How to become the Ultimate Team-Player Building Your Future Now

How to become the Ultimate Team-Player Building Your Future Now Being a team-player in any facet of life can be a rewarding and sometimes challenging experience. Sharing your knowledge with others in order to foster a more cohesive team or simply being kind can take you and your work team to the next level fast. Even if you have the principles of being a good team-player down pat here are a few tips on becoming the ultimate team player. Be a Mentor If you have more experience than your co-workers be sure to use that knowledge to guide them. Being a mentor is a great way to demonstrate your leadership and help your co-workers develop. And quite frankly your xo-workers will appreciate the guidance especially in a tough and challenging work environment. Helping out Being a good team player is about helping your co-workers even when youre not in the mood. Whether its picking up a shift or helping them with a particularly tough taskbe there to lend a helping hand. Dont Judge Its easier to judge rather then listen in some cases. Be sympathetic and give your co-workers a chance to be themselves. Did they do something you dont agree with? Or simply dont see eye-to-eye with them? Thats ok. That means theres opportunity to learn and grow. Dont stifle that growth by being judgemental. Learn and listen Do you know what your co-workers like to do? Their hobbies for example? If you dont take the opportunity to listen and learn to what make your co-workers individuals and unique. By discovering more about them you are finding ways to building a stronger working relationship with them. Team-building activities Find ways to get your team out doing activities that will help the team form bonds and trust each other. Bowling is a easy and fun way to build team chemistry. Brainstorm with management to see what are some ways to really get the most out of the team! Image: Raw Pixel

Tailoring Your Onboarding Strategy for Different Types of Learners

Tailoring Your Onboarding Strategy for Different Types of Learners Let’s face it… in the war for talent, it’s a candidate’s market. While unemployment figures remain high, employers looking for candidates with unique and hard-to-find skill sets will always know the ideal candidate’s value to their company, and the monetary losses they face if the job goes unfilled. The impetus then falls on the employer to ensure that once those choice candidates are found, they want to stay. The onboarding process plays an important part in assimilating new employees into the company. This is when new hires learn about the company, its employees, culture, products, processes and where they fit in. Failing to convey the right information, bring the new employee up to speed and make them feel welcome can be the difference in them flourishing with the company for years to come, or being onboarded by another company a few weeks later. While your onboarding process may be comprehensive and cover all the bases, not every candidate learns the same way. As if management’s job isn’t difficult enough, employers must ensure they’re reaching each new hire, regardless of their learning style. Delivering the right information isn’t sufficient; how it’s delivered can determine whether or not it reaches its intended audience. Let’s look at the different learning styles and how, in the case of new employees, each will most effectively process information. Visual Learners Visual learners learn by seeing and visualizing ideas and relationships. These employees will benefit most from charts, diagrams and photos in a PowerPoint presentation incorporated into your onboarding process. Any handouts you provide will also be useful, as visual learners may be inclined to circle, highlight or otherwise mark up anything of importance in order to remember it. On the other hand, these individuals will be least responsive to listen-and-respond situations. Auditory Learners Auditory learners process information by hearing it, and often repeating it to themselves or others. These new hires will benefit from lectures, storytelling or word association â€" anything that involves listening. Also, following up with a group discussion or question-and-answer session will further allow them to excel. This type of learner, however, will not respond as well to visual presentations and notes. Reading / Writing Learners This group of learners is self-explanatory. They learn best not when seeing or hearing, but when interacting with the information by reading or writing it. While information may be introduced in visual or verbal form, reading/writing learners will internalize it if given a handout in advance so they may follow along with the presenter, or if given a quiz or questionnaire after the presentation. Even without these, they will most likely take extensive notes throughout the onboarding process. Kinesthetic Learners Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. They’re not satisfied sitting and watching or listening; they want to experience the information. These new hires will get restless quickly in lengthy presentations. They will benefit most from touring the office, participating in group activities and challenges, shadowing other employees and throwing themselves into the mix to discover their role in how the company functions. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I’ll learn.” He was obviously a kinesthetic learner. For new employees, the learning curve starts the minute they begin the onboarding process on day one. For employers, however, there’s no way of telling how each new employee most effectively processes new information. Therefore, it’s necessary to ensure that employers reach all learning types with their onboarding message. Employers who recognize the different ways in which individuals learn and process info will eventually see results in the form of a shorter onboarding process and a quicker ramp-up time leading to employee productivity. Image: Shutterstock

Recruiters How to Survive the Holidays

Recruiters How to Survive the Holidays I wanted to offer some advice to you all in what is usually a hectic, stressful, waist-fattening time of year for us all. However, for recruiters, it can be a poisoned  chalice,  cant it? The sound of Christmas songs in the shops and flashy lights on the high street can mean a slow down in activity as candidates and clients alike start to focus their attention on mince pies, cocktail parties and time off with their families. When should a recruiter switch off “selling mode” and instead embrace the festive season? Well, I don’t think we do stop we just change why and how we are doing it. I am not suggesting that you sit up on Christmas eve on LinkedIn posting jobs nor turning up on Boxing Day to the office. Its a great time to speak! This is a great time of year to speak to individuals you haven’t updated with for a while book in a January visit as a minimum to review a clients hiring needs, offer to take a client out to a Christmas or a January lunch as a thank you for all their time spent with you this year. Think about adding that little bit extra value to your clients? A bottle of single malt whiskey, fine chocolates or a selection of ales is perfect if you know thats more their thing its a small price but a huge gesture to your top clients, plus it makes you feel nice too! Make a list for first calls of the new year for those people who you havent managed to speak to before the holiday. Your goal is to have the first fortnight of the year booked up if you do that likelihood is you are ahead of your competition. Dont just speak to your clients speak to your boss! If you want to move up the career ladder make it known! If you feel ready to take the next step, take on a more challenging or strategic role you need to know what you need to do to be able to achieve that, and your boss needs to know your appetite for progression. Vocalise your enthusiasm and interest to your boss diarise time to plan your next career development steps because if your boss isnt on board you may need to rethink your employment and find an alternative route to your goals! It is better to know that going into the new year rather than at the end of it! Think ahead and get organised Take this time to think about what you want to change on Jan 2nd (or whenever you start back in the New Year) plan it NOW so that you can literally start running on that first day back.  There definitely comes a time when things do grind to a halt the time between Christmas and New Year if youre working is likely to be s l o w at best. Use this time for a bit of good housekeeping: sort your desk out there is room for improvement on everyones desk. Update your phone or contact lists with the contact details and the business cards you have collected. Get rid of any piles of filing or notes you have lying around â€" write them up and organise them. Empty your inbox, go through your emails and flag those which need actioning or marking any email that requires urgent attention. Allocate a day or time to have a “one touch policy” if you touch it you deal with it â€" no buts, no leaving it until later, no excuses!  Start the year with an organised work space and it is more likely to be an organised month and year ahead. Make the ground work count NOW. Make sure that December isn’t a wasted month but actually the most productive month of your year leaving you refreshed, motivated and with a clear direction in January 2013. Wishing all of you a happy festive season from me, Lysha Holmes definitely still in recruitment mode…well until mid December anyway before the school nativities kick in!

Expensive Watches and their History

Expensive Watches and their History Patek Philippe is known to be the most expensive watchmaking firm in history. The watches it produces are first among the most expensive watches in the world. Some of its most recent models sold for more than 11 million dollars. Why are Patek Philippe watches so expensive? History One may very well start by looking at the current owners. The Patek Philippe watchmaking firm came under the ownership of the Stern family in 1932, during a turbulent period following the 1929 economic crisis. The Stern family was already a very well-known provider of high-quality quadrants. Both firms made a point of preserving the legacy of the Swiss watchmaking industry. Within a year, Stern had acquired the whole of Patek Philippe and the family still  controls it today. The people managing Patek Philippe have been working in watchmaking for centuries.   This is the first reason why Patek has such prestige. Patek still represents the ancient dream of Swiss watchmaking, a family business producing excellent watches in their workshops in Geneva, Switzerland, surrounded by the Swiss Alps and their snow-capped peaks. Craftsmanship Besides those costs connected with research, development and design, the costs to train the watchmakers producing each single watch piece by hand need to be considered. Unlike other watchmaking firms, Patek Philippe produces all the necessary pieces for its watches, even the smallest components. Patek Philippe watches have no pre-made components. So, how would it be possible to ensure that enough specialized watchmakers are present in order to handle components and build watches? Finding the right talents is an ever-present challenge, and, like Mr. Stern says ”Its not easy to telling a youngster ‘You need at least 15 years of practice before building up some skill’. In order to tackle this challenge, Mr. Stern established the Patek Philippe Institute of New York, a facility having the task of training future watchmakers. The Institute offers a two-year traineeship including both theory and practice, as well as all the skills needed to repair watches. Some of the students are offered full-time jobs in the Manhattan offices of Patek Philippe. Such initiatives allow Patek Philippe to remain a market leader. Design One of the reasons why the watches produced by Patek Philippe are so expensive is connected to the time the company spends in research, development and design to create new models. Developing a new movement for Patek Philippe watches, for example, might require several years and millions of dollars in RD.   The research and development division of Patek is its operational core. Innovation would not be possible without it. 80 engineers work for this division, juxtaposing both old and new technologies to create designs keeping its billionaire customers satisfied. Such costs must be covered and they grow significantly every time the sales hit a slump. To understand how such a situation works, compare Patek Philippe with another watchmaking firm such as Rolex, which has similar RD costs but significantly higher sales compared with those of Patek Philippe. As such, the costs Patek has to cover are distributed along a smaller number of clients.

The 7 Questions You Will Probably Be Asked When Interviewing at Kroger - CareerMetis.com

The 7 Questions You Will Probably Be Asked When Interviewing at Kroger Source : fastglobalmarketing.comFor a lot of our readers, Kroger is a great place to work at, due to its friendly team and its supportive company culture. If you’ve decided to apply for a Kroger job opening, we will walk you through the potential interview you will be facing.We’ve put together this list of the most commonquestionsthat come up during interviews at Kroger, and we will give you advice on how to best answer them.Before we start going into each question, here are some quick facts that you need to know about the Kroger career system.Kroger Careers at a Glance and Basic AdviceevalevalAs any large company, Kroger has career opportunities for almost any kind of professional there is. They need people in accounting, marketing, legal, HR, stocking and supplying and so on. Still, the most frequent job vacancies that occur are those of front-end customer service.Since this is where the majority of their employees are, it makes sense that these are the jobs you can apply for m ost often.These most frequent jobs offered are for the position of Cashier, Grocery Clerk, Produce Clerkand Bagger.For these positions, you need to demonstrate a willingness to learn, and a lot of kindness and empathy that go into your customer service skills.Some previous experience wouldn’t hurt, either, but it’s all down to how you answer the interview questions.Here is what you should do before going to the interview:Do your homework and read up a bit about the company. If you show them you have your basic facts straight, this will gain you extra brownie points.If you can, submit extra documents with your application, even if they’re not mandatory. For example, a short, two paragraph long motivation letter can go a long way.Learn from the experiences of other applicants. Reading more about the Kroger job questions and the answers to them is a great way to start.The 7 Most Common Kroger Job Questions You Can ExpectHere are the questions that are bound to come up during your Kroger job interview.Regardless of the particular position that you are applying for, you will surely be asked at least a few of these.1. How do you fare in high pressure environments?evalYou can be sure that the Kroger work environment is one that keeps you alert and on your toes. To provide a good answer to this question, you should say that this is how you perform best, if there isn’t a minute to get bored.2. What skills do you have that will help you do this job?Depending on the exact position you are applying for, you should say that you have what it takes. You should also bring proof by referencing your past experience, even if it’s only some volunteering or something unrelated.Say something along the lines of ‘At my previous job, I learned how to multi-task effectively, and my customer service skills are pretty much innate, I was always able to make the people around me feel at ease etc.’3. How would you handle an angry customer?The best answer to this question is on e that demonstrates both empathy and huge amounts of tact. Say that you would start by apologizing no matter the reason for the client’s frustration. Then, you would ask the customer a few questions to better understand the problem they are dealing with, so you can try to solve it.evalIf you exhaust the measures you can take by yourself and the problem is still not fixed, you would then pass it along to you manager in order to help solve it.eval4. Are you a team player or do you shine individually?This may be a trick question, especially if you are a person proud of their achievements and hard-working demeanor. No matter how tempted you are to say that you shine pretty well by yourself, go with the team player option.To a big organization such as Kroger, a team that functions like a well-oiled machine is much more important than individually brilliant members.Source : Orangleader.com5. Why should we hire you?This question is similar to the one about your skills. Just like with que stion number 2 above, reference your past experience and what it taught you. Also highlight that you think you could successfully use these skills in order to help make the lives of Kroger customers easier.Your end goal is the satisfaction of their clients, which is why would make a great addition to their team.6. Are you good at multi-tasking?Some people are and some people aren’t; both of these categories come with their unique set of advantages and disadvantages. For Kroger, people who are good at multi-tasking are preferable, since it’s such a fast-paced environment, as we mentioned above.Therefore, the ideal answer is to say that you are great at multi-tasking and that you successfully handle multiple types of tasks at a time, both in your work and personal life.7. How would you handle a conflict with another employee?The best answer to this question is one that shows that you would treat your co-worker with the same consideration with which you would treat the Kroger custo mers.After all, you are a team player and calm person, with super developed people skills. Therefore, answer that you would first apologize for whatever upset them and then ask them how you could help make the situation better.evalThese are the main Kroger job questions which you can expect at an interview. Keep calm and answer them with a smile on your face and all will be well.

8 Things To Evaluate Before You Say Yes To A Job

8 Things To Evaluate Before You Say Yes To A Job Before you say yes to a job offer there are a lot of things you will want to evaluate! Heres why: Almost a third of new employees left a new job within the first 90 days according to  Jobvite’s Job Seeker Nation Study  These were the four types of reasons: the role wasn’t what they expected there was an incident or bad experience the company culture or they just changed their minds You can prevent your premature departure from your next job by making sure you know as much as possible about the job, the company, its leadership and people you’ll be working with. Typically, job seekers view the job interview as their chance to highlight their skills, talents and abilities. But remember, the job interview is a mutual exchange of information. You are there to learn about the opportunity and assess whether it will be a good fit for you. You do this by asking questions. Between networking and the job interview, you should be able to get all your questions answered. Just don’t wait to find out until you are on the job. Can you see yourself working for this company? As you saw from the study above, a company’s culture or style of doing business can either make it a great place to work or make you miserable. It is often difficult to define what the culture is, but there are things a company does or doesn’t do, that will help you evaluate the culture. Below are different elements of the companys culture you want to assess before saying yes to the job. Will you like working for this manager? There’s a saying that employees don’t leave companies, they leave managers. Your future managers interpretation and administration of systems, procedures, and how he or she empowers employees to make decisions, all impact your satisfaction in the job. Pay attention to how your future boss interacts with you during the interview. You should ask questions to evaluate how they have managed people. These questions can help you understand your future manager better: How will I be evaluated in this role? What are the main indicators of success? What type of work do you delegate to your team? Has anyone on your team been promoted over the last couple of years? If so, what was the reason? What would be the something that your employees say you do extremely well? What type of recognition have you recently given to one of your staff? Can you tell me how you give feedback to your team? How does the company treat its employees? You can tell a lot about a company by the way it treats its potential employees during the recruiting process, its HR policies, and even how it exits employees either by termination or retirement. You want to get a sense of how the company policies work and what the companys philosophies are. There is a laundry list of items to evaluate throughout the interview process. Some of these will be mentioned and highlighted others you may have to ask about. Ask yourself what the companys recruiting process was like for you. This is just one way a company shows how it values employees. These are other questions that will help give you a sense of how the company treats its employees: What is the companys  onboarding process How competitive is the compensation and benefits package What types of rewards and recognition does the company offer? Who is eligible for training and development and are there limitations? How often do performance review occur and how does that process work? Is pay tied to performance? How do promotions occur? Is there a company wellness program? What is the companys outlook on work/life balance (paid time off, leave, remote work, etc.) Are there workplace traditions? What was the last occasion your department celebrated? When does the workday start and end? What do people do for lunch? What is the dress code? Will I like my future co-workers? Your co-workers greatly impact your satisfaction with the job. Since so much of your time will be spent working alongside these people, you want to gain a better understanding of their personalities, beliefs, values, skills and experiences. You want to get a feel for the types of interactions that occur between employees.  In other words, is the team set up to be collaborative or confrontational, supportive or non-supportive, social or task-oriented? At some point during the interview process, you should have the opportunity to meet some of your potential co-workers. You want to understand each individual’s role on the team and how they interact with each other. If you have been offered a job and still haven’t had the opportunity to meet your future team-mates, you may want to ask if you can speak with one on the phone or ask if perhaps you could come back in to meet with them. These are some questions you can use to get to know your future co-workers: Why do you like working here? How long have you been with the company? Where did you work before? What do you do in your spare time? How does your manager support and motivate your team? What do you consider to be your company’s most important assets? What kind of philanthropy does the company contribute to or participate in? What’s one thing you would change about the company if you could? Will I like this job? Even if you’ve read the job description 100 times, you may not know the real responsibilities and expectations of the job. The best way to learn about the requirements is to ask questions throughout the interview. Be sure you have specific questions written out and ready to ask at the appropriate time. When the interviewer is telling you about the job requirements, listen for the opportunity to ask follow-up questions or ask some of these: Why is this position available? What are the most important elements of this job? What are the three main factors you will be using to determine the right person for this job? What goals do you expect the person who takes this job to achieve during the first 30, 60, 90 days? If I was starting in this position today, what would you advise me to learn and do first? What would my interaction with my teammates be like? Is the companys mission genuine? Almost every company has a vision, mission and values. The way a company operates should honestly reflect the beliefs and philosophies of the organization and trickle down so that it inspires employees. These mission and associated values should align or at least not contradict your own values. When assessing a companys mission, you want to look for observable behaviors that align with the mission. Youll also want to ask questions to test that the mission is truly part of the companys culture. You should be able to find the companys mission statement on their website. Use this to develop questions to test how the company lives up to its stated mission. Can I see myself working in here? The physical space and office amenities play an important role in your workday. You can visually assess  what people place on their desks, what the company hangs on its walls, how workspace is laid out, the colors used, the amount of natural light and style of furniture. Do some research before the interview to learn about the other benefits the company offers. Here are a couple of questions to ask: How does parking work? How often do employees use the gym [other amenities]? How does the company communicate? Companies have different ways of communicating internally.  The platform, the frequency, and the transparency of the communication matters. Learn what the standards are for communication. How does the company communicate important information? How often do you hear about company press releases, new developments or news? How do you communicate with your manager and how often? How do you communicate with your team? How genuine or transparent is the communication that comes from leadership? How do departments communicate with one another? When decisions or new policies or procedures are made, how is that communicated? Whats the companys leadership style? Leaders set the tone for how the organization communicates and operates. The style typically starts with the most senior leaders and trickles down to your future manager. But asking about leadership style is too vague and is unlikely to provide you with genuine information. Instead, ask questions about the behaviors of leadership. How does leadership communicate and interact with employees? what they communicate and emphasize, How  does leadership describe their vision for the companys future? What do leaders celebrate and recognize? How do leaders make decisions? Do you trust the companys leadership? What perceptions or beliefs do leaders support and reinforce? Will these questions help you get a better sense of the company culture before you accept a job offer?

The 27 Mistakes Jobseekers Make In Their Job Search

The 27 Mistakes Jobseekers Make In Their Job Search Are you making these mistakes in your job search? Chances are, you’re making at least one or two â€" if not more! Go through this checklist and mark which mistakes you’re currently making â€" and then follow the suggestions to learn how to stop making that mistake!Mistakes Checklist[ ] Looking for a Job. Wait, I shouldn’t look for a job? Don’t just look for a job â€" look for a career. A calling. What are you meant to do? How can you use your skills, education, and experience for maximum benefit? You may not see that position advertised in a job posting. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. What kinds of problems could you solve for a company? What kind of company needs those problems solved? Investigate how you could solve that problem for that kind of company.[ ] Not Targeting Your Job Search. What kinds of jobs are you interested in? What kind of company do you want to work for? If your answer is, “I don’t care, I just need a job,” your job search is less likely t o be successful than if you spend some time thinking about where you want to work, and what you want to do (and how to get there!).[ ] Not Making It Easy for an Employer to See How You’d Fit In. Generic résumés don’t attract employer attention. Instead, you need to show an employer how you can add value to their company. You need to customize your tool for the job. You wouldn’t use a hammer to tighten a screw, would you? You can’t use the same résumé to apply for vastly different jobs â€" for example, an elementary teaching position and a job as a sales assistant. Figure out what the key components of the job are, and then showcase how you can do those things in your résumé.[ ] Quitting Your Job Instead of Keeping It While You Find a Better One. Maybe your Mom gave you this advice: “Don’t quit your job until you have a new one.” Mom was onto something. It’s controversial, but hiring managers and recruiters confirm that it’s easier to find a job if you’re cu rrently employed. Jobseekers who have a job are more attractive candidates. Maybe it’s because unemployment can make you (seem) desperate. But study after study shows that currently employed candidates are hired more frequently than unemployed jobseekers … it’s especially tough if you have been out of work for quite some time.[ ] Confusing Activity With Action. Are you confusing “busywork” with progress? Are you spending a lot of time researching jobs online and applying for lots of positions? While it’s recommended that you spend at least an hour a day on your job search if you are currently employed (and two to three times that if you are currently unemployed), make sure you are tracking how much time you are spending, and what you are spending it on. Spend your time on high value tasks â€" like identifying and researching companies you’d like to work for, and trying to connect directly with hiring managers and recruiters, and having coffee with someone who works for the company you’re applying at â€" and not just simply spending time in front of your computer.[ ] Paying Attention to Other People’s Opinions. “You have to do this,” “Never do that,” “My cousin’s best friend got a job by standing out in front of the company wearing a sandwich board.” Everyone’s got an opinion about how to conduct a job search. Some of it is confusing, some of it is just plain wrong. Your friends and family can be wrong about how the job search works, and it might hurt your chances to get your dream job. Trust your résumé writer, and trust your instincts. Don’t believe everything you read online, and remember that one person’s opinion is just that â€" one person’s opinion.[ ] Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again and Expecting Different Results. “I applied for six jobs and haven’t heard anything back.” Well, then something’s not working. Either stop applying for advertised positions, start following up on the applications youâ €™ve already put in, or figure out a different way to connect with your dream job. It’s been said that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” If what you’re doing isn’t working, do something different![ ] Not Paying Attention to What Worked For You Before in Your Job Search. This is the opposite of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This time, we want you to achieve the same result as before â€" a great job. So look at what worked for you the last time you landed the job you wanted. Were you networking at a professional association meeting? At your child’s basketball game and struck up a conversation with the person next to you? Or did you apply on a company’s website? Consider doing more of what worked for you last time and see if it works for you again.[ ] Applying Through Traditional Means. You see a job posted on Indeed.com for a job you’re really interested in. Do you click “Apply Now”? Not without first looking to see if the job is advertised on the company’s own website. Applying on the company’s website is generally preferred to applying through a job search portal, even if the application button takes you to the same form. (That way, it will list the source of the application as the company website, and not Indeed.com.) After you apply online, don’t stop there. See if you are already connected with someone at the company. Reach out to him or her and see if you can find the name of the hiring manager. Connect with the hiring manager directly by email or phone. Follow up by mailing a print copy of your résumé.[ ] Forgetting That People Hire People. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the technology in a job search. How to make your résumé ATS-friendly (meaning, helping it get through the Applicant Tracking System software that many large companies use). How to use LinkedIn in the job search. Don’t forget that ultimately , people hire people. Connecting to the right person at a company can make the difference between getting hired, and not even getting a response to your application.[ ] Getting Frustrated. The average length of time for a job search has steadily increased over the past few years. In a recent RiseSmart survey, 40 percent of hiring managers report conducting between 3-10 interviews before extending a job offer, and nearly three-quarters of those surveyed said their hiring process is three weeks or longer. So don’t be discouraged if it takes days … or weeks … to hear back after applying or interviewing.[ ] Putting All Your Eggs In One Basket. “But this is my dream job!” While that may be true, you will have a better chance of getting a better job if you don’t rely on a single opportunity. Wouldn’t it be great to have two or three job offers to choose from? That’s only going to happen if you diversify your job search. Apply for multiple positions â€" even a couple you th ink you wouldn’t necessarily accept. You never know â€" you might learn in the interview process that it really is your dream job â€" or the company might even create your dream job for you, once they know what you have to offer them.[ ] Not Spending Enough Time on Your Job Search. You’ve probably heard it said that looking for a job is a job in itself. That’s partially true. Yes, some people will hear about an opportunity from a friend and get hired (sometimes without even applying). But for the vast majority of jobseekers, you’ll have to invest time in getting your résumé prepared, applying for positions, following up, and more.[ ] Spending Too Much Time on Your Job Search. On the other hand, it is possible to spend too much time on your job search. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your job search and, the next thing you know, it’s 1 a.m. Remember, one of the best ways to find your next job is talking to people you know. So give yourself permission to “stop working† on your job search and hang out with your friends. (And maybe make some new friends while you’re at it!)[ ] Spending Too Much Time Online. It’s easy to think that a modern job search can be done entirely online. But it’s estimated that 75 percent of jobs are never advertised â€" so it’s likely that the job you want can’t be found while you’re sitting at your computer. Get out and talk to people you know! Meet new people![ ] Not Having a Support Network. A job search can be difficult. It can be stressful. It can be exhausting. You need a support network to help you through it. That can include not only friends and family, but also paid professionals who are there to guide, motivate, and encourage you. A résumé writer, career coach, or even a mental health therapist can be a valuable part of your support network.[ ] Not Engaging Professionals to Help. Speaking of résumé writers, career coaches, and therapists, one common mistake jobseekers make is trying to go it alo ne. If you wanted to climb Mount Everest, you’d hire a guide. When you’re climbing the job search mountain, engage a “career navigator” to help you along the way![ ] Not Asking Others For Help. When someone asks you for help in their job search, you willingly offer it (if you’re able), don’t you? So why is it that we’re so reluctant to ask others for their help when we need it? People like to help other people. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. But make sure you’re asking for the right kind of help. Ask specific questions: “Do you know anyone who works for Company XYZ?” “How did you get your job at Organization ABC?” “Would you mind helping me practice my interview answers?”[ ] Only Applying for Advertised Jobs. Research shows that up to three quarters of job openings are never advertised publicly. Many of these are filled through employee referrals and word of mouth. And sometimes, you can apply to a company for a job that doesn’t even exist yet. Yes, companies do create jobs. Sometimes they will meet a candidate and not have a current opening that would be a match. In that case, they will sometimes create a new position that takes advantage of the candidate’s knowledge and experience.[ ] Networking The Wrong Way. Second only to not using your network at all is using it incorrectly. Your network is comprised of all the people that you know and also all the people that they know. Don’t just think that because you don’t personally know anyone who works for Company ABC that you’re out of luck using your network. Ask the people you know who they know. But remember that networking requires relationship building and relationship management. If you haven’t talked to someone for five years, don’t let your first contact with them be, “Hey, can you help me get a job at your company?” Author Harvey Mackay has a great book on this: “Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty.”[ ] Unintentionally Broadcasting Your Job Search. If you’re currently employed, be careful with your job search. Don’t set up a LinkedIn profile and send out so many connection requests that you go from 0 to 500 connections in a week. Be thoughtful about your job search, and deliberate. Turn off the setting that sends notifications to others in LinkedIn, especially as you build your profile. Don’t apply to job postings that don’t specify the employer. (That perfect job you’re applying for might be your current position!) And be sure to let any recruiters you’re working with know that you’re conducting a confidential job search.[ ] Not Doing Your Homework. You wouldn’t buy a car without researching the brand, make, and model a bit first, would you? Then why would you go to an interview without first doing a Google search on the company, looking at their website, and studying what they do? It’s easier than ever these days to not only research the company, but also the person interviewing you and you may even be able to find out the salary range for your position at that company![ ] Not Asking What the Next Step Is. You’re finishing the interview. The interviewer asks if you have any questions. You don’t ask any. They shake your hand and you leave. You’ve missed a huge opportunity. Thank the interviewer for his or her time. Tell them you’re very interested in the position and then ask what the next step is! “Is there anything else you need from me at this point? What’s the next step? Can I follow up with you next week if I haven’t heard back from you? Would you prefer I call or send you an email?”[ ] Badmouthing Your Current Employer. Even if you’re unhappy in your current job, keep that to yourself. Don’t post negative status updates on social media and do not say anything about your current employer when interviewing for a new job. Stick to phrases like, “I am looking for a new challenge,” or “I’m looking to use my skills and experience in a new setting, and when I heard about this opportunity, I couldn’t pass it up.”[ ] Not Following All the Way Through. Sometimes you’ll apply for a job, get selected for an interview, and not get the offer. That’s going to happen. The question is: What can you learn from it? If you don’t follow through, you can’t use the experience to get closer to your dream job. So follow up! Don’t be afraid to reach out to the hiring manager and thank them for the opportunity to meet with them. Ask for their honest advice about what you could do better in future interviews. Ask about the person who got hired. What qualifications, skills, education, or experience did they have that you didn’t? Sometimes you won’t be able to get an answer to your questions â€" but imagine how helpful it would be if you did![ ] Being Unprepared For Your Job Search. You need tools to help you succeed in your job search. An updated, targeted résumé. A “complete” LinkedIn profile with at least 150 connections. Cover lett ers. Thank you letters. Answers to the top 20 interview questions you might be expected to answer. You wouldn’t go into battle unarmed; don’t go into a job search unprepared.[ ] Not Thanking People Who Have Helped You Along The Way. Once you’ve successfully landed your new job, don’t forget to go back and thank those people who helped you with your job search. That will help ensure they’re willing to help you the next time you’re looking to make a move.