JOB SEARCH MISTAKES

***FIVE COMMON JOB SEARCH MISHAPS***

With the economy the way it is, now would be a great time to have a steady job. So if you're still out there job hunting, here are five mishaps that can happen during your job search . . . and how to deal with them.

#1.) YOU'RE LATE FOR AN INTERVIEW. Even if you leave yourself plenty of time to get to your interview, you could still hit heavy traffic and realize you're not going to make it on time.

--But don't panic. If you think you MIGHT be late, call as soon as you can, to give your interviewer a heads-up. Whatever you do, DON'T wait until the last minute to call them.

#2.) YOU ARRIVE EARLY. Some people think arriving early to an interview is a good thing. IT'S NOT. Getting there super early makes the hiring manager feel pressured. So, if you're there with time to spare, just WAIT IN THE CAR.

#3.) YOU MESS UP AN INTERVIEW QUESTION. At some point in your job search, you'll flub the answer to a question. Again . . . DON'T PANIC. If you can come up with a better answer later in the interview, don't be afraid to redirect the conversation and revisit that subject.

#4.) YOU HIT "SEND" TOO SOON. If you've ever sent an important email before you meant to, you know that it can be absolutely DEVASTATING. So don't pretend that it never happened. Instead, send a second email to apologize and explain yourself.

--If you think it's appropriate, make a joke about it . . . but whatever you do, don't let yourself seem even MORE incompetent.

#5.) YOU LOWBALL YOURSELF. If the hiring manager asks you for your salary requirements, and later you find out the salary you asked for is WAY too low, not all is lost. You might risk losing the job to someone else, but you CAN ask for more money.

--Explain why you deserve more than you told them you did . . . and make sure you're convincing. Because if they DON'T go for it, you might still be searching for a job. (CareerBuilder.com)