With such a tight labor market, it is unsurprising that job seekers might resort to common sense strategies to get a job: applying to lower-paying jobs and entry-level positions, or seeking out industries that may be on the rise. While common sense may usually point you in the direction of a correct answer, common sense may also lead you away from paying attention to details and less obvious facts. Indeed, while common sense strategies may seem like a good idea, Forbes’ Sue Adams recently reported that such strategies comprise a growing body of job search myths.
What are these job search myths? Reporting on an article by career advice wizard Win Sheffield, Adams targets the following strategies, exposing each as myth:
- “Look for jobs in growing sectors whether or not they interest me.”
- “Pursue a lower-level job, because that will be easier to get.”
- “If I am moving to a new industry or function where I don’t have experience, I should aim for an entry-level job.”
- “People will only want to hire me to do what I do now, so I should only look for jobs that closely match my current job description, even if I’m unhappy at work.”
- “Take any job; beggars can’t be choosers.”
While it is quite possible for a job seeker to use any of the above strategies and secure a job, Adams points out that each of the above strategies contains critical flaws, which should make job seekers reconsider their use. Namely, as I recently commented, Adams observes that what recruiters want to see is passion: “The deciding factor in the hiring decision is very often the candidate’s enthusiasm for the job. Recruiters say it again and again.” Each of the above strategies assumes that the job seekers who use them are willing to settle for any job, regardless of where their interests may lie—and this is a problem, say Adams. Even if you do secure a job, making one of the above myths a reality, without passion, you may find yourself discontented and despondent–and perhaps worse off than you were before.
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