Avoiding these mistakes will help you stand out in a crowd.

Even though the job market has turned around and is rich for candidates, I still meet people who are having problems with their job search. Generally their problems are self-induced. Here is a list for you to consider if your employment search is stalled. Compare this list to what you are doing to ensure you are not committing some of the worst job search mistakes.

1. Sending a resume that doesn’t set you apart from the competition. Recruiters see hundreds of resumes each week. Be sure yours clearly identifies your accomplishments. It should include statements that emphasize “Did X with the result of Y” in them. Tailor your resume to the position for which you are applying. Keep in mind that most employers prefer to see a chronological resume in a bullet format.

2. Lacking direction in your job-search strategy. There is an old saying: If you don’t know where you want to go, any road you take will get you there! You need to have a job search plan. As I have written before, the Internet is now the number one way people find jobs. But you should still use third party recruiters, networking, newspapers, etc. You never know where your next job will be. But be sure you know what you are searching for so you will recognize a potential lead when you cross it.

3. Sloppy appearance. When you show up for the interview, you should dress conservatively and have proper hygiene. Many interviewers have told me horror stories of candidates showing up in worn and wrinkled clothes with bad breath, drastic hairstyles and excessive jewelry and/or piercings all over their faces. These attributes will work against you in an interview.

4. Bragging. Everyone expects you to emphasize your qualities during a job interview, but don’t go overboard.

5. Talking too much. Keep your answers short and to the point. If you are taking more than two minutes to answer a question, it is probably too long. Keep in mind most companies now use behavioral interviewing. Deliver your answers in a format of situation, action and results (SAR).

6. Coming to the interview unprepared. Thanks to the Internet, it is now very easy to research a company before you go in for an interview. Read the company’s press releases and 10k reports. You can frequently find information on the person with whom you will be interviewing. Do your research well and you will come across as confident and be a more impressive candidate! By being prepared, you will be ready when the interviewer asks you if you have any questions. Saying no conveys you have no interest.

7. Negativity. Many candidates carry their dissatisfaction for their last company or supervisor with them into the interview. This is a surefire way to fail an interview. Never make negative comments about former employers or supervisors. No one wants to hire a negative person, no matter how tight the candidate market may get!

8. Failure to close. If you think of the job search like a sales call, you know you will have to close. So at the end of an interview, ask how you did. Emphasize how much you like the opportunity and would like to join the company. There is nothing wrong with asking what the next step will be.

9. Putting all your eggs in one basket. Job seekers who think they have a job offer coming often stop their job search efforts. This is a mistake for several reasons. One, it leads to a feeling of starting over from scratch which leads to negative and draining emotions. Second, precious time and opportunities are lost. Third, if a second offer is in the works when the anticipated offer materializes, the job seeker is in a much better bargaining position than if he has no other offers to consider.

10. Weak negotiation skills. Most job seekers understand they should not to be the first to bring up money or salary requirements. But at some point your potential employer will ask what you are seeking. If you have done your research on salary.com and other sites, you will know about what the job should be paying. Give a specific number instead of a range. If you give a range the employer will only hear the lower number, not the higher number.

If you are having problems in your job search, review this list and see if you are falling into any of the traps. If you are, practice with someone to clear up any issues and get back to work! PCD&M

Ted Daywalt is CEO and President of VetJobs, the largest military related job board on the Internet. He can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..