As resume writers, we have access to information that general job seekers are not aware of. Job seekers often believe that all jobs posted as open are eventually filled, and if they personally aren't called for an interview, someone else was picked instead. This can lead to feeling of dismay and dejection if a job seeker has applied to numerous jobs and not received any follow-up calls.
Revision Resume has written previous blogs indicating job seekers should really not feel rejected or take it personally if they don't hear from the hiring manager after submitting a job application (click here and here to read a couple of these blogs). There are various issues that occur, unrelated to you personally, that could be the reason you didn't get the interview. These include:
The role ended up losing funding, so they didn't bring in candidates.
The situation changed and the company realized they didn't need to fill that slot anymore.
They found an internal employee to promote and decided to go with someone they knew instead of gambling on a new hire.
The boss had a relative in need of work and the company hired that person instead of seeking qualified candidates.
In addition, we have recently heard of some additional reasons companies don't call prospective employees in for interviews:
The posting was never intended to be filled. They just posted the job because they want to give the impression that the business is growing when in reality it is not.
The opening was listed only to see what caliber of candidates are out there right now. Again, they didn't ever intend to actually hire anyone, and don't really have an opening at this time.
The job posting was solely for the purpose of advertising the company. Many people look at job boards, and some companies think this is a good way to get their name out there.
The business recognizes that it has overworked employees but isn't in a position to financially add more workers. Yet, it lists openings so the overworked employees think that the company is hiring and their workload will be relieved.
Revision Resume wants to make clear that we believe all four of the above reasons companies post jobs with no plan of actually hiring are deplorable. When someone is looking for a new role they put a lot of time into the process and are often very emotionally engaged. Submitting a job application for a position that was never intended to be filled is disheartening for the job seeker and a cruel tactic on the part of the business.
Unfortunately there is no mechanism for preventing this kind of thing from happening. As a job seeker, you may be able to spot a false job posting through networking with people that work at the company. However, in the case of the overworked employees, even people within the business may believe the posting is real and may inadvertently lead you astray.
It is hard to keep your head up when you have sent out multiple resumes and not heard anything back. Unless you know your resume was rejected for a specific reason, keep in mind that you might have been an ideal candidate for the role, but it just isn't being filled at this time.
If you are concerned your resume may be the issue, we would be happy to provide you a resume critique. Letting Carrie or Laura look at your resume to verify the document is letter-perfect and well-aligned with the role you are seeking can give you confidence that your resume isn't the issue, the business is! One of our satisfied clients recently said, "Your insight was incredibly helpful!" Let us help you next. Contact us today!
