by Julie Desmond

Skills, experience, initiative. You have everything an employer wants. Why is it so hard to get hired? Stop blaming the economy and take a realistic look at what you are doing to block your own path. Are you easy to hire? Or are you a tough customer?

A Tough Customer is someone who is difficult to deal with. Hiring managers today face hundreds of applications for every open position, and have to narrow the field as efficiently as possible. Surprisingly, people often make seemingly small mistakes that cause potential employers inconvenience or irritation. These Tough Customers are the first to go when a manager needs to shorten the list of applicants.

One type of Tough Customer is the guy who keeps you guessing. Job applications, whether online or on paper, must be filled out completely. Omitting a zip code or salary requirement does not seem like a deal breaker, but a potential employer might view it as inattention to detail or inability to follow directions. Before you hit send or hand over that application, give it a second look. Do it right, and thoroughly.

And do it neatly. Another Tough Customer is the one whose application is illegible. If I can’t read your writing, how will I know what you can do?

The gal without a name is also tough to hire. “I do have a name,” you say. Yes, but can you share it easily? If you call to inquire about a position, or show up for an interview, and someone asks your name, they are asking for both your first and your last name. Speak very clearly, especially if you have a strong accent in the region where you are looking for work. Spell your last name if it is uncommon or difficult for some people to pronounce. Speaking slowly will help an employer to recognize your fabulous communications skills. Employers quickly pass on an applicant who mumbles or speaks too fast or too loudly because he or she might be difficult to communicate with on the job.

Voice Mail Junk Mail Syndrome affects even the best applicants, instantly transforming a great hire into a Tough Customer and costing him a job. Consider these questions: Do you have a phone you answer personally? Is your recorded greeting professional? Or obnoxious? Are you using a ringback that reveals more about your social life than an employer wants to know? Is your voice mailbox full? How soon do you return calls?

Start now obsessing about your phone. Answer it. Check your mail. Erase old messages. Return calls to employers immediately, from a quiet place if possible. If you want a job now, don’t leave a manager enough time to hire someone else.
Times are tough for job hunters. Make the application process easier on yourself by getting out of your own way and becoming someone employers can easily hire.

Julie Desmond has fifteen years employment recruiting and career counseling experience. She currently leads job search and career planning workshops in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Edina. Write to Julie@HelpWantedWorkshop.com.