10 Ways You Sabotage Your Executive Job Search

Are you blaming the recession for your failure to find your next best job?

According to Sital Ruparelia, in his pithy list of 10 Ways YOU Stop Yourself Getting the Right Job,

“You can sit around all day complaining about the markets and the recession – but if you’re not making progress with your job search, stop looking at what is happening outside and take close look at yourself. How are you stopping yourself making progress?”

Here are 10 things that may be keeping you from moving forward, and what to do about them:

1. Your limiting beliefs

A negative mindset will keep you paralyzed. If you’ve convinced yourself there’s nothing out there for you, there probably won’t be. You have to snap out of your inertia and stop dwelling in a gloom-and-doom mentality.

2. Hanging out with the wrong crowd

Being around others who constantly talk about how bad things are out there will keep you at a standstill. Surround yourself with positive, forward-thinking people, who are willing to share ideas and information.

3. Perfectionism

If you’re holding back on having a conversation with a lead you’ve been given because you’re not quite ready or you’re not sending out your executive resume because it isn’t 100% right, you’re likely missing out on golden opportunities. Get yourself out there, even if you’re only 80% ready.

4. Pride

Maybe your ego’s been deflated because of a lay off. You’re embarrassed to have people think you failed. You decide to lay low and try doing it all yourself. Bad idea. You need to tell everyone you know about your situation. A great lead can come from anywhere.

5. Fear

Fear of failure, fear of rejection, and fear of looking bad in your job search will guarantee you will not make progress. Rejection in job search is a given. Just expect it to happen, roll with it, and learn from it.

6. Being a victim

Blaming outside forces for your situation gets you nowhere but more depressed. And it makes you a drag to be around for the very people who may be able to help you. Look to what you may be able to improve in your own outlook and approach.

7. Knowledge gap

If you don’t know the answer to something or don’t know well enough how to accomplish certain things – like resume writing, networking for results, etc. – look to those who do. Do research and seek out the experts.

8. Being disorganized

80% of success in job searching is about successful follow-up. If you have no records of who you need to talk to, or who you already talked to and what you discussed, you’re really dropping the ball. Keep track of everything on a spreadsheet or whatever works for you, and be diligent in following up.

9. Having all your eggs in one basket

You’re sure you’ve got that great job opportunity sealed up, so you stop looking, or doing anything about job search. In this market, what looks secure one minute, can be pulled out from under you the next. Don’t be complacent – keep building your pipeline of opportunities.

10. Hiding behind your computer

It’s so easy to fall into this trap, because researching, blogging, and using job sites and social media sites like LinkedIn should be important parts of your job search efforts. But technology can keep you from one of the best practices for getting your next job – in person networking. Anyone you know – ex-colleagues, peers, friends, family, recruiters, etc. – can lead you to an opportunity or a decision maker. And being around people will energize you.

To wrap it up, Sital advises, “You can take charge of your job search and your career . . . by taking control of those elements above that you can control.”

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