Sending in a resume and not hearing anything back is so frustrating. Here are some reasons why you might have been passed over for an interview.
Spending hours going through job listings, then sending in a resume to apply for the jobs you are interested is hard work. It's time consuming and often, you won't hear anything back from the company. When this happens more times than not, it can be hard not to become discouraged.
When a hiring manager or a recruiter posts a job listing, they are trying to find the best candidate for the job, in the most effective way possible. You have to remember that for every job opening they post, they are receiving hundreds of resumes.
Sorting through the pile and determining which people to call back takes time, and sometimes, qualified applicants get overlooked. In order to raise your chances of getting an interview, make sure that your resume makes it easy for a hiring manager to see why you are a great fit for their company.
Here are 5 reasons you didn't get called back for an interview:
- You didn't say what job you were applying for – Often companies hire in small groups. That means that they probably have several job listing running at the same time. When you send in your resume, make sure that you put the job title in your subject line so that the person sorting the incoming resumes will know what position you are applying for.
- You didn't include a cover letter – I know that some people think that cover letters are old fashioned and not relevant anymore, but that just isn't true. Sure, you may not have to have one in order to find someone to hire you, but when you are trying to get a job that will give you a salary and even change your life, the least you could do is take a little time to write a cover letter.
- The cover letter isn't customized for the job – Just because you added a cover letter doesn't mean this isn't still the problem. You have to customize your cover letter for each job application. Think of your cover letter as your marketing campaign. Don't send a letter that says that you are looking for a high paced sales position to a job opening for an administrative assistant. Your resume probably won't get read.
- Your resume isn't attached – If you are applying for a job, attach a copy of your resume. Don't just send a cover letter that summarizes your skills and experience. Also, while it's a great idea to include links to your LinkedIn profile, don't expect a hiring manager to go find your resume. Just send in a copy along with your cover letter.
- You don't meet the job requirements – This one is a biggie. If you aren't qualified for the job, don't apply for it. If the job listing states a candidate needs several years experience in a certain field or that a specific skill is required, trust them. If you don't have the required experience or skills, don't waste your time or theirs. However, if you have over 80 percent of what they are looking for, go ahead an apply. Just make sure that you address this in your cover letter.
There are many other reason you might not get a call back from an employer. Sometimes, you can be very qualified and send in an amazing resume along with a cover letter and never hear anything back. In those cases, all you can do is keep your chin up and mark it off as practice. However, if you keep these things in mind, you can increase your chances of sending in a resume and cover letter that gets results.
What other reasons do you think resumes get overlooked? Let me know in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for ManhattanJobsBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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