It’s impossible to do everything perfectly while on the job hunt. During your career, you grow and develop and learn to do things better and different than your previous self—it only makes sense that looking for jobs throughout your career will also be a continuous learning experience.
That being said, there is one big mistake that job seekers commit again and again, and it doesn’t have to do with making mistakes in the interview or having typos in your resume. Sure, those are some big mistakes any job seeker wants to avoid, but the #1 mistake job seekers make is being too modest.
Modesty can be a virtue, but when you’re trying to sell yourself in a competitive market, there’s no room for humility. Here are the different ways committing this #1 crime can affect your job search.
Being Too Modest on Your Resume
There aren’t many occasions to brag in life, but when you’re on the hunt for a perfect job, brag away! There’s no better time to tell all about your skills and experience than on your resume and during your job search and interviews overall. Without explicitly stating your accomplishments, there’s no other way a recruiter will know how your work yielded great outcomes at your previous places of employment.
As a job seeker, it’s up to you to convince your interviewer that you’re the best hire out of all the applicants the company is considering. There’s no need to be shy about your accomplishments—recruiters are smart, but they aren’t mind readers. No one other than you is going to give you credit for your hard work and achievements.
What’s more, being modest assumes that the recruiter is going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you’re being humble…not many recruiters are going to take this extra step. They want a quick snapshot of why you’re the best candidate for the job, and being explicit in your skills and achievements is the best way to do so.
Striking a Balance between Team Player and Star Contributor
Another way that unproductive modesty can manifest is when it comes to striking a good balance between selling yourself as a team player and selling yourself as a star contributor. Many candidates want to convey how they are team players and share the credit when it comes to their accomplishments.
This is a good instinct and an important one to keep. It’s incredibly important for potential hires to convey how they will fit into a team, but it’s also important to convince the hiring manager about how you in particular are worthy of hiring, not your whole team. Focus on your particular contributions and how they impacted the project overall. Don’t take credit for what isn’t yours—after all, recruiters will likely be in contact with your references and you don’t want any awkward follow-up conversations.
Being able to sell your contributions to a project also helps a recruiter see how your skills and creativity can help bring projects to life at the new company. While some people are uncomfortable promoting themselves and don’t want to come off as arrogant, job seekers must be able to objectively convey their accomplishments and articulate them confidently and in a professional manner.
Focus on Accomplishments & Experience
Job seekers looking for work often fall into the pattern of listing their responsibilities and experience. What’s even more important, however, is having a highlight reel of your accomplishments and moments that showcase your initiative, leadership, problem solving, and professionalism.
Some hiring managers suggest putting time aside before an interview to come up with a list of your accomplishments. Having tangible publications, products, or websites that you can show an employer will further highlight your potential as a proactive and results-oriented individual, setting yourself above the rest without falling into the modesty trap.
