Three Hiring Myths To Ignore During Your Job Search

Worried that you aren’t the perfect candidate for the job, or that you aren’t applying to enough opportunities? Maybe you’re watching the phone and wondering why you haven’t heard back from your Hiring Manager? There are a lot of job search myths out there that may be causing you some extra stress. It’s time to debunk the three most common:

Myth #1: “Companies are only considering the ‘perfect’ candidates”

We’re not going to lie; Hiring Managers want to come across a candidate with the exact experience, skill set, and cultural fit. Chances are very slim, though, that they are going to find the perfect candidate who, no doubt, will ride into their job interview on a unicorn. The idea that you aren’t “perfect” for a job shouldn’t stop you from applying. Most companies will end up hiring someone who doesn’t meet every desired prerequisite. In fact, most companies hire with the idea that they are going to have to train some aspects of the job.

Myth #2: “The more jobs you apply to, the better your chances at getting a job!”

While casting a wide net and applying to everything you come across may seem like a logical way to increase your chances of getting hired, for job seekers, quality is always going to outweigh quantity. Applying to more jobs doesn’t necessarily increase your chances of being hired, especially if you are applying for jobs that are a reach for your skills and experience level. It’s true that Hiring Managers may be willing to take a chance on interviewing a candidate that has transferable skills or experience that can make up for certain deficiencies, but only if there is a compelling reason. A much better use of your time would be to personalize the resumes for jobs that closely match your skills and experience as that will definitely increase your chances of getting an interview.

Myth #3: “Hiring Managers will decide whether they are going to hire you immediately after an interview.”

In a perfect world we would all love to get a call from the Hiring Manager on the way home from the interview offering you the job. In the real world, though, this rarely happens. Hiring Managers need time to make a decision, and that time can vary from a few hours to a few weeks. Much deliberation goes into the hiring process and even if a candidate is decided on early in their interview process the actual onboarding will take time. So, if you are freaking out because it’s been three days and you haven’t heard back from your Hiring Manager, stop worrying. Chances are they are still deliberating behind the scenes, so keep your head up and, as Journey would say, don’t stop believing.