Your resume is polished. You’re interviewing and networking. But the offers aren’t coming in or the right companies aren’t offering. Or maybe you’ve just started a new job and wonder if you’ve made the biggest mistake of your career. Are you doing something wrong?

Probably not. In both cases, your setbacks may not be your fault. More likely, it’s employers who are to blame. Often, when companies recruit from outside, they use hiring practices that are no longer effective.

Your job search will be more successful if you’re aware of these potential pitfalls and adjust your strategy to correct for them. The following are the five most common hiring mistakes employers make and strategies to help make them work to your advantage.

1. Failing to define the role accurately

When an employer doesn’t define the job correctly, you may not get a full understanding of the position and what’s expected. Or, you may be qualified for the job though your qualifications won't show it. If you accept the position, you may experience problems because your responsibilities overlap others' or what’s expected of you is unclear.

Strategy: Interview with several managers from various departments, not just with human resources or the employer’s search firm. In addition, meet your potential subordinates and peers. Write down performance requirements or job expectations that seem unclear and share them with your potential boss. Rewrite the job description to eliminate points of confusion. If the employer is unable or unwilling to clarify the job description, think twice before pursuing an offer.

2. Focusing solely on technical qualifications and failing to consider a candidate’s cultural fit

Let’s say your style is to consider every option and analyze all available data before making decisions. As you meet the executives of a potential employer, however, you discover that they embrace a "ready, aim, fire" philosophy of management. You may be well qualified for the position but don’t match the company culture.

Strategy: If the employer hasn’t discussed its culture during the interview process, you should bring it up. Ask to meet a cross-section of potential peers and superiors to discuss their views on life in the company. Does your style mesh with that of the people you meet?

Ask about employees who have joined the company and failed. Find out why they failed and how long they stayed. Ask what types of professionals are attracted to the company, including clients. You’ll spend most of your waking hours working for this employer. Be sure this is where you want to spend your time.

3. Losing the sense of urgency

You were one of the employer’s top three candidates after the last round of interviews, but two weeks have passed and you still haven’t heard a word. You’ve learned the position is still open, but the employer doesn’t seem to be in as big a hurry to hire as it was during the interviews.

Strategy: Help the employer maintain its sense of urgency by following up in a way that isn’t overbearing. Send e-mail or voice-mail messages to keep the employer apprised of your other opportunities. Don’t be afraid to ask if you’re out of the running. You may not like the answer, but you can move on with a clearer idea of your options.

When you receive an offer, let other companies you’ve interviewed with know as soon as possible. Not only is this a courtesy, but you just might prompt them to make you an offer.

4. Having unrealistic expectations about the "perfect" candidate

The employer is so focused on choosing the "perfect" candidate that it can’t hire anyone. You may be passed over for a job because, by their standards, you’re merely 95% qualified.

Strategy: Acknowledge the areas in which you don’t fit the profile. Instead of focusing on your deficiencies, highlight your qualifications. If the position is outside of your current industry, point out areas of similarity in which you have experience. Talk about learning new skills and your ability to adapt; cite examples from past jobs when you were thrust into new areas and how you performed.

5. Leaving new hires to fend for themselves

Some employers give new employees little more than a job description, an office and a list of interoffice phone numbers and leave them on their own. When this happens, you run the risk of committing some otherwise avoidable faux pas, whether it’s as innocent as using the CEO’s coffee cup or as damaging as unknowingly insulting the company’s biggest client. You may wind up leaving the company frustrated and disillusioned.

Strategy: Be proactive and meet with key co-workers in and outside your department. Ask your hiring manager to develop a plan to assimilate you into the organization. Spend more time listening than talking during your first several months. Find mentors in the organization who will give you honest feedback and information.

If you were recruited by a search firm, enlist its assistance in making your transition. Chances are the recruiters spent a great deal of time with your new company and can provide information you need.

Making a meaningful connection with a potential employer can be difficult. An invitation to interview won’t guarantee you’ll be given a fair shot. If you’re working with recruiters, ask them to guide you through each step, from initial contact through final transition. Knowing the possible hazards can smooth your job search and help you achieve better results.

-- Mr. Salveson is a principal of Salveson Stetson Group Inc., an executive search firm in Wayne, Pa.