Frustrated with your
job search?
Are you sending out
tons of resumes, and maybe even getting interviews, but not any offers?
Here are eight
possible reasons why:
2. Your cover letter puts hiring
managers to sleep. If your cover letter just summarizes the same
information found on your resume, there's no need for an employer to read it.
Instead, your cover letter should take advantage of the opportunity to present
employers with additional information: Show personal interest in working for
this particular organization and in this particular job, and explain why you'd
excel at it without simply reciting your employment history.
3. You don't seem enthusiastic
about the job. Job seekers sometimes worry that they'll look desperate
if they show their excitement about a job, but employers generally like
enthusiastic candidates—and a lack of enthusiasm can be a deal-breaker. No one
wants to hire someone who doesn't seem especially interested in the
opportunity.
4. You aren't paying attention to
details. Job seekers frequently act as if only "official"
contacts—like interviews and formal writing samples—count during the hiring
process. They'll send flawless cover letters and then check up on their
applications with sloppily written emails that include spelling errors. Or
they'll be charming and polite to the interviewer but rude to an assistant.
Hiring managers pay attention to how quickly a candidate responds to requests
for writing samples and references, and even how fast he or she returns phone
calls.
5. Your interview skills are
lackluster. If you're not preparing for interviews by practicing
your answers to likely questions, and preparing examples from your past work
that clearly demonstrate why you'd excel at the job, then chances are good that
you're selling yourself short. It's hard to interview well on the fly; if you
don't prepare in advance, you have a high risk of being passed over even for
jobs at which you'd do well.
6. You're trying to "stand
out" by using gimmicks. Fancy resume designs, having your
application delivered by overnight mail, video resumes, and other gimmicks
don't make up for a lack of qualifications, and they'll turn off many hiring
managers. If you want to stand out, write a great cover letter and show a track
record of success in the area for which the employer is hiring.
7. You're so
focused on selling yourself that the hiring manager can't assess your fit for
the job. Too many job
applicants approach the interview as if their only goal is to win a job offer,
losing sight of the fact that this can land them in a job that's wrong for
them. Interviewers want to see that you're thinking critically about whether
you'd do well in the job and be happy with the work and culture, or if you'll
be itching to leave a few months in. Part of this means being honest about your
strengths and weaknesses and giving the hiring manager a glimpse of the real
you, so he or she can make an informed decision about how well you'd
do in the job.
8. Math. Yes, math. In a
tight job market, sometimes you can do everything right and still not get job
offers. With more great candidates than there are jobs, simple math means that
even fantastic candidates can have a frustrating search. So if you know that
you're doing everything above correctly, you might just be facing the reality
that it's a tough market right now.
Alison Green (US News)
