With a quick scan through LinkedIn it’s easy to come across someone who has recently applied for an open position and they’re upset that a recruiter or hiring manager hasn’t called them back. It can be super frustrating for job seekers when they invest time to apply for a role only to hear nothing. However, before you get discouraged enough to never work with another recruiter or quit your job search, make sure you’re not doing these five things when pursuing a new opportunity.
- Is your resume professional?
Have you selected comic sans as the font for your resume? Is it also purple? Is there a photo or clip art on your resume in an attempt to have it stand out in the stack of resumes that a recruiter or hiring manager are looking at for an open position? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, your resume is likely preventing forward progress in your job search. There are dozens of free, professional resume templates you can find online. A few of our favorites are located here. Use one of these, and you’ll automatically increase the chances of getting a call or email to set up an in person or phone interview.
- Is there a typo on your resume?
If you haven’t given your resume to someone you trust to review it, that should be the very next thing you do. Because you were likely the one that created your resume and poured over every single line of it each time you read it, you’re unlikely to catch the little typos that can ultimately disqualify you. Janet Raiffa, the former head of campus recruiting at Goldman Sachs and the former associate director of the Career Management Center at Columbia Business School was noted in this article citing the spell-check error by a student that wrote about being excited about the possibility of working for Goldman Sachs, but after spell-check, ended up with ‘Goldman sucks.’ So don’t rely on the electronic substitute for the human proofreader. A typo can be so negative on a resume because it’s assumed that this document is an example of your attention to detail. When it appears that you’re not paying attention to the details on this document, it doesn’t foreshadow outstanding job performance.
- What positions are you applying for?
This might seem like a silly question. However, you’d be surprised how often the responses we get from applicants are actually part of the reason they’re not getting responses. Sometimes candidates will apply for roles that require much less experience than they have, and they think that because they’ve got more experience than the role is asking for, they should be a shoe-in for the role. Of course there are exceptions to this, but if you’re applying for roles that require a lot less experience than you have, you’re likely disqualifying yourself.
- Did you finish the application process?
Many application processes can be lengthy. It can be hard to remember if you finished the 22 step process, or if you left off on step 17 and need to go back. Many companies and recruiting agencies are going to a more streamlined application process, but it’s still important to note if you completed the process. Upon completion, most systems will auto-generate a “thank you for your application” email, and you’ll have confirmation that you’ve successfully completed the process. If you didn’t get a confirmation email, it’s likely that you didn’t finish, and will want to log back in to check your application status. At each step in the application process, you’ll want to also make sure that you’re reading the directions very carefully and insure you understand what information they’re asking for. Not completing the application correctly can also negatively affect your chances for moving forward in the screening process.
- Do you know what your LinkedIn profile says about you?
Is your LinkedIn profile complete? Is it typo free? Does it match the information on your resume? Is your profile photo professional? -Meaning you didn’t use a selfie that you snapped last Friday night, and also avoided a shot that required you to crop out your significant other. Remember, LinkedIn is the most leveraged social network for recruiters and hiring managers looking to connect with potential hires. So, if your LinkedIn profile doesn’t depict your professional image accurately, it might be a good idea to make it your weekend project to invest some time revamping your profile.
In a perfect world, you would get a call about every open role you’ve applied to. However, there are a dozen reasons why that doesn’t happen. If you’re not doing any of the five things we’ve outlined in this article, you’re five steps closer to getting the call about your application.