Job hunting isn’t always the easiest thing to do.

Job hunting isn’t always the easiest thing to do. It can be very competitive, and facing a lot of rejection can get disheartening after a while, making it harder to give your all in the job search. 

You’re also not doing yourself any favours by believing in those common job hunting myths that seem to pop up every time someone talks about changing careers.

We’ve put together a list of ten of the most common myths about job hunting, and why they aren’t true. You can be successful in getting your dream job if you don’t let these myths hold you back.

Myth 1 – You’ve left it too late to change careers

This is simply not true, especially in today’s workforce. Follow your passion and go for that new career, either by gaining new skills with a course or training, or identifying transferrable skills that you can use on your resume. 

Myth 2 – The more resumes you send out, the more interviews you’ll get

If you just send out mass copies of your resume without tailoring them for each position, you have almost no chance at landing an interview. The quality of your application (including your resume) is what counts, so go to the effort of adapting your resume to the specific role and company you’re applying for. You’re a lot more likely to be successful this way.

Myth 3 – Your resume needs to be highly detailed

Overloading your resume is almost as bad as not putting in enough detail. Your resume should give prospective employers an adequate amount of relevant information so that they want to bring you in for an interview and find out more about you. The interview is your chance to go into greater detail and show them why they should hire you.

Myth 4 – An interview is controlled by the interviewer

This surprises many people, but you have just as much power in an interview. Sure, they’re trying to find out if you’re a good fit for the position, but you should be doing the same. Prepare questions beforehand so that you’re better equipped to decide if the company and role is right for you.

Myth 5 – Always take the first job you’re offered

With the ups and downs of job hunting, you may have no interviews or job offers for months. Then you suddenly find yourself becoming inundated with interview requests and offers, and it can be tempting to accept the first offer. After all, who knows when another position or interview will be offered, right? Wrong.

Unless you’re in dire circumstances and can’t afford to wait much longer without a paycheck, hold out for the job offer that’s going to most benefit your career. More offers will come!

Myth 6 – Your application was rejected if you don’t get a speedy response

As much as we’d like to hear back straight away after a job application or an interview, the world just doesn’t work that way. Plenty of things can stop a company from giving a quick response, so don’t give up hope just yet. Sending a follow-up email or making a check-in via phone shows your interest in the position, and often gets you an answer faster. You can also use this correspondence to ask for feedback, if you were unsuccessful. 

Just be sure to be polite, and wait at least a week before getting in contact, to avoid seeming pushy. 

Myth 7 – You have a better chance of getting hired if you ask for lower pay

You might think this makes you look more attractive to prospective employers and will give you a leg up over other applicants, but all you’re doing is selling yourself short. A company wants to hire the best person for the role, so it’s not worth losing thousands off your salary in the hopes of securing the job.

The important thing is to do your research on salaries for the same sort of roles, and not overvalue or undervalue yourself when putting forward your salary expectations.

Myth 8 – You’ll only get the job if you’re the candidate with the most experience

Like we mentioned in Myth 7, a company wants to hire the best person for the open position. The applicant with the most experience isn’t necessarily that person. You got invited to be interviewed as well, so don’t count yourself out just yet. Be confident in your skills and experience; sell yourself in the interview so that the company sees why you’re the right person for the job.

Myth 9 – What’s meant to happen will happen

While being positive and optimistic is never a bad thing, it won’t get you that job. You have to work for what you want, so get out there and hustle. Ask companies you’re interested in if they’re hiring, network, search for opportunities and you’re sure to come up with something to help you get your dream role – or get you closer to it, at least.

Myth 10 – Job hunting is pointless during the Christmas-New Year break, unless you want casual work

Many use this myth as a reason to stop their job search for awhile, saying that they only want more permanent work instead of the myriad of Christmas Casual positions on offer. While it’s true that there may not be as many permanent roles advertised during this period, it’s not an excuse to slow down or stop your job hunt. Businesses still hire, so keep applying!

You should also remember that Christmas Casual positions can lead to more permanent work, so they’re a great way to get your foot in the door as you work towards your dream job. 

https://gradaustralia.com.au/career-planning/what-are-the-5-biggest-career-myths

Make job hunting easier on yourself by putting these myths out of your mind once and for all. Never stop hustling, value yourself and have confidence in your experience and skills, and you’ll find yourself with that dream role in no time!

If you need help with your resume, selection criteria or any other part of the job application process, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at Resumes to You. Whether you want to stay within your industry or change careers entirely, we’ll help you ace your application.

If you want to guarantee yourself an interview, you need to make sure that you have an outstanding resume first. Whether it’s for an entry-level position or the executive role of your dreams, we can help make sure you get into a room with the people who will make the decisions. Contact us today to find how we can help you land your new job.