If you don’t know the answer to this question, an employer is not going to take time to figure it out! The answer to this question should be included in your cover letter, resume and all forms of communication. Think for a moment of the VALUE you bring to the table. Review your experience and credentials and determine how they will benefit a future employer.
Even if you have identical credentials to someone else, what makes you better? What has been said about you in past performance reviews? How would your boss, peers or subordinates describe you? What did you do to earn promotions, raises or special recognition in your career? Those are all reasons someone SHOULD hire you over your competition!
Seven Likely Reasons You're Not Landing Interviews
Your focus as a job seeker should be to schedule interviews with hiring authorities. If you’re not interviewing, you have no chance of obtaining a job offer. Let’s review seven possible reasons why you’re not landing interviews.
YOU MAY BE RELYING TOO MUCH ON JOB BOARDS - This is where you have the highest level of competition and lowest rate of return on your efforts.
YOUR RESUME/CV - Your resume is responsibility focused vs. listing your accomplishments and the impact they had.
YOUR RESUME/CV - You listed a Job Objective vs. a keyword rich Career Summary on your resume/CV.
LACK OF NETWORKING - It is important to add to your professional and personal network daily.
NO INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS - Informational Interviews often result in job leads or interviews.
YOU DON’T OVERCOME OBJECTIONS - View objections as a request for more information or a buying sign.
YOUR APPLY FOR JOBS LOWER OR HIGHER THAN YOUR MARKETABILITY - Apply for jobs that are in your salary range and level of expertise.
Resolve these issues and you will land more job interviews!
Cover letters that help your Job Search
When you apply online for a job, often there is no option to include a cover letter. However, when you have the opportunity, you can customize your cover letter to match specifics listed in a job requisition. You can also bring up additional accomplishments that would be most desirable to each potential employer.
Cover letters are especially effective when you are mailing your resume. Hand write the envelope, put the words “personal and confidential” in the bottom lower corner, so your contact opens your correspondence.
In your cover letter, state WHY you've targeted their company, your level of interest and when you will be contacting them. When done right, cover letters DO enhance your job search.
Volunteer and Make Contacts
One important aspect of any job search is to get out of the house and away from living in front of your computer. It’s easy to spend most of your day answering job board ads, but that’s very time consuming. It’s also where you will have the greatest competition and least return on your investment of time.
One great use of your time is to volunteer for non-profit groups. Most companies encourage their employees to also volunteer their time. So, the organization benefits by your volunteerism and you can benefit by possibly making contacts who could help you find a job or introduce you to their network.
It’s important that you don’t focus on making contacts. Do a great job for the organization and people will be impressed and ask you what you do. That is when you let them know you’re a free agent in the open job market, but also like to give back by volunteering your time.
There are also some amazing paid positions within many of the major non-profit organizations. When you interact with people, they will always ask what you do and now a door is open that just wouldn’t have happened if you were at home behind your computer.
What does “not a fit” mean?
I’m so tired of hearing that I’m “not a fit.” What does that even mean? This feedback does not help me know what to change on my resume, during my interview or even during my follow up process!
This is a very common complaint from individuals conducting a search in today’s very competitive job market. Employers have learned if they tell you that you are not a fit, that is not something you can attempt to overcome.
They have shared that they are tired of arguing with people they don’t hire. When they give them a specific reason why they were screened out, most job seekers become very defensive, disagree with the hiring authority and basically tell them that they are wrong.
As a result, hiring authorities are simply saying “You’re not a fit.” The best thing you could do is ask how you could improve your interviewing, in the future. “I’m disappointed that I did not get your job but would really appreciate your advice. What could I do differently in the way I’m presenting myself or during my job interview?” When you ask someone for advice, they are not put on the defensive and will often give you great advice.