Inappropriate Grammar And Typos
If you aspire for an office job or any other job requiring written communication, your resume and/or cover letter can not contain grammatical errors and typos. That is a quick path to disqualification by most hiring managers, regardless of your other qualifications.
Even using the free version of Grammarly helps you to write better and minimizes typos. I use it often.
Why Am I Not Getting Interviews For Jobs Im Qualified For
It can be tough being a job seeker. You may find yourself wondering why you arent getting interviews for those positions that seem like perfect fits, but the answer is not always in your favor.
Here are the possible reasons why and what to do about them, according to career experts.
Dr. Mrinalini Garv
There are many reasons why one doesnt get called for interviews even if theyre qualified. But the most common reasons for not hearing back from recruiters/potential employers are as follows:
How To Get Data Science Interviews: Finding Jobs Reaching Gatekeepers And Getting Referrals
Getting interviews is naturally essential for many jobs and data science jobs are no exception. Although resources on this topic are certainly not lacking, practical and actionable advice is rare. Going into my job search I knew that over 70% of job seekers find employment through some form of networking. I knew that I should contact recruiters and build up my network to break in the field. But even knowing this I was still left with an important question: how?
The first time I looked for a data science job was when I was about to complete grad school in Feb. 2017. I tried everything I could to get interviews including
- Hundreds of applications on LinkedIn, GlassDoor, and Indeed
- Reached out to people on all social networks for referrals
- Researched on Google and tried everything thats recommended in articles such as Top 10 Ways to Get Data Science Interviews, 5 Tips for Getting a Data Science Job and How to Get a Data Science Job: A Ridiculously Specific Guide.
- Spent numerous hours creating, formatting, and refining my resume
After job searching with the commitment of a full-time job for three months, I finally got my first interview opportunity through AngelList.
In this post, I will share not only what to do and how to do them to get interviews efficiently. You will find strategies, scripts, and other free resources in this post which will help you be methodical and organized in your job search. Specifically, this blog answers these questions:
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You Didnt Research The Company
Yes, you should come to the interview prepared to ask a few questions of your own, but one of those questions better not be, So, what is it that you do here, anyway?
Do your homework before the interview. Research the company, paying particular attention to recent news stories, social media feeds and the companys stated mission . What do they value, and who will help them achieve their goals?
As a bonus, thoroughly researching potential employers might save you some time and effort. Theres no sense interviewing at a company whose values and goals are in opposition to your own. Make sure there are no red flags that indicate the company culture would be a bad fit for you.
Contact The Company Directly
Can you contact a company directly for a job opening? Absolutely!
This is really effective for two reasons. First, it shows that you have a real interest in working for that company. That puts you ahead of the hundreds of applications they receive when they post on a job board.
Second, it saves them a ton of money. Yes, a ton!
Hiring for a single position can cost a company tens of thousands of dollars. When you go directly to the company, they can cut their costs for recruiting fees. Here are some steps you should take when reaching out directly to the company:
Step 1: Make a list of 40-50 companies you would like to work for. This list should be specific to your industry, location, and long-term career goals.
Step 2: Come up with a letter of interest email to send to the potential employer. This explains who you are, a bit about your background, and why you want to work with that employer.
Step 3: Look for the jobs section or an email address of a hiring manager. You can usually find it by browsing around the company website. If you canât find it, you can reach out to general support and ask for the contact information for the hiring manager. If that doesn’t work, we have more tips about finding contact information in this post: How to Email a Resume: 7 Tips + FAQs
Once you have the correct contact, go ahead and send your letter. You would be surprised at the number of them that actually respond.
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Youre Trying To Send Applications Quickly And Not Tailoring Your Resume
Sending out more applications isnt always better the point is to get interviews, right?
Whats better sending out 20 applications and getting one interview or sending out 10 applications and getting three interviews?
The choice should be obvious.
This is what tailoring your resume for each job will do for you!
It usually takes less time than you think once you spend 30 minutes learning how to do it to begin with! Most people just dont want to put in the time to understand it and so they apply for a ton of jobs but get very few interviews.
If you want to avoid that, read that article I linked to above and start tailoring your resume for the job description.
In short you want to re-order your bullet points to show the employer whats most important to THEM. And you want to make sure to include some keywords from the job description on your resume, too.
If You Are Landing Interviews But Aren’t Passing Them
You donât get credit for landing interviews — youâve got to close strong and land offers. Letâs take a look again at the framework:
If youâre striking out in interviews, itâs probably becauseâ¦
Iâve written an entire article on how to knock your interviews out of the park. If youâre having trouble with interviews, I highly recommend checking it out.
After a failed interview, try to figure out why you were rejected. Diagnosing where you slipped up is critical to improving quickly. There are 2 easy ways to figure out why youâre not moving on in interviews:
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Approach Specific People To Get Help Finding A Job
If youre close to somebody , you can be very direct in asking for help.
But, the less closely you know someone, the less direct and aggressive you should be.
Dont approach somebody you havent talked to in 2 years asking for direct help. Its NOT a good look.
So what should you do?
Tell them youre job searching and ask for advice, or ask a question. Ive seen this work for cold-approaching strangers on LinkedIn too, at companies you want to work for.
Example first message:
Hi John,
Quick question I saw you used to work at Microsoft. Would you recommend their Marketing group? I recently graduated with my degree in Marketing, and Microsoft is one of the top firms on my list, but I always like to ask someone who has direct experience with a company what they thought of the environment.
Now John would respond and give you his opinion.
And after this, you can let the conversation continue a bit, and then ask for help finding a job or getting an interview more directly.
For example, maybe John tells you the marketing group is great and would be great for a new graduate like yourself.
After a few back-and-forth messages, you could send this:
Now youre asking or hinting at the fact that youd like an introduction if possible.
Thats how to let it flow naturally into a conversation with someone who you messaged out of the blue, or someone you already know but arent close with or havent talked to recently.
Reason #: You Dont Follow All The Instructions
Does the application ask you to include samples of your work? Does it ask you to share your salary expectations in your cover letter? Do they accept resumes in .doc format or do they prefer .pdf? Are you meant to include a specific job reference code in the subject line of your email?
Each application is different, and every employer will expect you to provide slightly different information in a slightly different format. While it can be time-consuming to figure out all those details, it is important that you do. Failing to follow the applications instructions to the letter can give a recruiter the quick no theyre looking for so they can move on to the next candidate.
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Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Interviews
Not being selected for a job interview is a chance for you to reflect on your qualifications and approach to job applications. You may need to adjust your job search strategy to apply for jobs that match your experience. When applying for your next job, take some time and assess your next steps to get an interview for the next job you apply for. In this article, we highlight why interviews are important, go over possible reasons you might not be getting interviews and provide some tips on how to get invited for one.
Read more:How to Get an Interview and Secure a Job Offer
Why Only 2% Of Applicants Actually Get Interviews
The internet has made it very easy for people to search out and apply to many job opportunities. But sending out more applications doesnt increase your chances of getting hired. Sending out better applications does. Employers have told us that sometimes as many as 75% of applicants for a given role arent actually qualified to do it.
Experts say that only an even smaller fraction than that are selected for an interview. 98% of job seekers are eliminated at the initial resume screening and only the Top 2% of candidates make it to the interview, says Robert Meier, President of Job Market Experts. Fixing the employment market requires helping job seekers become Top 2% Candidates who can meet employers rigorous requirements and easily hit the bulls-eye of employer needs to ensure they dont make bad hires continued Meier.
Applying for jobs youre unqualified for can hurt your chances at future positions with the company too. The online recruitment software company Bullhorn surveyed 1,500 recruiters and hiring managers and found that such irrelevant applications was the biggest turnoff for 30 percent of them.
With that in mind, here are three ways that you can elevate your job applications to the top of the list:
A resume that is tailored and specific to a job will always stand out from the crowd of generic applications, and thats how you can make it to the job interview.
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Your Resume Does Not Clearly Reflect Your Accomplishments
Another common reason people dont land job interviews is that their resume does not clearly reflect their accomplishments. A common mistake people make when writing a resume is they simply describe their job duties. They fail to write about the value/impact they made on the company where they worked before.
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For example: For the position of ER Director, they write, Responsible for quality and patient safety in the emergency department. This tells the employer nothing.
What they can do instead is highlight their accomplishments by highlighting the KPIs they impacted. For example: Facilitated a multidisciplinary team of 10 and reduced ER wait time by 63% from 8-5 hours.
Employers are looking for how a candidate can add value to their company based on how they added value to their previous company. You want to make your resume compelling for the employer to call you for an interview immediately.
They can do so by highlighting their accomplishments quantitatively as much as possible.
Companies Are Doing More Screening
When you click and send your job application in to a potential employer, it sets off a chain reaction. First, your application materials are screened by applicant tracking systems for specific keywords that assess your qualifications and requirements. Its imperative you use the keywords found in the job description on your resume.
Then, if the ATS deems your application acceptable, an actual human at the company will review your application to see if you are a suitable candidateand then a slew of screening occurs, in the form of background checks. Not only is the information on your job application being verified, but potential employers are also checking you out online to see what else they can find out about you.
A whopping 70% of employers are screening candidates on social media. Theyre reviewing your LinkedIn profile, your Facebook page , your tweets on Twitter, what kinds of pics you like to post on Instagram and Pinterest, and so on. Anything slightly objectionable on any of your social media sites can cause you to not hear back from an employer.
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Reasons Why You Didnt Make It Past The First Interview
You breezed through the phone screening and your first interview went surprisingly well.
But weeks go by and you never hear back. If you do end up getting a rejection email, youre left staring numbly at an auto-response with too many clichés and not a single explanation of why you didnt make the cut.
And so, the vicious circle continues. How can you improve your interview game when no one is telling you what youre doing wrong?
While there are may be different factors at play, Glassdoor Senior Talent Acquisition Partner Jamie Hichens sheds light on nine red flags that can knock job seekers out after the first interview.
Not Applying To Companies Directly And Only Using Job Boards
Of course, job boards are there for a reason its an easy and intuitive way to look and apply for the most suitable positions. However, because its so easy and fast, companies quickly become flooded with resumes from job boards, and many simply stop going through them.
If there is an alternative, its a good choice to apply directly on the companys website since there is a higher chance your CV will get noticed.
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Not Hearing From Employers About Your Applications Heres Why
Its by far one of the most frustrating aspects of job searching. After carefully customizing your resume and cover letter to match the specific details of the job description, you send in your job applicationand nothing. If youre not hearing from employers, take heart in knowing that youre not alone.
This is one of the most common questions we hear from clients, says Brie Reynolds, Career Development Manager and Coach at FlexJobs. It can be frustrating and confusing to send out applications and not hear back. People tend to immediately assume the worst.
There must be some sort of explanation, right? After all, your job skills, previous work experience, and overall knowledge make you a strong candidate. If youre not hearing back about jobs youve applied to, theres probably a reason why employers arent responding. In fact, there are several reasons why this might be the case.
Note:
FlexJobs is the longtime leader in helping job seekers find the highest-quality remote, work-from-home, hybrid, and flexible jobs. You can to our database of hand-screened job listings, as well as job search and career webinars, and many other great resources! Learn today howFlexJobs can empower your job search!
Youre Qualified But You Lack Interview Skills
Do you know someone whos super smart, but for whatever reason, just isnt a good test-taker? They get nervous, they feel boxed in, they chokewell, the same thing can happen in interviews.
It could be that you have the exact right qualifications to get in the door, but once youre sitting across from the hiring manager you repeatedly put your foot in your mouth. Maybe you throw your old boss or colleagues under the bus, so you dont come off like a team player. Maybe you ask questions that make it clear you didnt do your research. Maybe you dont ask any questions at all. Maybe you skip the thank you note, because you think it doesnt really matter. .
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Making Your Resume Stand Out:
- Dont tell, show the numbers and metrics. When describing your experiences and projects, show your contribution measured by business metrics. Show the size and type of data that was processed and cite the exact technologies you used. Being specific makes your resume more trustworthy.
- Dont send one resume for all positions. Its always worth adding customized tweaks to it for each application. At the very least, if you observe important keywords and skills mentioned in a job description, use those in your resume and highlight your skills in those domains. It is not okay to make things up, but its totally fine to restructure your skills and experiences to fit the context of a job description.
Personnel Changes At The Company
Turns out the hiring manager you met and interviewed with no longer works at the company. They have left the company for another job, or their position was terminated.
Your prospective boss might also have been interviewing at the same time, and has found a better position. The last thing she would be thinking about is the candidate thats waiting for an answer.
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