Imagine going over the many, many job portals, looking high and low for a role which suits you the best, finally gathering enough courage to submit your application, and then… *cricket sound*. It has happened to most of us.
We know, submitting a job application, only to be met with radio silence, can be very frustrating. Did we enter the wrong email address? Did our job application get lost in the pile? Did aliens intercept our application? Really, what gives?
If you’re not hearing back from employers, there may be a reason why they are not responding. In fact, there may be several reasons why this is the case. You may be making one of the following mistakes that instantly send your job application to the rejection pile.
Read on to find out why you may not be getting the response you want in your job search.
You did not do your research
Most candidates make the classic mistake of latching themselves onto the first job opportunity they get, without recognising the mismatch between their skillset and the job description.
If you are sending out emails randomly to companies without knowing the candidate or the kind of skills they are looking for, you are unlikely to get a job anytime soon.
Before you start looking, be clear about the role you are applying to and how you would fit in the company. You may think that writing a persuasive job application may make you a strong candidate, but if you did not thoroughly research the job and the company beforehand, you may have let yourself down.
Find a role which description matches your specific expertise, experience, and skillset. It helps you to better understand what the company looks for in a candidate.
You did not tailor your resume
There is a famous saying, “Job searching is like playing a game of chess — both activities have a significant element of strategising.” The same applies to your resume, as well.
Sending out the same resume and cover letter to all potential employers is a big put-off for recruiters and can make it look like you are not putting in effort — and that’s a message you never want to send across to the recruiters. You would want to take the time to tailor your resume and your cover letter, if necessary, to the job at hand.
Put simply, recruiters need to quickly understand who you are and what skills and experience you possess.
When it comes to the design of your resume, it’s best to stick with something clean and simply. Put simply, recruiters need to quickly understand who you are and what skills and experience you possess.
Read about the resume that will land you the job.
You did not follow the application procedure
Do a double triple check to see if you have applied for the job the correct way. This may seem obvious, but it is an easy mistake to make.
For example, the company requests you to apply through the career page, or the Cult Creative app, but you may have missed the instruction and emailed your resume to the recruiter personally. In other instances, a recruiter may have stated the exact subject title in the email that you would be sending.
If you do not pay close attention to the details, you could be losing opportunities to snag your perfect job. Nail the basics of how to apply to your dream career.
You did not follow up
If it has only been a few days since you submitted your job application, you may need to give it some more time. But, if it has been over a week, it’s perfectly acceptable to send a follow-up email.
Most recruitment teams will keep your profile in their database for several months as they may not have the right opening and will only respond when a suitable role opens up. Sending a follow-up email will give you the upper hand, allowing you to express a genuine interest in the company for the next time they have a vacancy.
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