Myths That Are Sabotaging Your Job Search

Sometimes it’s hard to separate fact from fiction. Many opinions are simply based on anecdotal evidence, but they spread and soon become conventional wisdom, even though they bear little resemblance to actual reality.

This is certainly true of recruiting and hiring. There is a lot of information that passes for conventional wisdom that is now outdated and no longer true. Here are some of the most common myths still circulating.

Changing jobs too often will hurt your career.

This was true in the past to a great extent. People that changed their jobs often were seen as job hoppers, leading employers to question how long they might stay at their company.

But, as the competition for talent has become fiercer, it’s no longer the hindrance that it once was. Employers now understand that people need to change jobs in order to grow in their careers and increase their salaries

Today, people will have as many as 15 jobs throughout their careers. The average tenure for most people at a job is about five years.

However, you still need to be careful that you are not moving too often. For example, moving between several different jobs in the space of several months will still raise eyebrows and probably won’t help you create a good impression with an employer.

Older workers have a harder time finding jobs.

Bias against older workers certainly still exists, but the stigma attached to older employees is definitely not what it used to be. Again, the competition for talent is having a big impact on company recruiting, and just as it has influenced the attitudes around job hopping, it has also changed how companies view older workers.

What companies value most are the skills and knowledge needed to do the job, no matter what your age. In fact, older workers can use their greater skills and knowledge to their advantage when selling themselves to an employer.

The resume should be no more than one page.

This used to be a hard and fast rule, but now, not so much. The length of the resume really depends on a person’s background and experience. Some recruiters actually like resumes that are two pages because they go into more detail about a person’s skills and accomplishments.

And that’s what really matters. If you have a great deal of experience, you may want to extend your resume to two pages to make sure you can include all of your accomplishments and all the skills you have gained throughout your career.

Cover letters don’t matter anymore.

This is another myth. Cover letters are still important. First of all, they demonstrate your communication skills. They are a great way to talk about the things that you cannot include in the resume, such as why you want the job, why you want to work at this particular company, and what you can offer that no one else can.

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