It might not be spring yet, but, in my humble opinion, it’s always time for "spring cleaning."
There is something particularly freeing about clearing out the clutter and having a clean work space. Whether it's your desk, your car, or your closet, we all need to sometimes say "out with the old!" to make room for other new, and possibly better things. Clearing something off your desk is equivalent to putting to rest tasks and thoughts that occupy mindshare as well. Think of how much more relaxed you will be and how good you will feel by clearing your mind of old projects and obligations.
However, this blog post isn't going to be about the importance of a clear workspace. Instead, this post is about the importance of a clear job search and how to get it that way.
As a society, we struggle with defining what we truly need. What typically ends up happening is that our lives are so choked up with our "necessities" that we miss out on our original goal.
Check out this list of three things you don’t need in your job search:
Abandoned social media profile.
I'll be the first person to say that social media is important and job seekers are missing out if they’re not participating. However, there are simply too many job seekers signing up for the latest and greatest social media site only to never return to their profile again.
I completely understand. You're a busy person and there is only so much time you can dedicate to Facebook, Twitter, and the like.
The problem lies in the fact that abandoned social media profiles still lurk and speak volumes about you to those who stumble across them (like potential employers). An old social media profile can be a huge red flag to employers – after all, do they really want to hire an employee who starts things and walks away without finishing or following through?
Instead of having ten or fifteen social media profiles that split up your time, aim to have two or three. A few well-maintained social media profiles make up for a dozen abandoned ones. Also try scheduling tools like Tweetdeck so that you don’t have to worry if you are only available once or twice a week.
Expensive resume paper
…or that leather-bound portfolio or the designer suit… Whatever it is, you don’t need it. Too many job seekers are caught thinking that there is no way they’re going to get hired without spending a fortune on this accessory or that. More important than "looking the part," is "walking the walk and talking the talk."
An employer isn't going to hire you for the pricey stationery and accessories you bring to a meeting. You're going to get hired based on merit and experience, not labels.
5,000 acquaintances
As more and more people jump on the social media bandwagon, our friends/followers/connections lists have expanded to gargantuan numbers. While it might be nice to reconnect with that guy you were reading buddies with in kindergarten, how many of your “friends” are anything more than acquaintances, or friends of friends that you think you met once at the Houston rodeo.
Instead of treating your entire social network like your intimate circle of friends, take some time to sort out your connections. Facebook and Google+ make it easy to filter content for specific people without any awkward deleting or de-friending. When you organize your connections, you’ll find that you can have more meaningful, purposeful interactions with your different friends, without neglecting or having friends in certain cliques virtually drowned out by content streaming from more, shall we say vocal, friends in certain other cliques.
What do you think? What other things would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Tony Morrison is the Vice President at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. Tony is focused on helping job seekers find their ideal job and employers attract and engage rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.
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