50% Myths of Job search

50% but why only 50%. I will today discuss a few myths associated with job search which I think are very crucial to discuss because these are widely considered as facts which not only discourage people and send them in a self pity mode but also leaves them wanting to learn some skills which may not be required at least for the job search. But why am I saying them as 50% true? This is so because modern technologies and the internet are still not powerful enough to help people in each and every situation. This may be true and practical for some people only but for most of us, these are myths and we should get over them as soon as possible. I will try to be as practical as possible because this is not Linkedin where good and best case scenario posts gain a lot of likes, shares and comment but do not help in real world life. I hope you got what I wanted to say. At the end of the blog, I will explain why these myths are 50% true. So stay tuned till the end.

Required skills and Hands-on experience is mandatory for every job

This is the scenario which I come across almost everyday in my professional life. You will find some job descriptions where you may see a lot of skills which may and may not be necessary for the role but are written just to get the candidates who may wear a lot of hats in the future.This may seem bizarre but the HR people who make job descriptions sometimes are not technically sound to understand what to omit and what to write and this is not their fault as well. There are also some scenarios where HRs completely know the essential skills required for a job but they do not have much control on what to publish and what not to publish. If this is the scenario, then what you should do as a job seeker. A job seeker too is a person from the same field. This means they do have an ability to understand the technical skills or skills related to their job. They also know what is more crucial in a particular job. The first thing they should do is to go through the entire job description. If the job excites them and they think they are fit for the role, they should discuss this with the recruiter/HR for more clarification and try to get the resume in front of a “technical person”. If there is no one to contact they should directly apply for the job. 

Industry switching is difficult

This may initially sound true but does not hold any water when you go deep into the analysis. Almost all the businesses work in the same way. The processes, tools and resources used in a business may be different but the basic functioning remains the same. Then why do people consider industry switching difficult? This actually due to the fact that candidates are preferred from the same industry. But this is mostly applicable for those who are more into the technical zone or working with the tools and data related to a particular industry. This is difficult for a person new to the industry and is a time taking process. This is not applicable for people who want to change their overall career but is helpful for those who are just looking forward to their career path and want to move from one industry to another. First I will recommend you to stick to the industry you are into but if you have made up your mind, then try to consider the knowledge required, risk involved and the consequences in your career path when doing the thought process. This can also be achieved if you want to move to an industry which is in close vicinity to your current one.

Applying to selective jobs is a bad idea

Since ages people are advising job seekers to spray and pray. This means to apply to jobs as much as possible and then wish for positive outcomes. This may be true for freshers but really a bad habit if you are an experienced professional. HRs receiving your resume may not find it as a good move but to start neglecting your resume for other positions as well. So what can you do for this situation? This will require an extra step. Whenever you find a position which is not suited for your profile, you may drop an email to the particular HR to enquire about the job. This gives two benefits. You are only applying for the jobs well suited for your profile and also you are opening a window for other HRs to let them know about your availability to them. Many HR professionals have their social network. They may refer you to other jobs which may not be available for job portals or keep your resume for future use but without an annoying situation.

Better formal education gets you a better job

This you may also consider to be true but it can be partially for few people such as fresh graduates or the first job seekers. A better job is a subjective thing. What you seek for a job depends on the current situation. You need to define your “Better Job” in your mind first. Now let us come to education. If you have defined a “better job” for yourself, now you need to find the organization which is willing to provide you what you want. Expecting the same behaviour from each organization is still a little bit harsh on yourself and as well as the companies. To overcome this myth you need to control your expectations. Limit your expectation and use your social media or physical network of people who find the organization which are willing to provide your “better job” with your existing professional skills. Just keep in mind, this strategy can be tiring and time taking but worth it. If you are not able to find it, just lower your expectation when redefining your “better job”.

A perfect resume is required to start a job search

This is one of the most annoying myths of all times. People will advise you to have a perfect resume before starting your job search. But a perfect resume never exists. People have different education, skills and abilities. What works for others may not work for you. Then what should you do? Just start with a resume which you think is adequate. An adequate resume is something which has zero grammatical errors and all the skills which you have. You are good to start your job search. Sometimes we don’t know what skills are being searched by the HRs and which skills are in trend. HRs may use some other form of a skill to search for the resume which your resume may be missing. For example, Project Manager is also called PM. Recruitment is nowadays known as Talent Acquisition. 

Though these words have different meanings but conventionally used for the same thing. you need to understand the job market and keep your resume updated with new skills and experience if you have. This will not only help you to start your job search immediately but will also keep your resume up to date and according to the current trends.

Cover Letters are not necessary these days

Gone are the days when a cover letter was considered as an important piece of document. Nowadays we as an HR community and job seekers have altogether ignored such an important tool. Cover Letters are helpful for understanding the candidate. Resume is a standard piece of document which may not say anything particular about the candidate in relation to the role for which they are applying. Cover Letters are actually answers to the question “Why do you think you are fit for the role?” This gives candidates an opportunity to answer one question of the interview actually without appearing for the interview. You can add your brief explanation and elaborate on the skills which are essential for the job you are applying for. This will always take some extra 5 minutes but will give a clear picture to the HR receiving your profile.

Social Media job search is a waste of time

This is a myth actually for the people who started a social media platform as a job portal. Job portals are a straightforward tool to search for jobs and apply. But social media job search is much more beyond that. Social Media job search and job search on job portals can happen simultaneously. In Social media job search, you are not finding the job, you are actually finding people who can help you in landing on your future job. On Social media, you network, you talk and create an image which may help you in the future. It is a slow process but very human one. On job portals, you interact with jobs and links which may not understand your current situation and judge you just on the basis of your resume. Social media is very different from that. People who know you will be willing to help you in your search. Building relationships is a slow process which will encourage others to help you. Before your resume, people will interact with your social media persona. So our expectation from social media should be realistic and our strategy should be according to the social media platform. I have discussed this previous video. You can check that after watching this one.

Why 50% True

Now, let us come to the part, why this is 50% true. This is because of the general overall belief on these myths. We can change our perspective towards these myths but there are not many people who are willing to do so. This will limit your chances to find better jobs. These myths may be true on the basis of situation, work experience, industry, skills and ability. You need to devise your job search strategy with caution to keep in mind that these myths are fact for some people. Please drop your comment below if you yourself consider them as myths or you want to mention some other myths which are not mentioned here.

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