If you have been submitting resumes and not getting called for any interviews, it may be worthwhile to consider where you might be going wrong. Here are a few potential reasons you should evaluate.
1) Are you applying for roles in which you have the necessary skills?
Re-evaluate the job postings closely. Do you have greater than 65% of the required skills listed? If not, you may be getting passed over because you don't have the required qualifications. In that case, you have the option of taking classes or completing training in order to increase how well you match with the job postings. If that isn't feasible because of time or financial constraints, you may want to apply to jobs in which your current skills are a better aligned to the opening, giving you a higher chance of getting a call for an interview.
2) Is your resume aligned with the job opening, showcasing your skills?
If you have evaluated the job posting and determined that you do have the required qualifications, your next step is to verify that your resume showcases your appropriate skills and experiences. Does the resume you submitted for the job opening demonstrate that you are capable of being successful in the new role? Do you explicitly indicate how you meet their requirements? You may need to tweak your resume a bit to incorporate keywords from the job opening. Use your actions and results to show how well aligned you are with the new role.
3) Are you applying shortly after the job was posted?
Recruiters have told us that they start evaluating resumes as soon as they are submitted to a job posting. If they see candidates that look promising, they immediately pass them along to the hiring manager. Therefore, submitting your resume fairly early is beneficial. Hundreds of resumes are submitted for each job opening. If 6 quality candidates are found within the first 3-5 days of the job being posted, the hiring manager may decide to proceed with the interview process, and not continue to evaluate incoming resumes. If you are submitting your application weeks or months after the job was originally posted, you may not be called because the process has already moved beyond the resume screening and to the interview stage.
4) Evaluate your social media.
Over 50% of hiring managers indicate they look potential candidates up on social media platforms. If your social media has questionable content, you may be eliminated, even if your resume shows you are highly qualified. Before you apply for any more positions, spend some time verifying your social media accounts provide an accurate and professional reflection of you. Take down any questionable content -- specifically consider removing religious or political beliefs. If you have a LinkedIn profile, verify that it compliments your resume and doesn't provide any conflicting information that might raise a red flag for a hiring manager.
5) Are there other circumstances beyond your control?
In some cases, you may not be called even though you are the ideal candidate. Sometimes job openings are not filled due to changes in the budget or hiring needs after the role was announced. It is also fairly common for a company to decide to hire an internal candidate, even if they have publicly posted the opening. Or, nepotism may occur and the hiring manager has a friend or relative that they select. In any of these circumstances, you had no control and didn't actually do anything wrong. You just need to continue looking for a suitable opening and eventually you will land a position successfully.
Revision Resume assists job seekers on the quest to find a new role. If you would like to learn more about our services, click here. We would be happy to assist you in your search for the job you desire!
Video Tips:
