Job hunting can be quite hard – especially if you’re doing certain things that are only sabotaging your chances of getting hired. If you’re guilty of any of the below, the recruiter won’t be interested in hiring you.

You follow up every day via email or phone
While following up is a good idea, you really shouldn’t be a nuisance. Be sure to give the recruiter a call a week after the interview and possible a few days after that, but no more. How would you feel if someone called you every day about the same thing – annoyed, right? That’s how the recruiter feels. Don’t be that annoying candidate no one wants to speak to.

And then you’re rude in your follow-ups too

Job hunting can be quite stressful and you may be impatient to find a job, but being rude to your recruiter when following up won’t win them over. You have to understand that sometimes there are things that happen behind the scenes that will cause delays. If you haven’t heard back from the recruiter after a week, follow up with them, but not along the lines of, “It has been a week now and I still haven’t heard back from you – why? This is unacceptable, maybe I should consider going elsewhere.” There’s a right and a wrong way of doing things – being rude is not the way to go.

Leave a message or voicemail without your personal or contact details 
Recruiters are very busy. If you must speak with them, but can’t get hold of them, leave a voicemail. Just make sure you speak slowly and clearly and leave your name and contact details. Even if you’ve had regular contact with the recruiter, don’t assume they will instantly recognise your voice – they deal with plenty of hiring managers and candidates on a daily basis. Leaving the recruiter a voicemail with no information is a sure-fire way to get ignored. Or simply drop the recruiter an email to let them know you've called.

Your cover letter is below average
Cover letters matter. If you’re writing to a recruiter for the first time don’t address them as “Sir”. Not everyone is a man. Instead, write “To whom it may concern”, “Dear Sir or Madam”, or address the person who placed the job ad. Starting your cover letter off properly will tell the recruiter you’ve done your research and are serious about getting a job. For more cover letter tips, click here.

Careers24 has 1000s of available jobs, updated daily. Click here to see the full list. Also check out Job Alerts - sign up and we'll send jobs that match your skills and expertise straight to your inbox.