The following is a guest post by Erik Larson.
Many job seekers have a misconception that interviewers are superior beings. You must understand that, at one point, your interviewer was exactly in the same position as you are now: worrying about when he or she will get their first job offer.
Considering hiring managers to be infallible is not the only misconception most job seekers have. Here are common misconceptions that plague the minds of many job candidates:
1. I must show my creativity in my resume.
A resume is a document meant to showcase your credentials, not creativity or humor. A resume is one document you shouldn’t experiment with, according to experts. So, follow the rules of resume writing when creating one, and avoid experimenting with it.
Hiring managers and recruiters like resumes that convey the candidate’s skills in clear terms. The format of your resume should be such that recruiters have no difficulty understanding what you have to offer. The important information — such as your education, skills, and experience — should not be cryptic or obscured but rather laid out clearly so recruiters can easily compare your resume to other resumes and judge where you stand.
The aim of sending a resume, to reiterate, is to make it easier for the recruiter to know relevant information about you. The purpose of sending a resume is not to show off your creative skills and, in the process, give the recruiter a headache as he or she tries to make heads or tails of your resume.
2. The recruiter’s only aim is to humiliate me.
Many interviewees wrongly believe the hiring manager’s only aim is to humiliate, confuse, and mystify them. In truth, the only thing the recruiter is concerned with is to find out whether or not you are suitable for the job. Sometimes recruiters do put on a slightly aggressive demeanor, but their intentions are certainly not malicious. All they are trying to do is gauge if you can take the heat or not.
3. I will fit in any work environment.
Many first timers don’t make an effort to understand the work culture of the company to which they apply. This, according to the experts, is because of two reasons:
- They are so concerned about getting through the interview they believe understanding the work environment is not important.
- They believe they can fit in any work environment.
While the first reason is valid, it is still no excuse for not gathering relevant information about the company where you may soon be working. The second reason is an outright misjudgment – nobody can fit in all types of work environments.
Different companies have different work cultures. If the work culture of the company does not suit you, you will never be happy working there. While you may try to convince yourself that working in a likeable work environment is no big deal, the fact is employees who are unable to gel with the company’s environment remain dissatisfied with their jobs. Unsatisfied or unhappy employees, you must understand, are unable to work to their full potential unless they tackle the issues that bother them. So, do yourself a favor and learn as much as you can about the culture of the company at which you have applied for a job.
About the Author:
Erik Larson is a master’s level career counselor and an internationally certified as a Career Management Practitioner (CMP) by the Institute for Career Certification International. He was also recognized as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board for Certified Counselors. You can check out his site at ResumeIndex.com.
