Top 10 Reasons Why You Might Not be Landing a Job and What to Do About it

You’ve been searching, applying, maybe even interviewing for jobs, but still not getting the job.  This can be frustrating and leave you wondering what, “why am I not getting a job, getting hired, and what am I doing wrong?” 

Sometimes, it takes time to secure a job, but there might be something you’re missing that you can improve on.

So, let’s look at the 10 most common mistakes you might be making so you know how you can improve them, and be on you’re way to landing that great job!

10 most common mistakes you might be making in not getting hired

1 Your Job Search Needs to be more Focused

The common thing across all industries is you need a job search strategy. 

However, that strategy might look different based on your industry. For example, a sales rep might emphasize networking and reaching out to previous colleagues to find a new job, whereas an advertising executive might emphasize reaching out to recruiters.

What you can do to improve your job search strategy:

·        Think about what Job You’re Looking for- Narrow down your focus by knowing the right job title/keywords

·        Network- Go to networking events, & reach out to friends, colleagues, or recruiters online via email and LinkedIn to let them know you’re looking for new opportunities.

·        Reach out to Recruiters- Research recruiting firms in your area and industry.  Reach out to them to discuss your experience so they can keep you in mind for opportunities.

·        Find Jobs Online- Use job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn to find job opportunities.

o   Update your LinkedIn account.  Set your profile looking for new opportunities. 

·        Consider if you’re applying to enough jobs- Sometimes if you’re being more selective or at a higher level it may take longer to find that executive position.  Sometimes it’s ok to take a job that could give you some new experience even if it’s not your dream job or if your circumstances don’t allow you to have a lengthy job search.

2 Your Resume Needs Improvements

Your resume is the first step in getting you to land interviews.  If you’re applying for jobs and not landing interviews, there could be some issues with your resume. 

Remember, your resume is your sales tool to show why your experience is the perfect fit for the role you’re applying for.  It’s not a place to list everything you’ve ever done.

What you can do to improve your resume:

·        Tailor your resume for each job

·        Showcase your value and accomplishments from previous roles

·        Make sure your resume is easy to read and ATS friendly

o   Use standard headings like “Experience and Education”

o   Include the right keywords related to the job

o   Avoid graphics and tables  

3 Your Online Brand Needs Improvements

Some hiring managers look you up online to learn about you, so you need to be aware of your online brand.  What type of content do you share on social media. Is it polite? Professional?  If you don’t want your employer to see it, make sure you’re private.  Are you on LinkedIn and have a profile they can review?

What you can do to improve your online brand:

o   Review your social media channels

o   Join LinkedIn and create a compelling profile that attracts recruiters

4 Your interview skills need improvements

If you’re securing interviews but not landing the job you might need to improve interview skills.

How you can improve your interview skills:

·        Research the Company- Have a general understanding of the company, mission, services, and what the role is.  This will help you answer common interview questions of, “Why are you interested in working here?” Having done the research and connecting your resear it to your answer will demonstrate your interest for the company, position, and show you’ve done your homework.

·        Show up confidently- Even if you feel unsure you’re the perfect fit fake it until you make it! 😊 You have to believe you have the skills and what it takes to be successful in the position. If you don’t believe it for yourself, why would the hiring team?

·        Ace the Interview Questions- Before each interview, practice the most common interview questions.  And be able to answer by staying on point and not oversharing personal information. 

·        Ask Questions - When you have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview, do it!  This will help you learn more about the role and understand what they are looking for so you can prepare for the next round interview and know what you need to emphasize.

·        Show YOUR excitement for the position- Hiring managers want to hire someone who shows excitement and passion for this opportunity.  They can pick up your eagerness in how you answer the interview questions.

·        Stay Positive During the Interview- No hiring team wants to hear about your past toxic boss or co-workers. You might have been in a toxic work environment, but the interview is not the time to share this. Practice answering common interview questions of: “Why are you leaving your current position?” “Tell me about situations you worked with difficult employees and how you handled it?”

·        Don’t talk about Money-The interview is not the time to negotiate your salary. 

5 Your Not Following Up after the Interview

Interview panels today have so many candidates to choose from, so you have to take every opportunity to stand out.

As a hiring manger one way I’ve seen candidates stand out is how you follow up after the interview by sending a personalized thank you note to everyone you speak with during the interview process.

What to include in your thank you note:

·        Show gratitude for their time

·        Reiterate why you’re the right person for the job

·        Follow up with any examples of your work to demonstrate your abilities. For example, someone applying as a graphic designer could send some samples of their work.

·        Reiterate your excitement for the role and working for this company

6 You’re Overqualified

Hiring managers often won’t interview overqualified candidates or give them the job. Because, they think you’ll get bored in the position, won’t stay long term, or won’t be satisfied with the pay. 

What you can improve if you’re overqualified:

·        Make it clear your flexible on salary - When the hiring manager sees your experience level they might think you won’t be open to a lower salary, so you have flexibility early on.  Only do this if there is an online application you have answer salary expectation or if the recruiter early on asks you, “What is your salary expectation?”  You can address it by answering you’re flexible based on what the position is and would like to discuss further once you know more about the position.

·        Address your Intentions in the Cover letter-Make it clear in your cover letter why you want this position and are interested in the role.  Be clear about what you’re looking for at this phase in your career.  

·        Address your intentions in the interview- Reiterate your interest & what you’re looking for in the interview. What are you looking for at this stage in your career? Why this position? You don’t want to leave the hiring panel with questions or doubting if you would be satisfied in this role or get bored and leave soon. 

·        Tailor your resume for this position-Even if you have extensive experience, you still need to tailor your resume and show the specific skills/experience you have related to this position and your willingness to perform these tasks (even if they’re less complex than your previous job).

7 Your Underqualified for the position

Apply to jobs your qualified for or at least meet the minimum requirements

How you can improve this:

Improve Your Chances of landing an advanced job- Match the skills and experience (including keywords) they are looking for in your resume and cover letter.  If you haven’t worked in the industry include transferable skills. 

Study the job description- Review the job description for what skills and experience they’re looking for to ensure you have them the minimum requirements before applying.     

8 Your References Weren’t Prepared

Hiring managers call references to verify what you’ve shown them through your resume and interviews.  They’re confirming your past positions, and experience to see the kind of employee or colleague you are. 

How you can improve this:

·        Select the right references- Choose references who’ve worked with you and know your personality and strengths.  Then ask them if they’d be ok with you listing them.  

·        Prepare your references before they get a call- Give them an update on what you’re applying for and what the company or position is looking for (so they can emphasize you’re a good fit).

·        Follow up with the Company-If you didn’t get the position even after the reference check, ask the company why they went in a different direction to get further clarity for how you might improve for the future.

9 You need an Industry connection

Companies like to hire people they know.  So, you might look into how you can utilize your network at the companies you’re applying to. 

How you can improve this:

Use your Connections-Don’t be afraid to reach out to your connections at a company your applying to.  Ask them for more information so you can better understand the company.  Call them and ask if you can list them as a reference or mention them in your interview.

10 There was a more qualified Candidate

You might have been amazing at your interview and still didn’t get the job.  Sometimes you didn’t do anything wrong.  There are other reasons you didn’t get the job including: Someone else was more qualified or they thought would be the better fit, they hired an internal candidate, or put the position on hold.

How you can improve this:

·        Follow up with the Company-If you didn’t get the position ask the company why they went in a different direction to get further clarity for how you might improve for the future.

Final Thoughts

Job searching can feel exhausting, especially if you’ve been doing it a while and not making any progress.  But don’t give up and keep moving forward! 

There might be something from the list above you can improve on, and just remember the right job is out there! 

Be confident in what you will bring to a new company.  You go this!

- Melody Joy