If you have been on the job market recently, you know how challenging it can be. Lots of tech companies, for example, are pulling back on hiring. Federal workers are being laid off by the thousands. And some types of jobs are simply not as available as they once were. Particularly in short supply are those prized white-collar positions paying $94,000 or more.So, any serious job seeker must sharpen their skills to land a job. You can increase the likelihood of a successful search by avoiding the following six big job search mistakes:Mistake No. 1: Applying for too many jobsThe first mistake is applying for too many jobs and, as a result, not giving enough time to any one application.Some individuals send in applications for 100, 200, or even 400 jobs. That is far too many.Statistics reveal that job seekers who apply for 21 to 80 jobs have about a 30% chance of receiving a job offer, while candidates who apply for more than 81 jobs have only a 20% chance of receiving an offer. More applications typically get worse results.To get that next big job, focus on applications where youre a decent fit, and give more attention to each one.Mistake No. 2: not customizing your rsumThe second (and very common) mistake is sending every company the same generic rsum. Contrary to popular belief, most hiring companies do scrutinize rsums. After the interview, its the second-most-important vehicle for assessing a candidate. Providing boilerplate wont often get you the job.Focus your work history and the bullet points under each job youve held. Align this material with the job youre applying for. For example, dont put down that you optimized supply chain operations if you are applying for a leadership role. Instead, say you led a supply chain team. Avoid jargon and technical language that might be misunderstood.Be sure to include only relevant work experience. If you have waited on tables at your university or worked in a donut shop, leave it out unless youre applying for a service- or people-focused job.Mistake No. 3: Not tapping into your networkA third job search mistake is overlooking your network. A LinkedIn study shows that 70% of job seekers get their jobs through successful networking. Dont go it alone.Ask those you know for leads and introductions. Successful networking is usually a multistep process. Most of the time, success is not through your first-degree network but through your second- or third-degree network, writes career coach Sarah Felice on LinkedIn. This means you have to have a lot of conversations, coffee meetups, Zoom meetings, and phone calls.If you are interested in a position in a particular industry, approach an acquaintance who is knowledgeable about that field. Ask them to connect you to relevant people. If youre interested in moving up within your company, do your research and find out which department head you should talk to. Introduce yourself with a well-written letter. Such steps may take time, but they will be much more likely to get results.Mistake No. 4: Poor interview prepTo ace the interview, youve got to research the company and the job, prepare a script to guide you, and develop answers to possible questions.The knowledge you gain as you prepare will enable you to align your background with the companys culture and the job. It will also help you ask intelligent questions and show that you take the company and the job seriously.An interview script will provide an all-important guide for you. It doesnt have to be memorized or delivered verbatim. It simply will remind you how you want to open the conversation, what your message is, how you are going to develop your message, and how you will close the conversation. Without a script to guide you, you wont come across as clear-minded and confident. (For more discussion of how and why to prepare a script for your job interviews, see my book, The Job Seekers Script.)Mistake No. 5: Using weak languageBe mindful of the words you use throughout the interview process.Eliminate anything that has negative overtones. That includes phrases like I cant, I dont, Im not sure, or I dont know. Eliminate filler words like um, ah, and you know. Avoid overly casual speech like You guys. And dont judge the questions by saying things like, Thats a good question. Youre there to answer questions, not evaluate them.Apologetic language, such as Im sorry, also tests poorly. You may think you are being thoughtful when you apologize, but doing so can make you sound weak.Mistake No. 6: Not following upThe final job search mistake to avoid is not following up after your interview or a conversation with someone you networked with. Write a note of thanksan email or an actual written noteand do so promptly. People appreciate that thoughtfulness, and often it will make all the difference if someone is deliberating about hiring you.