Senior Recruiter Amy Schwartz explains how some of the best professionals can find themselves on the wrong side of success while job seeking. Avoid these common mistakes to land the job you want!

1. Showing up under-prepared. Reading through the company’s website doesn’t cut it anymore. With information so readily available in the digital age, more research is also expected of us. Be sure to view the company’s LinkedIn page and the profiles of potential team members. Pepared candidates show up to the interview having researched the company’s financials, public media coverage and press releases. They’ve explored the company’s social media such as YouTube, Twitter, and Faceook. They’ve used their research to educate themselves, formulate questions, and summarize/articulate what they do and what they found interesting. -Amy recommends not cramming in your research. She recommends taking your time over 2 - 3 days to show up comfortable and confident.

2. Not asking thoughtful questions. Interviews are a two-way street and one of the best ways to make sure you are doing your due diligence is to ask thoughtful and insightful questions to show your genuine curiosity. If you just wing it, you may not be able to ask a variety of questions on the company, its industry, its products & services, or even the role itself. -Amy tells her candidates to show up with 9-12 pre-determined questions that spark conversation & collaboration. Hiring managers put a LOT of stock into the questions that are asked during the interview process.

3. Not asking for the next stage of the interview process. It’s easy to leave a pleasant interview and hope for the best, but it’s not very effective. Try thanking the interviewer for their time and asking what the next steps in the process look like. Or you can go big and just ask for the job. -Amy says to do whatever feels right to you and reflects your personality and style. But don’t leave any doubt in the hiring managers mind about your interest in moving forward. Because the other candidate won’t.

4. Forgetting to send a “thank you” email. It might just be a time-honored tradition, but hiring managers watch for this. Successful jobseekers typically send a 2-3 sentence email thanking the interviewer for their time and expressing interest in moving forward. -Amy says there is no need to try and pitch yourself. That time has passed, so keep the email simple and send it within 24 hours.

5. Blending in. Most candidates simply blend into the group, while successful jobseekers use many tools at their disposal to be memorable. They use pre-planned impactful language. They use LinkedIn to reach out to future peers and ask for advice or endorsements. They offer to show up in person when it’s possible. Make the conscious decision to leave an impression throughout the entire interview process.

6. Not interviewing authentically. We get it. Interviews are uncomfortable. But please be YOU to avoid sounding like everyone else. Succesful professionals interview as a whole version of themself. Taking a job based on a false presentation of yourself is a recipe for disaster- just like dating! Those who get hired and stay employed tell the truth with no apologies, let their personality shine, AND remain professional, courteous & genuine. Don’t forget to smile and bring your confidence. You’ve got this!

Amy Schwartz is a Senior Recruiter at SalesFirst Recruiting and is availabe to both represent candidates and employers. Find her at amy@salesfirstrecruiting.com.