Usually the tone of this blog is pretty positive but every once in awhile I feel the need to rant about something that is just plain stupid. And I’ve had my share of stupid recently. I’ve been reading about and talking to people who have had bad job search experiences. Here are my top five.

1. Requesting social media passwords. This one is at the top of the list because of the recent Associated Press article about a job seeker who was asked to share his Facebook user name and password during an interview. It remains to be seen how widespread this practice is, but my guess is that in some companies without formal social media policies or strong HR leadership, it may be happening. Before sharing your social media passwords with an employer, think twice about their request and ask yourself if you really want to work for a company that thinks nothing of invading your privacy.
2. Asking for a social security number on a job application. If you are hiring me for a job, I will give you my social security number so you can put me on your payroll. If you are about to hire me and first need to do a credit check, the same rule might apply. But before then, there is absolutely no reason to ask for an applicant’s social security number and absolutely no reason for you to reveal it.
3. Requiring candidates to go through a lengthy job posting process. Many of my clients have told me about the lengthy applications some employers require them to complete in order to post for a position online. Some applications take over an hour.  And I’ve seen some of the pre-screening questionnaires some employers ask applicants to fill out before they will even consider scheduling a phone screening. No one with a current job will bother filling these applications out. And even many of the unemployed will not. If you find yourself going through a lengthy job posting process (that often leads nowhere) create an alternative plan to make inroads at that company. Leverage your network, do a Google search on key contacts at the company, or use LinkedIn or some of Facebook’s third party job search applications to find a contact at the company.
4. Requiring new hires to sign unrealistic non-compete agreements. I’ve reviewed some of the non-competes my clients are asked to sign. Some of the terms are so broad that it could prevent someone from finding employment for years. If you need to sign a non-compete, make sure it is very specific and narrow in focus. Have a lawyer review your non-compete and make the necessary amendments to protect you if you find yourself in a future job search.
5. Creating really bad job postings. I keep reading about the perceived lack of talent and the applicant skills gap that has made it challenging for recruiters and hiring managers to fill open positions. They often complain that the applicants don’t mirror the skills they need to do the job. Maybe that’s because most job specs say little to nothing about who would make the best applicant and instead rely on unmeasurable personal attributes to describe the ideal hire. Here are a few examples of  some really bad job postings. If you are applying for a position online, do some additional research to better understand the requirements of the position and use tools such as LinkedIn and Glassdoor to learn more about the companies and jobs you are posting for.