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It’s no secret that job hunting can be an overwhelming, exhausting, and sometimes defeating process. If you’ve been embarking on a job search for the past few months, you’ve probably said the following:
- “I’ve been submitting my resume for months and no one has called me for an interview.”
- “I’ve gone to tons of interviews and have yet to receive a job offer.”
- “The interview went great and then the employer ghosted me.”
Trust me, you’re not alone. In fact, frustrated job seekers often come to me with these exact scenarios. Luckily after some brainstorming, I’m able to discover what the underlying problem is. Good news, 99% of the time, its completely fixable! Below are the top 3 reasons why you’re not getting hired.
Is your resume screening you out?
When is the last time you updated your resume? Its no secret that many experts are saying the resume is dead, but I’m here to tell you… it’s far from dead and very much alive! Your resume is your digital introduction, think of it as your handshake to the employer.
First impressions are important right? (You should be nodding right now!) Take the time to review your resume. Does it present you as an expert or specialist in your field? Does it get straight to the point and demonstrate who you are and what you have to offer. If not, I guarantee that your resume needs to be revamped.
I highly recommend reaching out to a professional for a resume review and revamp. Resume Writers are skilled professionals who understand the design elements, keywords, branding and strategy for catching an employer’s attention and navigating through the ATS databases.
The first hesitation many clients have about hiring a Professional Resume Writer is cost. I get it! It sometimes hurts coming out of pocket for services, but if you haven’t been getting the desired results from your resume after months of submission, it may be time to bite the bullet and make the investment.
Think of this as a one-time investment in yourself and in your future. Your life, happiness, and financial security are your top priority, right? If so, investing less that 1% of your current salary (and future salary) should not hinder you from landing your dream role!
Interviewing Skills
Great! So you passed the resume screening and the interviewers are calling you in to meet, but you’re not getting called back with an offer. Why?
First of all, how do you feel about interviewing? Are you nervous? Do you stumble while answering questions?
Interviews are nerve wrecking. You’re going into a room full of strangers who have the power to make a decision that can affect your life.
I’ve interviewed hundreds of applicants and here’s what I’ve found.
- Interviewees are visibly nervous (I see the sweat pooling down their face or above their lip).
- They lack eye contact
- They fidget
- They talk more than listen
- They don’t answer the question
- They lack confidence
- They don’t sell their skills and abilities
Do you think you fall into any of these categories? Visible cues are extremely powerful and can quickly turn employers off.
If you find yourself nervous going into an interview, try reminding yourself that its just a conversation! You can talk, so you can carry on a conversation. You do it everyday at work, at home, in the store, etc.
Sometimes, we don’t recognize our own behavior in front of others so sit down with a friend or professional coach and practice! Take in the feedback and work on it.
You need a new job search strategy
How are you conducting your job search? Are you relying on job boards? If so, that is the number 1 mistake job seekers make.
Job boards are easy and convenient, but they offer little results. Everyone sits on job boards all day and send it resumes. In fact, at one time, I would post jobs on a popular job board and get at least 300 applications, for one job, in one small town! To be honest, I didn’t look at everyone’s resume and often skimmed over others.
When you apply on job boards you’re jumping in a big pool of competition and limiting your chances of being seen.
My suggestion, start targeting your efforts. Find companies that you want to work for, monitor their job boards, sign up for alerts, and you can do cold calls as well. Hint: smaller companies often have less competition, which increases your odds.
Still not convinced? Here’s a quick story with proof!
As an experiment, I reached out to a small company through email. I told them about my interests and what I specialized in and asked if they had any current openings. I received a “no, but we’ll keep you in mind for future opportunities.” Two months later, they had a staff member leave… they remembered me and called me in for an interview and offered me the job! Cold-calling does work! Building relationships works even more.
Remember, job hunting does come with guaranteed frustrations and obstacles, but you have the power and tools to overcome them! Don’t give up and reach out for help when you need it.
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