Have you ever wondered if there is something you are doing wrong in your job search?

I am not suggesting that it’s your fault if your search stumbles or gets stale – it’s a very tough market out there – but there may well be times you do foul up.  So, if you do, what should you do?

Here are a couple of stories:

Nicholas is a highly skilled Finance professional.  He reached the limits of his current position and felt it was time to move on.  He did all the right things to launch a job search campaign – his resume was shipshape, his elevator speech was compelling, and he was organized and diligent about researching target organizations and networking.  Eventually, he was pleased to uncover an exciting opportunity through a friend of a friend.  The acquaintance advised Steven to send his resume, which he did.  And then he waited.  And waited. No call was forthcoming.  So, he called to see what was happening.  The receptionist answered.  He declined to leave a message thinking it better to speak directly to the contact.  He called again.  And, again, he declined to leave a voicemail.  A third time he called, and the same thing happened.  In his mind, he was showing restraint by not nagging and very deliberately trying not to be a pest.  However, this was not how it was perceived at the other end of the phone.  His friend learned of his repeated attempts and irately called Steven. “Stop hounding the guy!  You are embarrassing me and not helping your own case!”  he reprimanded.  Nicholas was mortified.  This was certainly not his intention.  He felt he had inadvertently blown the chance of a lifetime and did not know what to do.  He quickly went into damage-limitation mode. He went back to his friend and made amends so his application was not derailed, and he put himself back in the running.

What do we learn from Nicholas’ faux pas?

1. Networking through friends is a sensitive business, so always be aware of how your behavior may reflect on them.  Take guidance from them about the internal workings of their companies and what is deemed acceptable or inappropriate behavior.
2. Use common sense and good judgment.  If you are not sure of something, ask the advice of someone whose judgment you trust.
3. If you do foul up in some way, take ownership of it and apologize immediately.  Well thought out and immediate damage control will usually win forgiveness.

Jane is an accomplished organizational development specialist with a consulting background.  She worked inside organizations for some time and criss-crossed between the for- and not-for-profit sectors. She is an excellent researcher and networker and seemed to have no trouble discovering opportunities.  With her prestigious PhD and impressive resume, she was often invited to multiple interviews and sailed through the process until the last hurdle – but time after time, she would not receive an offer.  The repeated rejections started to wear her down.  “What am I doing wrong?” she berated herself.  It was only when she started to analyze the patterns of jobs for which she was applying that she noticed where the problem lay.  Her heart was simply not in any of those jobs.  She had not completed the foundational work of identifying what she really wanted to do before lurching into an unfocused job search.  Seduced by the possibility of security and a paycheck and knowing how to perform well in an interview, she managed to get through most of the hoops until the last one, which is when something always gave her away.  At the last minute, potential employers would detect a certain lack of enthusiasm or commitment, and they would decide that her experience, after all, might not be a perfect fit for their needs. Only after a thorough self-analysis and laser-like focus on what she wished to contribute, how she wished to work, and in what kind of environment she wished to work was she finally able to surface – and get – the job of her dreams.

What do we learn from Jane’s repeated rejections?

1. Know yourself thoroughly before launching your job search.
2. Be absolutely clear about what you want and what you offer.
3. Qualify opportunities before you go too far down the interview path or you, too, may risk disappointment.
4. Look for an organization where you can flourish – you deserve it and will do your best work there.

Conducting a job search is hard enough.  Be careful not to sabotage yourself along the way.

Fredia Woolf MBA, founder of Woolf Consulting , helps people to manage change and achieve positive results for their careers, teams and organizations.  She works with clients to increase their effectiveness and impact, to manage transitions successfully, and to define and create a leadership legacy. She can be reached at fwoolf@woolfconsulting.com.

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Last updated on December 17th, 2009 at 08:56 am