Starting a Job Search: 3 Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Wouldn't it be wonderful if your dream job just landed in your lap?

How great would it be to get that call with an offer for your perfect job and all you had to do was say YES?!!

Unfortunately this rarely happens.

Instead, what I observe as a career coach is that most people start their search for their next opportunity from a place laden with pitfalls.

What's particularly dangerous about these pitfalls is that they aren't often talked about in the open, so that's how they can really trip up even the most outwardly successful and savvy professional.

So if you’re considering your next career move, I want to help you identify how these pitfalls might be showing up in your own life and offer my advice on how to avoid them.

Pitfall #1 – Not knowing what you really want

Contrary to common practice (and loads of advice you’ll find on the internet) the place to start your search for a new job is not by updating your resume, not by refreshing your LinkedIn profile, not by responding to that headhunter, not by brushing up your networking game.

The place to start is by asking yourself: What do I really want?

I’m amazed by how many people skip this step -- and at their peril! Here’s what often happens when you haven’t explored what you really want out of your next career move:

🤦🏻‍♀️ You take what comes your way and seems good -- but you later find it doesn't really fit you or take you where you want to go

🤦🏻‍♀️ You end up discounting your experience and capabilities

🤦🏻‍♀️ You don’t ask for or negotiate everything you need and want

🤦🏻‍♀️ You get scared and take what is safe rather than what’s a fulfilling, exciting stretch.

Essentially, you don’t get what you want.

And the cure? All it takes is carving out some quiet reflection time for yourself, where you take some time to:

1 - Describe your ideal job. What would a day in the life of your perfect job look like? What would you be doing? Where are you? Who are you working with? What’s your larger mission? What do you enjoy most? What problems are you solving?

2 - List what you like and dislike about your current job. Then, when thinking about your next job, strategize for how you can build on what you like, and avoid what you don’t like.

3 - Take inventory of your strengths, greatest career accomplishments and things you’re proud of, and your special experience and skill set.

These all point you towards the things that you are good at, what you enjoy doing, and what you find meaningful -- which are essentially, the components of the perfect job for you.

Pitfall #2 – Starting from a low point

This is perhaps one of the trickiest and most common of pitfalls that I see:

Most people, by the time they take action to look for a new job, are at a LOW point.

Work has not been great. That’s why you are looking for a job. Right?

Which unfortunately means that in a moment when you need to be bursting with self-confidence and enthusiasm so you can shine in networking conversations, applications and interviews, you’re actually:

😞 Low in energy.

😞 Low in self-confidence.

Ouch. This is not a great place to start a job search.

I’m not faulting you at all, by the way. I’ve definitely arrived at points of loathing my job throughout my career. I know firsthand how hard it is to be hopeful and confident about your next job from that place.

I want to remind you that a job that is not a good fit can be a huge energetic drain – for anyone. You might be spinning your wheels with projects that aren’t your forte, or with colleagues or clients who aren’t good for you. Plus it’s common too to then try to compensate for what you perceive to be your shortcomings on the job by overworking.

So what can you do about this?

First, it helps just to be aware of how you’re feeling. Show yourself some compassion and reassure yourself that you still got it, you’re just a bit worn down. Remind yourself that this state you’re in is temporary -- and you’re taking action to get out of it.

Also, please don't blame this whole situation on you. There are a lot of things that are not in our control about our work environment, job creep, colleagues, leaders’ decisions, state of the world, etc. All too often, I see people beating themselves up (internally) at their “inability to hack it” in this job.

Cut yourself some slack. Saying “I quit” does not have to equal “I failed.” It can mean, “I choose something better for myself.”

Then, take some steps to give yourself an energetic boost. Common things that really help are extra self care in the form of good sleep, exercise and eating well. Also, take time to do things that you really enjoy, whether it’s a form of recreation or a hobby or outside of work pursuit.

Pitfall #3 - Not bringing the right people in

Here’s something I see too often when people are planning their next career move -- they’re trying to go for it too much alone.

There are lots of reasons why people end up feeling isolated during their job search (and alone with their self-doubting thoughts), including:

😬 Maybe you’re extremely nervous about word getting back to your current employer that you’re looking for new opportunities.

😬 You’d like to have help from others, but when you try to talk to them, you feel inarticulate or fearful of judgement.

😬 You hate to admit that you know you're not on the right track and you’re not entirely sure what’s next for you.

Again, if these scenarios describe you -- it’s okay. No judgement. I’ve been in these situations before.

I just want to alert you to the danger of not tackling these situations head-on: They can lead you to attempting to make a smart career move in a vacuum.

Or, they might lead you to only relying on a couple of people in your life (say a partner, sibling or best friend) who might be well intentioned but aren’t actually the right people to be advising you on your career.

Think about who in your network could really be an asset if you asked them for support on your job search. Look for people who:

🙋🏽‍♀️ Are supportive and think you’re great.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Have a perspective that you value -- maybe they’re more senior, in a different industry, or just see the world in a different way.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Will keep you accountable and call you in if you get off track or underestimate yourself.

Recruit these trusted colleagues, mentors, friends and a coach to your team, and you’ll:

• Expand your sense of possibility

• Get valuable feedback on where you’re strong, and where you need to grow

• Be pushed to think differently

• Practice talking about what you want and what you bring to the table

• Increase the quality of your opportunities

• Make a better choice for yourself

One more way to powerfully start your job search

I wanted to share these pitfalls -- and ideas for what you can do about them -- because I see over and over again how nerve wracking, confusing and just plain uncomfortable, so many professionals find job searching to be.

It doesn’t have to be that way, and experiencing it as such is probably not going to lead you to your next best opportunities.

What I want to do with my work is reinject clarity, energy, possibility and lots of care and support into the job search for you, so that you get ever closer to your dream job and to really hitting your stride in your work.

If you’d love to experience that for yourself, get INSTANT access to my Career Clarity Lab.

Click here for the FREE Career Clarity Lab Masterclass​

In this free, interactive lab, you’ll get a taste for all these practical strategies. You’ll:

✅ Spend some time thinking about what you really want in your next career move.

✅ Take an inventory of what’s working for you at work, and what’s not.

✅ Share your insights with other professionals at similar points in their career.

Ready to get your next career move off to a focused, intentional start? Join me!