The number one thing that job hunters want to know is why don’t you have a job? Sometimes the reason you have not found the right job is because of mistakes you make every day in the job hunting process. Here are some of the actions that I hear over and over and I will tell you why I think you should do it differently.

You spend time wordsmithing your resume.

Let’s face it – your resume will never be perfect to everyone. Tweaking or wordsmithing your resume every time someone gives you a comment will drive you crazy and take you away from what you should be doing.

Resumes don’t get you the job. You get the job.

Ask yourself – is it easier to prove that you are busy working on your resume and not setting up meetings? If so, put that resume aside – especially if you have had one professionally done.

You don’t have to sell yourself.

You may not be comfortable with selling yourself but the fact is you sold yourself every day when you were working in your last company. You might have pitched an idea to your boss or influencing others to help you on a project – those are instances of selling! Use those same skills when talking to others about what you do best.

If you do not feel confident selling yourself, then find someone to practice with and get better.

Casting a wide job net is the best way to get a job.

I know that what I am going to tell you is different from a lot of career coaches and counselors. They may tell you to apply for any job that remotely interests you. I tell my clients just the opposite. Figure out what you want to do and where you want to do it.

The clearer you are about what you want, the easier it is for the employer to know that you really do want to work for them. Employers shy away from someone who doesn’t demonstrate passion for wanting to work in their business – and they can tell when it is fake.

Joining lots of Job Support Groups helps your job search.

When you first get laid off or fired, the first thing you probably did was join a job hunting support group – and possibly more than one. Job support groups are great for teaching you the basics and having a network of people who can support you while you go through the emotional roller-coaster of losing your job. The danger of these groups is when you join multiple ones and use them as a crutch.

For example, if you go to the job support meetings instead of meeting other people who can help you with your job search – it’s time to rethink priorities. If the group consists of whiners instead of people who are moving forward, you may become less motivated. However, if the group provides tips, encouragement and measures how well you are doing against your job hunting process, it may be just what you need.

The more advice you get, the better off you are.

It can become overwhelming when you first begin a job search and that feeling intensifies with each and every person that you meet. Everyone has an opinion on what you should do with your job search, resume, marketing and networking strategy.

At some point, the path becomes overloaded and hazy and that’s when advice is a liability. It’s better to settle in with one person (a trusted friend or career coach) who can help you prioritize what needs to get done vs. what won’t help you. Make a plan and then keep it.

One follow-up call is enough.

You’ve been on an interview or sent your resume in and have made the follow-up call to the person responsible for hiring. Yet, no one calls you back. How can it be that everyone is not as responsible as you? Don’t they understand that you are waiting for a response – after all isn’t that right thing for someone to do?

The fact is that one phone call or email is not enough. You may have to call or email a half a dozen times. Create a schedule where you follow-up at appropriate intervals. Review what you are saying when you call – do you sound confident or are you giving a person and out not to call you back?

What results have you seen?

If you have made a change in your job hunting strategies, how did it affect in your results?