8 Common Mistakes That Will Derail a Job Search

I recently joined Michelle Mudge-Riley on her free webinar to talk about mistakes that will derail a job search. We listed the major ones that we have witnessed and took questions from the audience. Here are some of the Mistakes That Will Derail a Job Search that we discussed. #1 – Tunnel vision and not keeping an open mind About possible jobs About how you will find a job About your capabilities #2 – Being intimidated by a job description Many of us have landed jobs even though we don't meet the written "requirements" Many qualifications are "nice to have" not "must-haves" #3 – Preparing a CV rather than a resume Might be OK for an academic position What's the difference? Focus on the summary with keywords Emphasize accomplishments with measurable outcomes #4 – Using the same cover letter and resume for different jobs or different industries Example – "leadership role in the health insurance or pharma industry" Each employer has its own needs  List experiences and skills for each potential employer #5 – Depending too much on electronic applications and not leveraging networks One of my guests found herself suddenly anxious to leave her clinical job – she reached out to some former classmates for advice and one of them just became aware of a job as a life insurance medical director – she applied – landed the job – and loves it 10 years later Networking is a foreign concept to physicians  We have a twisted concept of networking – standing around at a reception at the end of an all-day conference handing out business cards Networking is reconnecting with old medical school classmates and former co-residents directly #6 – Not learning the jargon of the field we're pursuing hospital management, quality improvement, clinical documentation improvement, utilization management, expert witness, pharma jobs all have specific terms use in the cover letter, resume, interviews #7 – Not taking the interview seriously Failure to bring copies of your resume dress properly arrive early listen more than you talk asking enough questions #8 – Not preparing sufficiently Not understanding the job posting Not doing enough research on the position or organization Check out financial reports, stock reports, Guidestar, Google, rating agencies There are important issues at each step. But don't get overwhelmed. Listen to the full episode to hear about 2 BONUS mistakes to avoid. And remember that this podcast is also made possible by the support of my sponsor, the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program. You can learn more about it at nonclinicalphysicians.com/physicianmba. Go to the show notes at nonclinicalphysicians.com/mistakes-that-will-derail-a-job-search to access the links mentioned in today's episode. Check out the Clinicians Career Cooperative here. The membership price is going to increase very soon, so sign up now to lock in the introductory rate and engage with dozens of nonclinical career experts! Get an updated edition of the FREE GUIDE to 10 Nonclinical Careers at nonclinicalphysicians.com/freeguide.