It stinks right? Applying for a job you really want and then finding out, through an email no less, that you didn’t get it. That can be devastating. What stinks even more is if you apply to the job, find out you get an interview, go through all the steps and then they leave you hanging for weeks only to find out you, once again, did not get the position.
When it happens time and time again, it can really take a toll. So, what can be causing that? Find out the top 5 reasons why you might not have gotten hired for that job.
Your Resume / Cover Letter Is Not Up To Par
Did you know many places only scan your resume and if it is more than a page, they won’t even look at it? Yeah, crazy right? You might want to put a lot of information on it, but it might be more than one page. Try using a template that will lay everything out and look more professional. For your cover letter, don’t use the same one for every job. There could be mistakes that you didn’t find until it was too late. Also, you want to tailor your resume and cover letter to the job you are applying for. So, if you are going for a job in construction, they don’t really care that you can type 500 words per minute. Be sure to double and triple check, before you submit it.
You Are Not Showing Passion
If you come into a job interview and you are dressed like you don’t care or are acting like you don’t care, you will probably not get the job. Have passion about the position, if you really want it. Be sure to smile and answer every question with enthusiasm. Interviews can be intimidating, but if you are excited, that is one positive tick on your application. Also, ask questions. It shows you care about the position.
You Haven’t Done Your Research
Make sure to research the company before you go into the interview. Study their website, look at past interview questions on Glassdoor, see what they do. It is always better to be over prepared, than under prepared. Plus, that way you might be able to sneak some of that knowledge into a question you are answering. It will always look better to know about the company, what they do and their standards.
There’s A Lot Of Candidates
Did you ever get to an interview and think you’d be the only person there? Yeah, lots of times, right? Then, you get there and there’s barely any seats available because there’s like 10 potential candidates ahead of you. This happens all the time. If it’s for a very competitive job, you might not even get to the interview stage, so be happy you’re there and being considered. But some people come with very excellent resumes and amazing social skills, so it might beat you out for the position.
You’re Not Standing Out
Maybe you’re not dressed up to par or maybe you have the same experience on your resume as a lot of other people. Try to tell an interesting story in your interview or dress like a CEO would. Stand out! Make sure the people who interviewed you, remember you. Always be considerate. Say please and thank you. Shake their hands (if they look comfortable to do it/ No COVID). Tell them that you look forward to hearing about them. Little things can make a difference.