The Top 4 Myths You Need to Stop Believing to Get Your Next Job

Recruiters receive all kinds of CVs on a daily basis. When they put up an advertisement for a job opening, they usually expect to receive applications from well-qualified candidates. But do you know what happens? The largest number of applicants are never qualified for the position they are applying for.

You may be frowning at that statement and cursing under your breath, saying how unfair recruiters are. You may even not believe this post, but it is the reality. While you say or think you are qualified for a certain position, a recruiter may think otherwise. Not because they are being ignorant or unfair, but because your CV is the only determinant.

Remember recruiters haven’t met you, they don’t know you, and are at no liberty to assume you are good enough. It is through your CV that they get to learn about your qualifications and make a decision. For this reason, you need to apply with a CV that meets recruiters’ and employers’ standards. Having one that impresses only you is not enough. You need to also impress the person hiring.

Which brings me to my next point. Have you considered asking someone to check your CV and give you a second opinion? How about investing in a professionally done CV? Many have done it and enjoyed the fruits of increased interviews and job opportunities. What are you waiting for?

Related: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About the Current Job Market in Kenya 

Here are 4 Myths You Need to Stop Believing for Your Next Job

1. It is Okay to Use One CV in All Your Job Applications

If you have been blasting one CV to every single job opening you believe you match qualifications, you might be jobless a very long time. As a job seeker, you need to always edit your CV to fit a job. What does this mean? If you are a professional in the Administration field, don’t use the same CV to apply for the positions of Administrative Assistant and Front Office Assistant.

While you are basically qualified for the two roles, the job titles, as you can see, are different. That means that probably the most important skills of the jobs are also listed differently and your applying with the same CV could cost you one, or both jobs. Not because you are not qualified, but because you didn’t take the time to edit your CV to fit that specific role.

2. Recruiters Usually Hire People they Know, they Don’t Need Your CV

This myth is the worst of them all. Yes, people do get hired based on people they know. But did you know these people have to provide their CVs too for consideration? Even if the person hiring candidates for an open position was your uncle or sister-in-law, they will still ask you for your CV. It is the only document that shows where you have worked before or your education.

So don’t always believe what people say. Instead, focus on having a professional CV that communicates your expertise to any employer.

3. Paying for a Professional CV is a Waste of Time

Yes, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But when your opinion is the reason you can’t get job interviews, you might want to rethink it. I am not saying everyone who gets a job has previously paid to have their CV professionally done. No.

What I am saying is, if you are still not getting any job interviews and you are suitably qualified for the roles, your problem is definitely the CV. Not probably, I am telling you with certainty, that your issue is your CV. And you need to consult a second party or a professional CV Writer for a second opinion.

4. Recruitment Agencies are Not Helpful

Have you ever asked yourself why the same recruitment agencies you believe are not helpful still remain in business?

It is because they fill the positions they always have. This is to mean that whenever you see a job opening and assume that you will not get it anyway, someone else has made an application, gotten the job interview and went through to getting hired.

And all this happened as you held your belief that recruitment agencies don’t. It is always easy to believe negative information than it is to believe the positive. But don’t become a victim.

Related: I Now Believe Recruitment Companies are Real: Says Florence Karaya

Is your CV professional enough to get you interviews? Leave a comment below and read this story of a job seeker who changed her interview odds by getting a professional CV.