From totally choking during a job interview to not following up properly, many nervous and inexperienced job seekers do things they wish they hadn’t. Experts on the other side of the table offer tips all the time on what not to do, but there’s nothing like having firsthand insights from someone who has been there and done that as a job candidate.
Brazen Careerist writer Sarah Greesonbach details the mistakes she’s made in her career when it came to going for the next gig and how you can avoid them.
Mistake No 1: I couldn’t describe myself: You’d think I’d know myself, since I am myself. Yet for some reason, when that question emerged in the interview, I froze and struggled to think of any identifying features that might set me apart.
Avoid this mistake by drafting an elevator pitch that sums up who you are as a professional and as a human being
. Here are a few good examples to start with. Just add your own details and a life experience or two:“For the past 15 years, I was a supervisor at ABC Manufacturing. You might wonder why I want to move into sales at this stage in my career, but much of my time has been spent negotiating with vendors and meeting with CEOs. Although the industries might be different, the skills are the same.â€