Applying for a lot of jobs but still not getting a job? I believe that you or someone close to you must have experienced this problem. So what is the real reason? Here are 15 possible reasons or causes that you are not hired and we have solutions to present to you.
Finding a job in this economic downturn is difficult when there is an oversupply of human resources and a small number of good positions. If you remove the positions with connections, you can be sure that the remaining positions will be highly competitive. It can be very discouraging to apply for jobs in various places only to be rejected time and time again or to meet with the utter silence of not receiving a response after applying or interviewing for a job. These things destroy the expectations that were set out every time.
“Instead of bowing your head and moving forward, it might be more beneficial to take a step back.”
Even after countless disappointments, many people still choose to submit applications and continue to go to interviews, thinking that somewhere will choose them. But the truth is, you might benefit more if you take a step back and consider why you are not getting the results you want. What is the real problem that is preventing you from being selected? Stopping to think about it now may save you a lot of time in the future.
If you decide to stop, and you’re considering the reasons, here are 15 reasons why you might not be getting hired and how to solve them.
If you haven’t been contacted for an interview, that means that
1. Your resume or cover letter is not suitable for the job.
If you’ve sent out applications to a number of companies but haven’t heard back, or have only heard back from a handful of companies (less than 10%) of the many applications you’ve sent, the culprit may be your generic resume, your cover letter, or the way you presented yourself for the job.
“You should tailor your application to the role, duties, and responsibilities of the position you are interested in applying for.”
Employers are looking for the right people for their jobs. They may have hundreds of applicants for each job opening, so you need to make sure you’re telling potential employers exactly how suitable you are for the position by customizing your resume and cover letter by finding out what your potential employer is looking for. Tailor your application to the role, responsibilities and duties of the position you’re interested in applying for.
2. Your resume is not formatted properly and is not attractive.
Maybe you’ve done a lot of work to refine your resume, but the notifications just keep going silent. Your application might be stuck in an applicant tracking system, never getting published. If you’re applying for a job through an online application, your resume is likely being sent through a computer program that scans applications, tracks applicants, and generally helps recruiters and hiring managers manage their search. These programs can also be used by hiring professionals to find resumes that contain keywords relevant to a given job.
To ensure that these programs can read your resume correctly, you need to follow these steps:
- Don’t overdo the formatting. Avoid unnecessary tables, graphics, and columns.
- Gather words that are relevant to the role you’re applying for. Recruiters and hiring managers often use words directly from the job description to search.
- Scan job descriptions to find the skills and experience they’re looking for, then pick the ones you have and include them in your resume using the same language.
- Name the topic with standard terms such as experience and education.
3. You are applying for the wrong job.
Look at the job description and ask yourself honestly, do you have the skills needed to do the job? Are you underqualified for the role you are targeting? One thing you need to do is be honest that you are not overqualifying. Companies are also hesitant to hire someone with a lot of experience for an entry-level role, so you need to make sure that the role you choose will interest and challenge you enough. If you get bored or burned out, the company will need to re-engage. Make sure you are targeting the right job for your needs.
4. You don’t apply for enough jobs.
It’s normal to be picky about the roles you’re considering, but if you’ve only applied to a few places, know that your job search will likely take a long time. Job hunting is always competitive, and everyone wants a good job, and good jobs aren’t plentiful. So not only do you need to do your homework and apply to each one thoroughly, you need to increase your chances of landing the next job by applying more frequently.
5. You don’t tell anyone about your job search.
You probably already know where to make connections when you’re job hunting. Maybe it’s someone you know at the company you’re looking for, or a business partner of the company you’d like to work for. Try applying with references or at least any additional insights about those connections. Consider including them in your resume. You should make your search as broad as possible. It’s also a good idea to ask for help from people you know directly.
If you have had a preliminary interview over the phone but have not made any progress since then,
6. You are not fully prepared for the initial phone interview.
A phone interview can feel informal. It can be called a quick conversation, but don’t be put off by it. Even though it’s just a phone call, it’s still an interview, and you need to prepare for it. Do your homework by researching the company, putting a number in your head for how much you want to pay, and what is and isn’t for you. At the very least, having your sales pitch and salary expectations ready can help you go deeper into the job hunt.
7. You may not know the company you are applying to well enough.
One thing employers evaluate before making an offer is how likely you are to accept it, and a great way to show that you’re likely to accept is to express your interest in the company. How do you express your interest beyond saying you’re excited about the opportunity? A lot of it comes down to knowing about them. You should be prepared to talk about the role and the organization you’re interested in working for to express your interest.
8. You haven’t prepared good answers to common interview questions.
You should look at common interview questions and practice how to answer them. Practicing out loud your desired answers is an important part of your preparation. This practice will quickly improve your response. It’s even better if you can get someone to role-play the interview with you and give you feedback on your strengths, weaknesses, or areas for improvement. Don’t try to memorize your answers, because you don’t want to sound like a robot during the interview. Your answers can change depending on the company you’re applying to and what they’re looking for, so practice answering questions every time you’re invited to interview with a new company. You need to prepare for every interview, not just the interview itself.
9. You focus too much on preparing interview answers and neglect other interview skills.
You don’t want to be the one who forgets to say hello or answers the question to the interviewer. You also need to consider other important interview skills, such as storytelling, active listening, eye contact and other body language. Empathy and small talk are all skills that we can improve by realizing that we need to put in the work and practice. So if you’ve read this far and admit that you’ve made a few mistakes, you’re halfway there and ready to make changes to improve your chances of landing the next job.
10. You failed the technical interview.
Your initial interview may be more formal with a technical test, especially if you are applying for a position that requires a skill test. For example, an advertising job may be asked about copywriting, or a computer job may be asked about coding during the first round of interviews, among other assessments. In other words, anything that assesses your technical ability to do a job, so it is very important that you are well-prepared. Generally, a skills test does not have to be flawless, but if you are struggling with a technical assessment every time you interview with a new company, you may need to spend some time learning it. Do not take shortcuts. Start by searching for relevant books or courses and study them. Also, make sure that you are not making common mistakes that can be easily corrected. If you keep failing at these same things, you may need to evaluate whether you are applying for the wrong job. You may need to gain more practical experience with these skills for lower-level positions before applying for new jobs.
If you have been interviewed many times but have not received any offers,
11. You have skills but no interesting story.
You may be a candidate with the right skills for the job. You’ve been pre-screened and interviewed, but haven’t received any offers since then. What’s going on? This situation may mean you don’t have the right story. In the interview, you need to articulate why the job is a good fit as the next step in your career. How does it fit into your professional development story? You can explain this directly in response to the popular “Tell me about yourself” or “Why this role?” questions, and continue throughout the interview.
12. You are stepping back a little to be stronger.
It’s good to be excited about a job opportunity, but it’s another thing to be overly excited. So show your interest by being very knowledgeable about the company and wanting to share that information. For example, don’t show up for an interview more than an hour early, or wait awkwardly in the lobby, and don’t make anyone feel bad that they’re not ready for you. Don’t write a thank-you note to your interviewer and include details from the conversation. Don’t call every day to see if there are any updates on the role. These things will make you look annoying to the interviewer or the recruiter.
13. You’re not outstanding enough.
You don’t want to be remembered for the wrong reasons, so to stand out in the right way, you need to be ready to show that you’re passionate about something work-related. You can also showcase unrelated but interesting passions, like baking or cycling. Find something you can talk about with gusto, then up the ante by sharing an accomplishment you’re proud of.
14. You are too negative.
Interviewers generally prefer candidates who are positive and don’t always see the worst in everything. It’s human nature not to want to work with someone who is overly negative. Be careful with how you use your words. It’s easy to be unintentionally overly negative and point out all the problems you see. Remember, you’re not offending anyone. Focus on solving problems instead of just focusing on the problems.
15. You didn’t prepare your references.
If the person you use as your reference says something completely different than what you said in the interview, that could be a huge red flag for the hiring manager. To avoid having your reference inadvertently give you conflicting information, make sure you give them enough notice in advance that you might get a call from the company you’re interviewing with. You should let them know what position you’re applying for and why you think you’d be a good fit. Sending a resume and cover letter that’s tailored to your needs can also be helpful. Make sure that their story and yours are consistent.
Conclusion
You may often ask yourself, have you applied for many jobs but still not gotten any?
Even though you are trying to find a job, apply for a job, or go out for an interview, your efforts may not be wrong. The direction in which you are putting your efforts may be wrong. Please stop and consider for a moment whether the direction you are putting your efforts in is right or not? And what is the reason why you are not getting the results you want?
So, it may be time to stop and find out what those issues are, fix them, and put your efforts in the right direction. Look back at your personal history, resume, or cover letter. Are your documents compelling enough? Do you have a story that stands out enough for the interviewer to remember? And are your skills ready to be interviewed in a variety of formats that your future employer will want? You should prepare yourself before you go out and try again to ensure that this time your efforts will not result in a silent rejection like the last time.
Reference:
Here Are 15 Possible Reasons You’re Not Getting Hired—and How to Fix Them
