Have you ever felt frustrated when you've submitted a job application and not received a response? Here are some possible reasons why this may be happening. Understanding WHY this is happening can ultimately help you avoid making the same mistakes in the future. Below are some reasons why your CV could be landing in the no pile.
Mass-distributing your CV.
Obviously, it is great to apply for multiple different vacancies, however sending out the same CV to different roles, just don’t work. When a hiring manager reads a CV that hasn’t be tailored towards the job requirements they can tell in an instant. This is many because your skills and experience will not be targeted to the specific role. It can also demonstrate a lack of care & that it may appear as though you have no interest in the role or company.
Social media presence.
It’s becoming increasingly common for potential employers to search you out online. As they want to gain a better understanding of who you are as a person rather than a candidate. This can be risky, especially if they find out something they don’t like. This could be an image that you posted or shared, putting your job chances at risk. Try and avoid this, before applying for the job, clean up your online presence. Ensure that you make everything as private as you can and mainly focus on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter & others. However, if you really don’t want to be found, potentially substituting your last name with your middle name will reduce the risk.
Lack of keywords.
Organisations do use applicant tracking softwares. You’ll need to ensure that you incorporate keywords within your CV to rank highly. By including frequently used key terms or words within your chosen sector or work, you are more than likely to increase your chances of getting your CV looked at by the hiring manager.
Not qualified for the role.
A simple explanation to why you aren’t getting the job interview can be because you aren’t the right candidate for the role. Whether this is because of lack of experience within this sector or maybe your even overqualified for the role. It just mainly comes down to that you’re not the best fit. This is why it’s always important to read the job description, as you’re then able to understand what the requirements are.
Presentation.
The layout of your CV is extremely important. A layout consisting of a maximum of two pages is effectively enough in allowing the potential employer to see easily your work history and experience. A hiring manager is looking to initially scan through your CV quickly, which can be difficult if the layout is messy and confusing. If your CV isn’t correctly laid out it can be hard to find out all the information quickly and easily, so it’s important that you don’t rush into uploading your CV. Do allow yourself some time to proofread otherwise, you can end up with a CV that looks unprofessional and sloppy. A covering letter can help you show a level of professionalism and can indicate that you’re serious about the role.
REMEMBER – These aren’t always the penultimate reason to why you aren’t getting a response. Sometimes if a position has already been filled, you won’t necessarily receive a reply. Or maybe it could be simply that the role has had hundreds of applications & the HR departments may be struggling to look at every CV. On the other hand, if this is something that is a common occurrence for you, it may be worth researching similar smaller company, to ensure that your CV will be looked at.