For the job seeker of 2009, myths and negative news can affect the drive and motivation of the individual. The recent stories and negative outlook on the economy can create myths and rumors that can hinder the drive to job hunt.

It is important to separate yourself from the negativity and try to guide yourself out of a hopeless stage of unemployment. Job seekers acquaintances may be saying “that company just laid off 200 people, don’t apply there” or “the sales industry is the worst right now, you’ll never find a job.” After awhile these myths are easy to believe.

The job market is hurting, although following these myths will only hurt your job hunt. Here are some of the most common believed myths:

A company that has laid people off should be avoided because they aren’t hiring.

Though this statement poses a good point, many companies who are having difficulties and have gone through sizable layoffs will be looking for qualified individuals. The truth is, someone needs to do the work and large layoffs will lead to a restructuring, which can lead to new job opportunities. What might be a major layoff or serious turmoil for a company? Look for an announcement for firing of a president, a large layoff, or multiple level senior job changes.

Today candidates over 55 years old do not stand a chance finding a job.

This statement could not be more false. People who are 55 years old and older are beginning to get very discouraged because of the job market, but so are people who are 25 years old. Companies see people 55 years older as a valuable asset and in this struggling economy they would rather hire one person who has the ability to do the job of 2 or 3 younger, less experienced workers.

If a company is not advertising an opportunity, then do not try and contact anyone there about a position.

With the saturated candidate pool, job postings are receiving an unbearable amount of resumes in which a small number of qualified candidates are lost in a sea of desperate job hunters. This discourages employers to post on job sites and in newspapers. A qualified resume that falls onto their desk because of a networking event or cold call is much more appealing. For most people, this is a method which will result in more face-to-face rejections, however in the long run will result in finding a job.

There are a couple different scenarios in which someone who contacts a company that doesn’t have a posting might find:
There is an opening that they were looking to fill internally, but they might consider outside candidates.
There are no openings, but the employer liked you and will create a position for you.
There are no openings, but the employer liked you and knows of another company that is hiring and will recommend you to them.

Follow-up calls are annoying.

Follow-up calls after interviews are crucial in the job search process. The employer has a million things on their plate and is hiring someone because they need help! A follow-up call reminds them that you are interested and want the position. Believe it or not, most people do not follow-up with a call or email these days; the individuals that do differentiate themselves from the rest of the candidate pool.