The 20 Most Common Mistakes Job Hunters Make

DENVER (CBS4) - In November almost five unemployed people were competing for every job available in the U.S. That means job hunters have to be at the top of their game when applying.

According to the website CareerBuilder.com, there 20 most common mistakes job hunters make. Among the big ones are errors in spelling and grammar on resumes and cover letters.

One employer told CBS4 nearly half of the resumes he gets have blatant mistakes on them, so he crumbles them up and throws them away.

"It's interesting, in the economy we're in, job seekers are trying so many different things, but at the end of the day, they still need to go back to the basics," Jobing.com's Brian Shumaker said.

The list of 20 job search mistakes came as no surprise to Shumaker. The No. 1 mistake is having an unprofessional e-mail address.

"I've seen e-mail addresses come across like 'bigboy24,' or 'GuyThatLikesToHaveFun,' or anything of that nature," Shumaker said.

That could be the difference in getting an interview or not getting an interview.

Another big problem is dressing like a slob. Job seekers should dress for the position they are applying for.

"Check your appearance, you know, make sure you don't have food stuck in your teeth," Shumaker said.

Another mistake is not having a LinkedIn file online for professional references and contact information.

Also, narrow down the job search to a few specific fields.

Some of the other top mistakes are as follows:

-- Not having a plan for a job search
-- Relying only on the Internet for a job search
-- Having mistakes in company names on the cover letter
-- Going to networking events, but not really networking
-- Having unprofessional information or photos on a Facebook page
-- Failing to follow up after an interview

Find the complete list of all of the mistakes to make sure to avoid during a job hunt at CareerBuilder.com.