Why You are not Getting Interviews
Posted August 18th, 2014
You are looking for a job. You have been researching companies and sending out your resumes. But you never seem to get any interviews. Why is this happening? There could be a number of reasons why you are not getting interviews. Here are a few.
1. Too narrow a focus.
You may need to expand your search as far as the companies you are applying to. Are you sending resumes only to large, well known companies? These types of businesses routinely receive many resumes, and so the odds of yours getting noticed are much smaller. Expand your search. Look at smaller companies and companies in different geographical areas.
2. Not following the proper procedure.
Companies have their own procedures for the job application process, and if you don’t follow their directions, it is unlikely that your information will ever make it to a hiring manager. For example, some companies require you to submit an application online, while others still use the old fashioned way of paper applications.
3. The resume is inappropriate
Your resume may not be specific enough for the position to which you are applying. To put together a compelling resume, you first need to research the company. Then, you need to focus on providing the information that will get you noticed – telling why you would make a good fit for the company and what value you would bring for the company’s bottom line. Each resume has to be tailored to the company you are applying to. You cannot simply send out a generic resume and expect a response.
4. There are too many errors in your application materials.
Your resume and cover letter represent you. If they are poorly organized, if there are grammatical errors, if there are misspellings, it does not reflect well on you and your professionalism. Research has shown that it takes just one or two language errors to eliminate someone from consideration for a position. Make sure that before you send your cover letter and resume, you have looked them over carefully and that there are no mistakes. Give them to someone else to read as well, to see if the other person can find any errors.
5. Not following up.
After sending your resume and cover letter, you should follow up with the hiring manager. Business experts generally recommend following up with a phone call no later than two weeks after sending in your materials. In the call, you should again state your interest in the job and briefly state again your qualifications.
If you’re a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area and are looking for work in the IT sector, send your resume to Bayside Solutions, one of the premier staffing agencies in the Bay area. We look forward to hearing from you.
