Stop Over-Thinking The Job Search

It's hard enough to get a job in these difficult economic conditions. Don't make it even harder by over-thinking yourself out of potentially good situations.

With the job market the way it is right now, it can be pretty easy to believe you need to be pretty clever to get that nonprofit job. What you really need is impressive accomplishments and the right set of skills; being smarter than the competition won't make getting hired anymore likely.

So the next time you are filling out your resume and cover letter, avoid the following mistakes:

• Resting On Your Laurels: Sure, you've done some pretty impressive things in your past career. But that won't help you one bit today. This is not to say your experience won't help you -- it will. It's just that you will also need to convince hiring managers that you have what it takes to help them in the future.
• Too Much Information: Don't overload employers with information that has no relevance to the position. Be absolutely certain what you are including is necessary before putting it into your application.
• Trying To Outwit the Employer: Despite what you have heard, the job search is not a battle. You don't need to defeat your interviewer in a game of wits to get hired. Think about the best ways you can show recruiters that you are the right for the job, not how you can trick them into hiring you.
• "I Don't Need Help:" Don't be afraid to ask for help from your friends, family, or colleagues. It's not a sign of weakness to get assistance from those who have your best interest in mind.
• "I Don't Need Social Media:" Actually, you do. Recruiters use social media a lot these days to help them gauge applicants. If you haven't already, give yourself an online presence on sites like Facebook or Google+.