6 major mistakes to avoid when looking for your first job

Looking for your first job can be a real challenge. After graduating, many young people find themselves facing a demanding and competitive professional world. In this environment, certain common mistakes can seriously slow down your entry into the job market.

Understanding these mistakes not only helps you avoid them, but also enables you to develop an effective and realistic strategy for securing your first opportunity. Here are the six most common mistakes and tips on how to avoid them.

1. Neglecting the quality of your CV and cover letter

A poorly structured, overly busy or generic CV can disqualify you before the recruiter even calls you. Many young graduates use a single CV template for all applications and a copy-and-paste cover letter, without adding any personalisation.

However, each company has its own expectations and each position has its own specificities.

What to do:

• Pay attention to the layout of your CV: make it clear, legible and well organised.
• Highlight your key skills, even if they come from internships, projects or personal experiences.
• Write a cover letter tailored to each job application: mention the name of the company, its values and what attracts you to it.

2. Applying for everything without a clear goal

Sending out 100 applications in a day does not mean you are being productive. Many young people think they should ‘try their luck everywhere’, but this approach dilutes your efforts and shows a lack of strategy.

What to do:

• Analyse your strengths, interests and ambitions.
• Target positions that really match your profile, in companies where you can see yourself working.
• Keep a tracker of your applications to stay organised.

3. Going to an interview unprepared

Got an interview? Congratulations! But be careful: turning up unprepared, without having researched the company or thought about your answers, is a serious mistake.

What to do:

• Find out about the company (website, social media, recent articles).
• Prepare answers to standard questions: ‘Tell me about yourself’, ‘Why should we hire you?’.
• Also prepare your own questions to ask the recruiter: this shows your interest.

4. Neglecting your professional network

Many people think that networking is only for executives or experienced professionals. This is not true. Even as a recent graduate, your network can include your former classmates, teachers, internship supervisors, relatives, etc.

What to do:

• Create a professional LinkedIn profile with a photo, summary, and your experience.
• Join groups, comment on posts, and connect with professionals in the sector.
• Participate in forums, trade shows, and recruitment events to make yourself known.

5. Getting discouraged too quickly

After several unanswered applications or successive rejections, many young people lose confidence. The danger here is giving up too soon.

What to do:

• Stay persistent: job hunting takes time, even for experienced candidates.
• Seek feedback after unsuccessful interviews to improve your skills.
• Use this period to train, improve your profile, and broaden your search to other types of positions or sectors.

6. Underestimating your transferable skills

You may not have any professional experience yet, but that doesn't mean you have nothing to offer. Many young graduates forget to highlight their transferable skills, acquired during their studies, projects, internships or volunteer work.

What to do:

• Highlight your independence, your ability to work in a team, your communication skills, etc.
• Give concrete examples of situations where you solved a problem, led a project, or worked with others.
• Show that you are willing to learn and grow.

Don't be your own worst enemy

Looking for your first job is an adventure, with its ups and downs. But by avoiding these common mistakes, you can significantly improve your chances of success.