(Madame Noire) — Keep Filling Out Job Applications: It’s okay to be excited when a job interview goes well, but don’t play yourself–a good, or  “nailed” interview in your book doesn’t guarantee that you got the job you want, my dear. Until that employer makes a grab at you, keep filling out job applications like clockwork, re-working your cover letter for different opportunities, and staying optimistic. While you may be the perfect person for a job, know that you are probably not the only individual being brought in for an interview for THAT job, so keep your fingers crossed, but keep an eye out for other job opportunities and get to applying.

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(Businessweek) — Despite the healing economy, employers are often slow to post openings and make hiring decisions. It’s a frustrating situation that can cause eager job candidates to act in counterproductive ways, scotching promising opportunities. Here’s our list of 10 real-life job-search misfires we hope will serve as cautionary tales for job-hunters. Don’t replicate these counterproductive deeds.

Inflicting Gratuitous Interrogation: I was reviewing résumés and found one that stood out in a positive way. I e-mailed the sender and asked whether he had a minute to talk by phone. “I might,” he wrote back. “Where is the company located, what is the starting salary, who is the CEO, and how long have you been in business?” That was the end of the correspondence; our street address was on our home page, the salary was listed in the job ad, and the company story (including inception date and leadership bios) was in the About Us section of our site. In his haste to make sure his time wasn’t wasted—a reasonable goal, in my opinion—the gentleman asked me to answer four questions he’d have already had answers to if he’d done a bit of homework. Lesson: It’s perfectly fine to guard against time-sucking or even bogus job ads, but do it in such a way that you don’t shoot yourself in the foot.

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