Job Search Rejection!
- Sep 15, 2015
- 3 min read
I knew I was the perfect match for the job and had all the right qualifications when I applied, I was certain I would receive a call back. I took the time to write a resume and a cover-letter and got several experts to review my application for errors, I was sure my phone would be ringing in a few days as I had even spoken to one of the hiring managers and she had mentioned that I was a perfect fit for their organization.
A week passed and I checked my phone every five minutes and kept it charged so I wouldn’t miss a call. Then a month passed and finally I realized that the position had been filled and I wasn’t even given an interview. I was devastated and began to replay the entire process in my head to find where I had gone wrong but till this day I’m not sure what happened.
The problem with the job search is that you never get any specific feedback telling you why you weren’t selected. This makes it challenging for you to know what to fix as it could be one of several things e.g.
Resume
Cover Letter
Not enough experience
Too much experience
These are just a few of the many reasons that a candidate may be rejected, I have highlighted the most common reasons below:
Internal preferred candidate – Sometimes organizations have a proffered candidate before they post the job or there is an internal referral from a key stakeholder in the organization such as the vice president. This can be frustrating and may not seem fair but it does happen. I will be writing a post specifically addressing how you can make yourself seem like an internal referral even if you are an outsider.
Competition – If there are hundreds of other qualified applicants then you may be facing very stiff competition and it’s possible you are rejected for someone the employer thinks is more suitable for the position. This is an easier problem to manage as all you need to do is craft your resume and cover letter to speak specifically to the role. If you suspect that there are many people applying for the position then research the company and ensure your cover-letter demonstrates a strong understanding of the organization. This will give you a competitive edge since most of your competition will not include this extra step.
Resume and Cover-letter– Sometimes even the most qualified applicant can get rejected because of a typo on their resume. This is the worst reason to be rejected for a job as it is completely within your control. Ensure that you have proof read your resume and get someone else to look at it to ensure there are no grammatical errors or typos.
Remember that hiring managers may see your resume after looking at 100’s of others and if you don’t craft yours in a compelling manner then it is likely that it gets drowned out with the rest. Standout from the crowd by ensuring you use language from the job posting in your resume and make your experiences tangible.
Online Profile – If your Linkedin profile is not consistent with your resume or cover letter it is an instant red flag to employers so you must ensure that your documentation and online profile are consistent. Facebook and any other publications about you online must reflect you as a professional and someone that people want to work with.
Have you ever been rejected from a job that you should have gotten? Let us know in the comments section.
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