make your story brief, and focus more on the situation at handyou dont want to make it all about you.Embrace controversy. This is Take the Lead co-found and President Gloria Feldts power tool 4 o f her 9 Leadership Power Tools. This method involves offering critical feedback, even if your feedback may be controversial a lot of the time. This demonstrates that you are willing to take on that burden of forgoing the love of your team in order to reach the end goal and improve the outcome. In other words, its always about how to get people to like you.Feldt writes, Embracing controversy gives you a platform. Nudges you to clarity. Its your teacher, your source of strength, your friend, especially if you are trying to make a change. This will also earn you the respect of your teammates, colleagues, and fellow leaders and allow you to influence people in effort to improve outcomes.Michele Weldon is the vorwort director of Take The Lead, and an author, journalist, and senior leader with The OpEd Project.