What type of job hunter are you?

Blog - What type of job hunter are you?

Hunting for a job is something that we all have to do but not many of us particularly relish. A bit like changing energy suppliers, taking a car for an MOT or children’s birthday parties – it’s one of those things in life that you just have to bite your tongue and get on with.

But the pressure of the situation can do strange things to us. Here’s our tongue-in-cheek look at the characteristics of the different types of job hunter – and the serious lessons we can learn from the extremes of the stereotypes…

Lazy: So laid back they’re positively horizontal, nothing fazes the lazy job hunter and especially not the prospect of unemployment. In fact, the laziest of lazy job hunters actually quite likes the long lie ins, daytime TV and video games that not having a job entails… at least, until they need to find money for anything, of course.
Lesson – While it’s good not to put yourself under too much pressure, job hunting should be taken seriously. Failure to approach this like a proper business task will stop you from affording the finer things in life in the long run.

Hyperactive: Up at the crack of dawn to check their emails, the hyperactive hunter checks the Jobstoday page hourly to see all the latest positions available, scours newspaper pullouts to read about the jobs they’ve already seen online, fires off CVs to anyone with an email address and hits the phones to try to wangle work experience. They’ve got a website, LinkedIn and a 101 jobs around the house on the go too to fill those spare seconds when they’re not hitting the refresh button. If they get so much as a sniff of an interview they’re on the email charm offensive – asking questions and sending supplementary information to show their interest and full repertoire.
Lesson – Trying hard is admirable, but trying too hard will burn you out and potentially put off a would-be employer. Also, try to focus on methods that are likely to get you into a job.

Social: Social media is where it’s at if you want to build your own ‘brand’ as a potential employee. But for the super social job hunter they’ve taken that to the extreme – using their search for work as an excuse for spending even longer on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Snapchat (although only they know what good those 10-second Snapchat selfies to their friends are doing to help find a job).
Lesson – Social media is an important shop window for your personality and talents. You should spend time getting your accounts in order and setting up a blog – but don’t make it the only thing you do.

Nervous: Whether in a job already and frightened to leave a comfort zone or out of work and paralysed by fear of heading in the wrong direction, there are many nervous job hunters out there. A world of CVs, interviews and ‘selling yourself’ isn’t natural to many people. Unlike other hunters, these handle their phone with kid gloves, anticipating emails and calls with trepidation.
Lesson – It’s fine to be nervous about looking for a new job, it’s a big decision and nerves show you care. Concentrate on the positives where you can – the skills you want to make the most of and the benefits from new jobs – so you can see a light at the end of a tunnel.

Ambitious: At the other end of the spectrum is the ambitious job hunter. These are the people who back their ability and aim for the top right away. Lack of qualifications or experience don’t bother them – and they’re only too happy to pick up a phone and trot off Apprentice-style one-liners about their long list of talents.
Lesson – It’s good to have confidence, but don’t let this cloud your judgement. Being ambitious is good, but be realistic too. If you think you’re destined for big things then get your foot in the door at a company and back your ability to rise through the ranks. It’s more likely than being able to go straight in at the top.

In truth, there’s probably a little bit of all of these personalities in most job hunters. The trick is to realise which aspects you most closely relate to – and which of these help or hinder your chances of finding the right employment match. The best job hunters, as this piece by Skip Freeman states, are professional, proactive and persistent – it’s possible to aspire to this no matter what your personality is.

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