Job seekers, you, like the rest of us, are human (that was never in doubt) and like the rest of us, you can make mistakes. Here are some of the avoidable mistakes I see you making that not only trip you up, they cause your job search to take longer than necessary.

• You don’t know what you’re looking for and expect the interviewer to figure it out for you. They don’t. They won’t. Hear that click? It’s the sound of the interviewer closing the door on your candidacy. Instead of interviewing before you’re ready, get ready to interview. Do a self assessment and figure out your strengths, skills, values and beliefs. Let go of what you can do but don’t want to, what you can learn but aren’t apt to, what you don’t believe and aren’t going to. Tuck your best self into a twenty second description, practice on any one who’ll stand still long enough to hear it, and when you’re ready for prime time, shine.

• You present yourself better on paper than in person so your resume wins the interview and you show up and lose to the competition. Instead of dumbing down your resume, smarten up your presentation. If you’re not comfortable talking about yourself (which is why your resume is so great, it’s doing all the talking for you) come up with ways to talk about your strengths in the 3^rd person. In other words, see yourself as others see you (that’s what your resume does) and pour it on. If you’re not a great conversationalist and can’t turn into one over night, do what other reserved people do; learn to ask non threatening open-ended questions. Ask the interviewers why they joined the company;  what they value most in their jobs and where they see opportunities in the future for their organization. Not only will you be holding your own in the conversation, you’ll be learning valuable information that will enable you determine if this job at this place is the best one for you.

• You’re all style and no substance. That’s not really true but it can look that way if you’re not clear about the value to bring to a company beyond “I’m a people person and a hard worker”. Those two attributes are a given. Employers wouldn’t be talking to you if you disliked people and were a slacker. So, what do you do that makes a difference for the company where you work? To find that answer check with the people where you’ve worked in the past and take notes. The strengths that are most obvious to others are those you take for granted in your own actions and behaviors. That’s what employers want to know, so be sure to tell them.

• You’re all slump, droop, and sprawl. Body language speaks louder than words. You could be the best candidate since the invention of candy, but if you look disinterested, hung over, and just plain tired, you won’t get a second glance. Sit up, lean forward, smile and make it happen.