Don't Believe These Outdated Job-Hunting Tips

If you're looking for a job, you've probably noticed everyone seems to have advice. Recruiters and hiring managers usually have reliable words of wisdom, but others may be basing their tips on outdated notions. This is especially true of those who haven't looked for a job in a while and may be pulling advice from their own experiences going back years, or even decades.

But thanks in large part to technology, hiring practices continue to evolve, so most job-seeking advice has an expiration date. Here are a few outdated pieces of advice that you should reconsider if someone passes them onto you.

Resume Page Limits

Experts have plenty of guidelines for how many pages your resume should be. In fact, many college graduates are told to keep it to one page. While this can work, the truth is that the number of pages isn't nearly as important as what's on those pages, especially in an era where resumes are usually reviewed on screens rather than on sheets of paper. If you're entry level, you probably should keep it shorter, but make it as long as it needs to be to get the information in.

One Job for Life

It's long been taboo to be seen as a "job hopper." However, the days of staying in one job from graduation to retirement are long gone . In actuality, stagnating in a position can be just as bad as moving from one job to another every few years. The key is to show a career progression, whatever your job history. If it made sense to switch jobs to get to the next level, it will likely be seen as a good thing.

Go Through the Classifieds

Job seekers may no longer look to the newspaper for job opportunities, but the many job sites out there lead to the same issues previous generations have. By the time you see a job posted, you're facing competition from all the other job searchers who happen upon it. Use networking resources like LinkedIn to identify connections in your field and, if you're interested in working somewhere, find a way to meet someone who works there. A recruiter who specializes in your field can also give you an edge over the competition.

Job searching is always a challenging process but listening to outdated advice will only make it harder. Trust your own gut as you start reaching out to potential contacts and you'll find your way to the right job for you.