5 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Job Search

Finding the best career path for you can be an overwhelming process at times. Maha Guindi, Career Center director, and Mirray Fahim ‘06, human resources business partner at Nestle Egypt, share their input on the biggest mistakes to avoid during the job search. 

1. Being unrealistic: Lack of career exploration and job market knowledge may lead you to set unrealistic expectations for your future job prospects, such as acquiring a more senior position or higher salary than is possible immediately upon graduating. Make sure to compare your career aspirations to the current state of the field in which you are interested in order to set realistic aspirations. 
    
2. Forgetting to do your homework: A common mistake is not conducting enough background research to understand the industry, business model and market of the company to which you are applying. As a result, you might be ill-prepared to tackle the different challenges posed during the initial stages of the recruitment process, such as an interview or case study.
    
3. Underestimating the importance of self-reflection: It is incredibly important to have self-awareness and clear objectives for your future before beginning your job search. While the latter comes from lifelong reflection on your past experiences, it helps to have a defined career aspiration and map out how a specific organization or company can help you reach that end goal.
    
4. Ignoring your passions: If you do not initially follow your passion, you may end up needing to revisit your early career choices at some point down the line in order to find work in a field that you are truly passionate about. Often, this might mean being creative in your job search or being open to non-traditional options, such as taking entrepreneurial risks, rather than seeking employment at a more traditional company. While following your passions can seem overwhelming or scary, it is an essential part of securing your long-term job satisfaction.
    
5. Procrastinating: It is crucial to realize that the job search process in itself is a full-time job, which can be especially time consuming for those who are still students. Although it’s often tempting to put it off, you must prioritize career planning and dedicate time to acquiring the skills to land your perfect job, such as writing a professional resume, practicing interview techniques and making helpful connections through social networking. This will all help facilitate your transition from university to different fields in the real world, from business and law to fashion and medicine.