Use Common Sense When Looking for a Job

Finding a job may be tough, but it is not impossible if you use common sense when applying for a job. In other words, if you are serious about finding a job or new career, look serious. What should applicants avoid when applying for a job?

• Dress to impress. Do not wear a hat. Take of your sunglasses. Do not wear T-shirts with writing on them. Make sure your clothing is clean and free of rips and stains. Ripped jeans are not proper attire for the work place. A nice pair of slacks with a clean button down shirt with no wrinkles says, “I made an effort and I wanted to look professional.” Employers want to know you want the job, so dress like you want the job.


• Fill out the application legibly. Everyone has email today, but an inappropriate email address could derail a person’s career plans. Many people have a personal email address that is not appropriate for a job application. Some examples are “johnnysbabymama,” “gangsta4life,” and anything with profanity in it. Set up an email address through a free site like Yahoo or Google and create a professional email address.


• The ultimate faux pas for job seekers is often a messy resume that is riddled with spelling errors. Make sure your resume is on professional paper and not folded or creased. Don’t submit a resume with smudges or leftovers from lunch that have drizzled onto the paper.
• While the resume should be free of errors, any potential correspondence should be perfect as well. Most email programs have spell checkers, but you must turn them on for them to work. Nothing is more embarrassing than having a typo in a message to an employer. You could ruin your credibility with one little typo.


• Many employers request references. References should not be relatives, at all possible, or the previously mentioned “baby daddy.” The ideal reference is a previous employer who knows what a candidate’s skills and work habits. Personal references are good, but these should be work colleagues. A savvy employer is going to see through the “best friend” bragging on his or her buddy. Be sure to ask your references if you can list them. Nothing is more embarrassing than having a potential employer call a reference and they claim not to know who you are or worse yet, give you a bad review.