HEARD IN THE LUNCHROOM

How to Avoid Sabotaging Your Job Search

The last thing you want to do when looking for a new job is to make the search difficult for yourself. Here are seven common job search mistakes and how to avoid them:

• Keeping your job search to yourself. Spread the word about your job hunt to everyone you know, including family members, friends, professors and former coworkers. Also take advantage of professional networking websites such as LinkedIn and work with staffing firms that specialize in your field and maintain a broad base of contacts in the local business community.
• Adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. Tailor each resume and cover letter to the particular opportunity, and try to obtain the name of the hiring manager so you can personalize your cover letter. A little detective work can go a long way in helping you stand out.
• Failing to proofread. Make sure your resume and cover letter are error free. Be vigilant about spelling, grammar and punctuation in all of your written communication with hiring managers, including e-mails and thank-you notes. Ask a detail-oriented friend to review all of your materials before submitting them.
• Not doing your research. Applicants who uncover beyond-the-basics knowledge of the job and company by using the Internet and corporate websites are better able to communicate specific ways they can contribute to the organization’s success.
• Posting indiscriminately. Consider your online image, and don’t post anything online that would appear unprofessional (think spring break photos, rants about a former employer, etc.) to a hiring manager or recruiter.
• Failing to thank others. Express appreciation to everyone who helps you in your job search, whether or not their efforts on your behalf are successful. Also be sure to send thank-you notes to every hiring manager you meet.

Improving Your Relationships With International Colleagues

As business becomes increasingly global, you will have more opportunities to meet people from different countries. To ensure that your international relationships run as smoothly as possible, here are some tips for interacting with colleagues and business contacts from around the world:

• Prepare. Research business and etiquette rules in advance to learn about cultural differences in a particular country.
• Make the right introduction. Improperly addressing a person is a common but serious blunder. Learn the appropriate use of a first name, last name and title in each country where your company conducts business.
• Go the extra mile. By learning a key phrase or two of the language, or demonstrating some knowledge of a country’s current business environment, you’ll show that you’re trying to bridge the communication gap.
• Acknowledge efforts. Remember that your own ways of doing business may be just as unfamiliar to colleagues in other countries as theirs are to you. Show appreciation for their efforts to meet you halfway.
• Relax and have fun. Perfectionism may be the greatest barrier to effective business communication. Don’t dwell on errors — your own or your colleague’s.

Heard in the Lunchroom^SM is provided by Robert Half, the world’s largest specialized staffing firm and a leading authority on workplace and management trends.  For more information, visit www.rhi.com.