Survey: Biggest Job Search Mistakes

OfficeTeam asked office professionals to share the biggest job search blunders they had heard of or witnessed firsthand.

Survey respondents were asked, "What is the biggest mistake you've heard of someone making during his or her job search?"

Answers included:

• "Someone interviewed for a position and was not given the job. But he showed up anyway, saying, 'Here I am!'"
• "An applicant came in with his recruiter and had the recruiter answer the questions."
• "A job seeker didn't hang up the phone after calling about a job. I overheard everything he said, and it wasn't good."
• "One gentleman submitted a resume that contained misspelled words and an orange juice stain."
• "When asked what he had been doing while unemployed, the applicant said, 'Staying home and watching TV.'"
• "One woman immediately described her faults to the interviewer and mentioned days she would need to take off."
• "During an interview, when asked what his greatest faults were, an applicant gave too many answers. He kept going and going and going."

Poor communication etiquette was a mistake cited often by survey respondents, including applicants following up too frequently, failing to return calls or show interest in the job, and talking too much or too little during the interview.

Behavior that also left a bad impression included job seekers who admitted they were only interested in the money or benefits, failed to research the company, or who were discourteous to employees in the office (for example, the office receptionist).

-- This survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a staffing service specializing in the placement of skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from 500 individuals ages 18 or order.