From Campus to Classroom: Stories That Shape Education
- Polish resumes and cover letters: Focus on achievements and measurable outcomes, not just duties, to show real impact.
- Clean your digital footprint: Remove or privatize negative social media content recruiters might find when researching you.
- Network and follow up: Combine online strategy with in-person connections and follow up within 24 hours on leads.
Dr. Marcia F. Robinson is a senior certified HR professional, diversity strategist, and curator of TheHBCUCareerCenter.com. She advises organizations on building inclusive talent pipelines and improving diversity recruiting outcomes.
Everybody makes job search mistakes. However, many of the job search mistakes listed below can be avoided with a little bit of research and preparation. If you believe you are not making job search progress, it’s time to get strategic and zero in on what could be going wrong.
Bad resumes and cover letters
This is a no brainer. There are many resume samples and cover letter samples available for free on the internet. If you are not sure if you’re hitting the mark on your resume, check out our Free Resume Feedback, our 60-Minute Resume Challenge, or explore our Workshop Library. On sites like Canva, you can find a wide array of layouts.
Digital dirt everywhere
Too many people forget to clean up their digital dirt on social media. Twitter bios and timelines, Facebook pages etc. should all be stripped of any negative information that could cause a recruiter to dismiss you as a candidate. At the very least, use a different name or a nickname on your social media if you don’t want employers to find it. The reality is, in 2025, employers will likely google candidates that they are considering. Job seekers who make this mistake often don’t know what they are doing to drive recruiters away.
Not speaking of outcomes
It’s sometimes easy to forget that you need to do more than talk about tasks, degrees or college major on your resume. Skills, experience, accomplishments, leadership and career goals should be part of the conversation. More importantly, there needs to be information about outcomes from using your skills or gaining experiences. What did you accomplish in your previous job? This will change the effectiveness of your resume drastically.
Answer the question, how did you make your company more money, save them time, or improve an experience?
Not networking enough
In a digital economy, some job seekers believe that posting a resume on a job board is all they need to do in a job search. Not true. Job seekers must have an online job search strategy, but they must also have an “on-land” strategy. Move away from the computer and meet actual people at job fairs, community events etc.
No follow up
Whether it’s with a job lead, a networking contact or a personal referral, job seekers struggle in the job search without consistent effort and follow up. Time is of the essence. It is important to act with a sense of urgency. Follow up on leads within 24 hours.
Poor interview performance
If you are failing in the job search because of poor interview performance, a mock interview could be the answer. Practice interviews will help you develop your ability to answer questions and stay confident in the job interview. Watch our Interview Like a P.R.O. video series to practice for your next job interview.
Not using your college career center
Whether you are a student or alum of an HBCU, your career center can help you!
National Association of Colleges and Employers reports that 72% of graduating seniors who plan to enter the workforce use the campus career center. I know from my personal experience in career centers, that the percentage of students of color using the campus career center before graduation is about 35%. Greater use of the campus career center, will definitely yield greater job search success.
Lack of research
This is biggest complaint that employers make about job seekers they interview. Too many people do absolutely no research about the job, the company or the industry. This shows up in your resume and job interview as a lack of interest.
No mentors or career advisors
Personal mentors and career advisors play a critical role in a successful job search. These are the professionals who can help you answer questions about the job search process and evaluate job opportunities.
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