The job search process can be rough! You might have felt a position was tailor made to your background, submitted your carefully crafted cover letter and resume, and did a little happy dance. … until that email comes through that read, “Thank you for applying but we went with another candidate.” … What. The. Heck?!
Why Do I Keep Getting Rejected In the Job Search Process?
As a former recruiter for Fortune 500 companies and Silicon Valley startups, I share the 5 common mistakes job seekers make that result in rejection.
Check in with yourself and honestly evaluate if you have done any of these 5 avoidable errors:
1. Referrals go a long way
You could be the most qualified candidate but the truth is, recruiting is completed by humans at the end of the day. And humans make emotional and relationship based decisions.
Have you ever wondered how someone got a job without having previous experience before? Or why someone less competent got the promotion over you?
The reality is, while it isn’t fair, recruiting and hiring decisions often are made because of connections. You’ve probably heard in your career, “Networking is so important – it’s all about your connections.”
Well, until they can take out the bias from recruiting processes, this is true! But the good news also means you can build and maintain lasting relationships to help you in your job search, too! And by the way, most of my clients get their jobs through complete strangers and newly met acquaintances. So don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a big network right now!
2. Typos + Grammatical Errors
You may have noticed by now about 95% of job descriptions call for someone with strong attention to details.
Because of this, it can be a major turn off for employers to see a candidate who has written an email, resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile with a typo or grammatical error.
Employers want to hire people to make their jobs easier. If they have to continue fixing mistakes – that’s a big problem! Your employer doesn’t know how amazing you are yet so be sure you don’t give them any reason to think otherwise.
Download Grammarly or have a friend you trust review your materials before you hit Send. Don’t forget to triple check everything!
3. Unclear Value Proposition
Do you share a clear value proposition? A clear value proposition should demonstrate your personal brand, what you have to offer, and ultimately what you can contribute to make your employer’s life easier.
If you are too vague, it sends a signal to employers that you’re not sure what you want. This is alarming for all hiring managers.
Be sure you understand what employers are looking for by conducting a SWOT Analysis in advance so you know what’s most important to highlight during your interview process.
4. Dress Code is Off
Did you know some tech companies will dismiss you as a candidate if you come dressed in a suit? Conversely, some professional services firm will dismiss you if you come in too casual or colorful.
Always make sure you understand the culture of the company you’re interviewing on site with.
If in doubt, always ask the recruiter what is appropriate – they are here to help you!
5. Lack of Confidence
Confidence breeds confidence. If you show up in the interview room questioning if you can do the job or if you deserve the job… the recruiter or hiring manager is going to pick up this fear.
Your job during the job search process is to convince the employer that you can do the job and want the job.
Mock interviews with a former recruiter who can provide honest feedback and point out ways to improve your answers will instantly improve your interview performance so you can snag more offers!
Why Do I Keep Getting Rejected?
If you’re frustrated by the job search process and want to learn how to position yourself as the DREAM candidate to land your dream job, then I’d like to invite you to a free strategy call! I specialize in helping job seekers learn how to navigate their career transitions because life is too short to not wake up happy on Mondays!
