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The process of going through a job search can be stressful and soul-destroying. It’s essential to stay positive, but that can be difficult when you’ve been doing it for a while without success. Nonetheless, responding to multiple adverts and not getting job offers can seriously wear even the brightest optimist down. If this sounds familiar, try not to worry. The good news is that there are several things you can do to improve your chances of securing a job offer.
However, the corrective action you need to take depends on at which stage of the recruitment process you’re falling down. The below troubleshooting guide will help you identify where you’re going wrong and what you can do about it.
Repeatedly Having Your CV Rejected
In some respects, an application being eliminated at CV stage can be the most straightforward problem to solve. The reason for this is that when CVs get rejected, they are usually from candidates who don’t appear to be qualified for the role.
Stop Wasting Time On Jobs That Are Not Right For You
Many job seekers think that applying for jobs is a numbers game. Thereupon, the more submissions they send out, the more chance they have of eventually getting lucky. Unfortunately, using this scattergun approach to finding a job rarely works.
The alternative is to tailor your CV and cover letter to each job you apply to. This may sound time-consuming, but consider this: It probably takes the same amount of time to carefully tailor five job applications as it does to send a hundred random ones. Which do you think will be more likely to result in a job offer? If you’ve been using this approach, try switching and see how much more success you have.
State The Obvious
The worst thing about not making it past the CV stage is that most companies won’t give you any feedback as to the reason why. This requires a certain amount of guesswork as to why your CV keeps getting knocked back. Often, there is a simple solution to this; make sure your CV answers all the requirements within the job description.
Many candidates don’t think they need to state the obvious. For example, let’s say a job advert for a Tech Support Engineer calls for excellent telephone skills. It’s surprising how many candidates don’t mention on their CV that they’re confident on the phone. Maybe they think it goes without saying or it’s something so basic that it’s not worth mentioning. Either way, failing to highlight such a fundamental skill will find your CV in the rejection pile.
Seek Expert Advice
If you genuinely believe that you are qualified for the roles you are applying for, and you are tailoring your application to each one. It may be worth asking a reputable recruitment consultant for advice on where you are going wrong.
Not Getting Job Offers Following Telephone Interviews
Companies don’t usually make job offers based on a telephone interview alone. Rather, telephone interviews help employers to identify the strongest candidates to invite to the next round. At this stage, interviewers check basic facts and ask questions to test whether applicants are who they say they are on their CVs.
So when candidates don’t get an invitation to subsequent rounds after a telephone interview, it is usually for one of a few basic reasons:
- The company do not think the candidate’s commute to work is viable and therefore they don’t envisage any longevity in the hire
- Where an applicant is relocating for the job, their motivation for doing so is not clear
- Something on the candidate’s CV does not ring true
- They don’t seem to want the job enough, i.e. haven’t done enough research into the business
It’s worth asking for feedback after a telephone interview to find out where you’re going wrong. Of course, you won’t get a retrial for the job in question. But at least it will give you the opportunity to improve your chances of being invited to an interview next time around.
Not Getting Job Offers After Interviews
Not receiving a job offer after an interview can come as a bit of a blow. The reason for this is that by this point, candidates will have put a lot of effort in, including:
- Tailoring an application to suit the job description
- Researching the company
- Brushing up on interview skills
- Preparation into answering particular interview questions
- Taking time off work to attend a job interview
- Started forming a relationship with hiring managers or other people working within the business
It’s crucial to maintain a positive mindset if you don’t receive an offer after attending an interview. Instead of seeing it as a setback, use it as an opportunity to learn from the experience.
Call the hiring manager, HR Executive or whoever else you have built a relationship with at the company and ask for feedback. If the feedback they give you is not clear, don’t be afraid to ask for further clarification. Interviewers expect candidates to be specific during interviews, so it’s only fair to ask the same of them.
While accepting criticism is never easy, understanding your weaknesses will help you to improve your interviewing skills. If you receive feedback you don’t like, resist the urge to be defensive. Instead, try to accept comments as graciously as possible and always thank responders for their time. Keep in mind that when hiring managers give feedback, they do so voluntarily. Therefore, you should express your gratitude for them taking the time to do so.
Having An Application Rejected After Multiple Interviews
Not getting a job offer after multiple rounds of interviews can be extremely frustrating. In addition to the preparation detailed above, candidates can also use up several valuable days of annual leave to attend meetings.
Unfortunately, the feedback comments candidates receive after multiple interviews aren’t always helpful either. For example, we often hear comments such as:
- Not a good culture fit for the business
- We just like another candidate better
- The chemistry just isn’t there
None of the above statements seems useful and candidates often think that interviewers are avoiding the question by responding with comments like this.
However, when interviews get into several rounds, it’s often because managers are torn between two or three individuals. Each candidate is probably perfectly capable of doing the job. Therefore, what hiring managers are trying to ascertain is which candidate will fit best within the existing team.
No receiving a job offer based on personality can feel extremely harsh and unfair. After all, there is nothing you can do to change who you are and absolutely no reason you should either. Although it might make it easier to accept if you consider this; In a parallel universe, you may have been offered the job. However, you might be miserable working in a job where you don’t fit in and find yourself looking for another position in six months.
Just as with any relationship scenario, someone can be the nicest person in the world, it doesn’t mean that they will get along with everyone. Your perfect fit will be out there, but it’s worth holding out for a job offer you’ll be happy to accept and remain in the long term.
How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Job Offers
If you’ve been applying for jobs for a while but you’re still not getting any offers, it’s worth seeking the advice of an expert.
Recruitment Consultants have long standing relationships with their clients and get to know the kinds of people they look for. Not only do recruiters understand the skill sets their clients want, but they also understand their company culture. Having someone with such in-depth knowledge on your side can significantly improve your chances of getting a job offer.
Do you know anyone who’s job hunting and not getting job offers? Feel free to share this article with them on social media. They will be sure to thank you for it!
