The internet is full of thousands and thousands of blogs, from firms and recruiters such as us.

Before I begin, I agree the title of this blog is a bit harsh. I couldn’t agree more that there is nothing funny about unemployment and that applying for jobs endlessly is frustrating. However what is frustrating for me is meeting candidates who are years out of their degree or professional work, and have their job hunting routines and methods stuck on repeat, wondering why no one has employed them. There is endless emphasis in Australian’s labour market to constantly learn and upskill to increase your employability, but has anyone told you that the same should occur for your job hunting?

You never stop learning, so why not change your job application techniques to get employed quicker?

What I am here to do is be honest and say that upon completing your reading of this blog, your life will not change. Nor should it. The next recruitment firms website won’t change your life either. Most authors of these blogs and articles give the impression that their advice is the key you need to secure happy employment. The most important thing I want you to get from my blog regarding job hunting is this: always keep learning and never be afraid to change.
Aside from applying for jobs, it is important to also set aside some time each week to read blogs from recruiters to gather more methods on how to secure employment, and then re-evaluate if there is anything you can be doing differently.

The worst thing you can do is a quick Google search, read some articles once, and then assume that because you read the advice of 2-3 professionals that you will be employed quickly. Below are some typical traps that I come across often from candidates who did quick initial research and because the internet told them to do it they never think to change their methods:

Resume Templates

If you Google ‘Resume templates’ then you will be spoilt for choice with thousands of options. It’s fine to utilise free templates, but you need to have the knowledge of when to use each template for your audience. It’s like owning a new gadget or appliance; its cool to own one but important to know how to use it.
If you know you are sending your application through to a recruiter or HR manager, then it is worth something a bit more eye catching with a bit of colour. If you are sending your resume to a company and you know the manager or director will be receiving it, then don’t waste their time with fancy templates and colourful designs, something plain and to the point is needed as you don’t want to slow them down. You also need to look through the company website: if they portray a corporate imagine which is fun, energetic, or creative, then a colourful and creative template is better despite it going through to the manager. One size does not fit all with resumes.

Cover Letters

You can easily Google ‘how to write a cover letter’ and come across dozens of templates. However you need to know your audience, and think about what the person receiving the cover letter wants to see to be interested to read further. Give purpose to everything that you do, rather than just a generic copy/paste effort, it is obvious.
This previous blog has more information on the importance of taking the time to tailor your cover letter.

Arrive Early To An Interview

If you Google ‘how to attend an interview’, all advice will tell you to arrive early. However, did you know that anything before more than 20-25 minutes might be considered rude?
You have an allocated time, and to arrive 15 minutes early is socially acceptable. If you arrive anything earlier than 20-25 minutes before your allocated time then rather it showing that you are keen and eager for the interview, then it actually shows you cannot follow instructions.