Being unemployed can be stressful.
If you’ve been knocking on doors, sending resumes, and still no job, it’s no surprise that you’d be asking, “Why can’t I get a job?” You’ve likely been asking yourself, “How do I get a job?” or “Where can I get a job?”
Read on for some great advice on what you might not be getting that job.
1. Lack of Work Experience
You may be applying for positions where you are lacking the necessary experience. College graduates commonly make this mistake thinking that because they have completed their degree that’s all that they need to land the job. The problem is college graduates are everywhere so that’s just not enough. If you don’t have direct experience, you need to be creative in your resume. That doesn’t mean lie. It means sit down and analyze “all” the skills you have and see if you can apply them to the position you are going to apply for. You might also consider taking a position that’s lower than what you’ve been looking for just to get your foot in the door. Once in you can showcase your skills.
2. More Competition
It’s tough out there. The days of walking into a place of employment and getting a job are almost non-existent.
As a result, you have to consider how you are going to stand out from everyone else that’s applying for the same position as you are. Having a degree, isn’t alone enough to land a job. Having experience may not even be enough. You need to treat your resume like it’s an advertisement about you. So give your resume the time it deserves so it stands out, and that doesn’t mean just putting it on colored letterhead. Clear, concise information that the hiring manager can quickly see, is important to landing an interview.
3. Lack of Networking
More jobs are obtained through referrals than through direct application to an advertisement.
Statistics show that word of mouth remains the most effective way to land a job. That means it’s important for you to network. Talk to people – tell them who you are and what you do. Let people know you are looking for employment. This is not as difficult as you might think.
4. Lacking Interview Skills
You put together an excellent resume that gets you an interview, and then because you lack the necessary interview skills you don’t get the job.
Mock interviews are an excellent way to build your skills, and there are a number of questions that are asked at almost every interview. You can find a list of what type of questions you should be prepared to answer online. It’s a shame to lose the job to someone else just because you don’t have good interview skills, so why not polish them up?
5. Improper Follow-Up
It’s important to follow up after you send off a resume or after an interview.
It will never hurt and it can often help. Phone or send an email that thanks them for the opportunity and to see what the status of the hiring position is at. It shows your tenacity and it shows you are serious about getting that job. This little strategy could be what sets you apart from the rest.
So rather than thinking you’ll never get a real job or yelling from the rooftops “get me a job,” consider these 5 reasons why you can’t get a job and then strategize around how you can change that.
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