Just why am I not getting hired?
Like most job seekers whose quest to find employment seems to be hitting a dead end, this is the number one question in your mind. After putting effort into earning the necessary occupational qualifications and getting ready for the job market, you certainly did not expect to go several months without getting a job.
Your situation can quickly lead to hopelessness and disrepair, but in all likelihood, it’s just a rough patch. As long as you’re qualified and actively looking, you’ll find a job sooner or later.
But in the meantime, you want to know why job offers aren’t forthcoming. This article explores some of the common reasons that can keep a jobseeker waiting for a job that doesn’t seem to be coming.
Read on!
1. You’re Not Applying for the Right Jobs
What’s the right job for you, anyway?
Of course, it’s not like you’re applying for medical jobs and you’re a business graduate. Nor are you a pharmacist looking to be hired as a lawyer.
You’re applying for jobs in your line of work, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going for the right job. The right job is one for which you’re adequately qualified.
For example, if you have an associate’s degree in bookkeeping, you shouldn’t be applying for finance manager jobs, although that’s a job that’s in your line of work. Even getting hired as an accountant can be a stretch, as employers will be looking for candidates with accounting, not bookkeeping, training. With your current qualifications, the right job for you is that of a bookkeeper.
There’s nothing wrong with sending in speculative applications for the wrong jobs. You could as well get called for an interview, impress the employer, and leave them pondering whether to take the chance on you. In fact, some people have been hired to fill jobs that were above their qualifications but that’s the exception, not the norm.
When you don’t want to stay out of a job for a long time, go for jobs that match your qualifications. Read the job descriptions/requirements, giving emphasis to educational and professional experience specifications. This way, you’ll quickly catch the attention of employers and it won’t be long before interview calls start coming in.
2. You’re a Passive Job Applicant
On average, a job opening attracts 250 applications.
What are the odds you’re going to catch the eye of a recruiter/employer on your first try? Your guess is as good as ours. The truth is it takes multiple applications (about 20) to get one job offer.
As such, if the applications you’re making are few and far between, it’s not surprising that you are not getting hired. It’s simple, really. The more job applications you make, the higher your chances of getting hired.
It’s understandable that fatigue can set in after you’ve submitted a handful of applications without getting a response. Don’t tire. The goal is to apply to as many open jobs that match your qualifications as possible.
Avoid passing up job openings that don’t excite you. The salary might not be competitive or the location might not be ideal, but you could get an opportunity to interview and improve your skills and confidence.
In addition, don’t just apply to advertised jobs. Experts estimate that as much as 70 percent of all jobs are not advertised. Send speculative applications to companies in your industry. Don’t be surprised to hear back from some of them!
3. Your Resume Needs Work
Word on the street is about 75 percent of resumes are not read by a human. As AI technology advances, you can expect this number to keep going up.
This, though, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother to put together a resume that grabs attention and impresses. Writing a resume with AI in mind may help you sail through the initial rounds of resume-vetting, but eventually, it will come before a human’s eyes. Will they find it compelling?
Your resume is what sells your talents and speaks to recruiters in your absence. It goes a long way in determining whether you’ll get invited for an interview.
So, if you have not taken time to craft a professional resume, or if it’s been a long while since you last updated it, it could be the reason employers are snubbing you. It’s time to get to work (pun intended) and polish it up.
Check out the latest resume trends and put together a resume that presents you as a new-age or modern job seeker who would be a good fit in a modern workplace. Don’t just focus on your education and experience. Employers are also looking for these soft skills on resumes.
If you’re struggling to write a strong resume, you could, at a small fee, hire a professional writer and let them write it up for you.
4. Youre Not Following Up on Your Applications
In the general order of job hunting, youre supposed to apply for jobs and wait for a response, be it positive or negative. But no response? Thats just rude.
But recruiters and employers care little about how they come off when they dont respond to job applicants. This is why you should take it upon yourself to follow up on your job applications when no response is forthcoming.
Yes, it can feel a little desperate, but guess who needs a job? Plus, perhaps your first application somehow ended up in the spam folder and it’s your follow-up email that will get things moving. Maybe the recruiter will take note of your persistence and keep you in mind for the next vacancy that pops up.
5. You’re Not Passionate Enough
If we’re being brutally honest, passion shouldn’t be a requirement for getting or holding any job. We all want to do what needs to be done, get paid, and go home. In a world where earning a living wasn’t necessary, how many people would hold on to their jobs for passion’s sake?
Unfortunately, in the labor market, it’s employers who hold all the cards. They want employees who are passionate about their jobs, so job seekers have no choice but to develop and demonstrate this passion.
And so it follows that if you’re not coming off as someone who’s passionate about the job they’re seeking, it could be why employers are not interested in your services.
This raises the question: how do you prove that you’re passionate enough? Perhaps you’ve done your best to be enthusiastic during interviews but apparently, that’s not enough.
Well, it’s important to show some level of passion during interviews, but that can easily be faked. Employers know this, which is why they’re often looking elsewhere to try and find that passion.
You can tell if someone is passionate about their profession by asking whether they hold membership in a professional association. If you’re an accountant (CPA) and have taken the effort to join the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, for example, most people will conclude that you’re passionate about accounting. Well, fair game if you aren’t and only joined the body to impress recruiters, but it’s the effort that counts.
Attending industry events such as conferences and seminars is another way to showcase your passion as a professional.
6. Your Job Expectations Are Unreasonable
It’s one thing if you’re making job applications and not hearing back. It’s another thing if you’re getting interviews but no one is giving you an offer.
With the former, you can quickly conclude that the problem lies with your resume or choice of jobs. With the latter, the problem could be that you have unrealistic job expectations.
Perhaps you’re asking for a salary that’s way above what the company is willing to pay. Or you need job flexibility that your employer doesn’t offer.
Whatever the exact reasons, unreasonable job expectations will keep you out of employment for longer than you’d like. Always remember that employers hold all the chips. If you’re not willing to bend your expectations towards an employer’s, there’s someone who will do it.
You can tame your expectations by researching the job and the company that’s interviewing you. What’s the average salary (and other benefits) for that position across the industry? How much does the company typically pay?
With this information, you’ll be in a better position to ensure your expectations are on the same page as the employer’s expectations. Even if you have to be more aggressive, you’ll have a clear idea of how high you can go with your demands before the employer starts thinking you’re wasting their time.
7. You Lack Insider Industry Information
College equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to do a certain job, but in some industries, that’s not enough to break in. Access to insider information can make all the difference when you’re on a job hunt.
For example, you already know that most job positions aren’t advertised. Some companies will often ask their employees to recommend people who can fill vacancies when they arise. If only you had such connections, you wouldn’t be struggling to get a job right now.
Focus on building your professional network even when you’re yet to get your first job. Attend industry events and strike relationships with professionals who already have their feet in. And don’t shy away from asking them to alert you whenever they hear of an opening.
Insider information doesn’t just keep you abreast of unadvertised job openings in your industry. You’ll also know what employers are looking for, so you can tailor your application accordingly and increase your chances of getting the job.
8. You’re Not Using Industry Recruiters
Most medium-sized and large companies don’t have the time to conduct in-house recruitment unless it’s for executive positions. They usually outsource the task to staffing agencies because it’s cheaper, quicker, more effective, and more efficient.
Where do these staffing agencies get workers to fill those jobs? You’ll rarely see these agencies advertising those vacancies. That’s because they already have curated pools of suitable candidates.
Once a client (employer) has a vacancy, all the agency needs to do is dive into their talent database and fish out a suitable candidate. And just like, within minutes the vacancy is filled, further keeping a job seeker like you who isn’t using a recruiter out of employment.
There are plenty of recruiters in your industry. Pick a handful and submit your resume to their database. You may go through some screening to ensure you meet the necessary qualifications. From there, you’ll only have to wait until you’re matched with an opportunity.
An added benefit of signing up with recruiters is that you might gain access to occupational resources that can help you in your job-hunting journey.
9. The Labor Market Is Slowing Down
It’s not always your fault when you can’t find a job. Sometimes it’s due to forces beyond your control.
Just like the economy, the labor market goes through cycles. There are periods when there are more jobs than can be filled, and there are other times when jobs are scarce.
If the number of job vacancies is declining, jobs will be harder to come by. During such times, there isn’t much you can do apart from waiting it out. If you can afford it, you can use the time to advance your education.
You can also volunteer or take free internships. This will help you gain real-world job experience and open up your access to industry insiders.
Why Am I Not Getting Hired? Now You Know
If you were asking, why am I not getting hired? by now you should have a better idea. But to recap, more often than not, it has nothing to do with bad luck. There are mistakes you’re making on your part, or in some cases, there simply aren’t enough jobs to go around.
Be sure to find more educational and career tips and insights on our blog.
