Why Can’t I Get a Job? 8 Reasons Why Your Job Search Isn’t Working
- by: Jennifer Robinson
- On: 29, Aug 2018
5 min read
Are you struggling to get a job? Can't get an interview?
When applying for job opportunities, your CV must be tailored to the type of industry the job is in. For example, do not send a CV based on work experience in the automotive industry when applying for jobs in the aerospace sector.
Additionally, a CV is not going to stand out unless it is customised; make sure that the recruiters who receive your CV remember you, as they will obtain tonnes of applications for the role you're applying for.
Review and update: by not updating your application, you could be repeatedly including the same clichés and mistakes that don’t get you to the interview stage.
Find out how to write the perfect CV.
There is absolutely no margin for error when it comes to CVs and cover letters; make sure there are no spelling, grammatical or typo mistakes on anything you send to the employer.
Errors in spelling reflects badly on you – it indicates that you're sloppy and lazy, and gives the impression you'll be a disordered employee.
Check everything on your CV and cover letter – check names, addresses, emails and telephone numbers too. Ideally, get someone else to proofread your documents before you send them to an employer.
Spend more time applying for more jobs! Don’t place all your eggs in one basket – apply for multiple jobs in order to receive a handful of interviews.
Nevertheless, make sure that when job hunting, you know what roles you are looking for. While it may be tempting to casually browse job sites to “see what’s out there”, this is not an effective way to conduct your job hunt.
Read VHR's Engineering Job Hunt Guide.
Before you start job hunting make a list of all the professional industries you may be interested in as a starting point – set this list as goals! A reason why you can’t get a job may be because you’re applying for roles in an industry less suited to your experience.
By making lists, you can ensure that your strengths and what you enjoy are in order and aligned with your applications. Conducting thorough research into your career options before narrowing them down can help improve your chance for getting a job.
Set yourself daily targets; if you stick to your timescales, you’ll feel motivated and like you’ve achieved something each day.
It may be worth reassessing your ambitions; if you’re still not getting many responses from your applications, you may have set your sights too high – another reason why you can’t get a job.
Instead of applying for positions which demand a lot of experience, or qualifications that you may not have, apply for jobs that will suit you best and avoid morale disappointment.
It may work in your favour; starting a job in a more junior position will help you get your foot in the door and present you with bigger opportunities for progression in the future.
Also, as well as applying for more suited job positions, it may be worth focussing your efforts on other potential avenues of employment that would utilise the skills and abilities you’ve accrued to date – instead of applying for that dream job.
Are you applying for jobs that are below your skill-set? If so, this is another huge factor that will contribute to you not getting a job.
Employers may get annoyed at your application as they know you’re not suited for that role, and will expect that you’ll be leaving rather quickly if something better gets offered to you (resulting in you not stay to help grow the company).
Additionally, recruiters and employers may second guess why you’re applying for these positions – what has happened to make you settle for less money and less responsibility? This may lead to a route that’ll cause more headache and hassle.
If you make it seem to an employer that hiring you is doing you a massive favour, then the interviewer is likely to choose an applicant that frames their application as they’ll be benefiting the company (as well as themselves).
Keep a level head concerning the reasons as to why you want the job. Show your passion for the company by giving thoughtful answers to what drew you to apply and how you’d approach potential projects.
Tip: for every time you list something you love about the company, list one way you’d be able to support, innovate, or grow something there.
Find out what the best engineering companies to work for are.
Are you qualified and receiving interviews, but still not getting the job? It could be that you’re lacking interview skills. For example, regardless of whether you have the right qualifications to get in the door, if once you’re sitting across from the hiring manager you repeatedly say the wrong thing or give a bad impression, you will not be hired.
The best way to prevent this from happening is do your research – learn more about interviewing and more about how to answer common interview questions.
Once you’ve identified where you can improve, fix it. If you want someone to guide you through it, ask a friend or an interview coach.
Interview questions are challenging, so take your time in familiarising yourself with how best to answer them under pressure.
Learn more about how to improve your CV and how to ensure you're on the best path to getting a job!
