Don’t Become a Desperate Job Seeker

Desperation in a tech job search – just like in dating – is never attractive.  Desperate people have lower standards. They will accept any attention they can get. And they will go to extreme lengths when they think they’re losing their grip on a lead. Calm, confident people who are interested in learning more before taking a leap are the people who turn heads.

However, if you’re between jobs, if you have a family to support or if your search has dragged on for months with no offers, it’s easy to feel desperate. But desperation could be the reason why you haven’t landed a job.

Signs You’ve Become A Desperate Job Seeker

It’s important to be able to identify the signs of desperation, so you can take the necessary steps to correct your approach. You could be desperate if:

• You follow up too frequently. Employers do have a poor track record of communicating with candidates, but you never want to get on the hiring manager’s nerves.
• You apply to multiple positions at the same company. You may be eager to get your foot in the door, but applying to too many openings makes you look like you have no idea what you want to do with your career.
• You will accept any salary. Any self-respecting tech pro knows market rates and has a salary in mind when applying for new roles.
• You don’t ask questions. Desperate job seekers typically don’t ask probing questions about the role, work environment, benefits or perks because they don’t really care where they land a job.

How To Avoid Looking Desperate

Even if you actually are desperate to land a job, you never want to appear desperate to a hiring manager. If you’ve been giving off signs of desperation, it’s time to rethink your approach.

• Back off. Don’t follow up every two days. Ask the hiring manager for a timeline for hearing back, and only follow up once after that deadline has passed. Confident people don’t beg.
• Get organized. If you’re applying to jobs willy-nilly with no sense of purpose, your search is going to feel frantic. Make lists of jobs you have applied for so you can track your progress and ensure you don’t re-apply to the same job or company multiple times.
• Redo your resume. Sometimes a resume facelift can do wonders for a job search. Spend time updating and refreshing your resume if it’s been a while since you’ve touched it.
• Practice your interviewing skills. Practice interviewing so that you don’t get off script in an actual interview.

Work With A Professional IT Recruiter

A recruiter can help boost your confidence by connecting you to opportunities that are aligned with your goals. you are a talented professional seeking new IT career opportunities in Chicago, work with the recruiters at CultureFit. We can quickly connect you with opportunities where you will feel culturally aligned, so you can get your career back on track. Contact us today to learn more.