Job hunting can be frustrating, especially when the search goes on for weeks, or even months. You wake up early each day and get to hunting, always mindful that you need to meet your quota—that magic number of applications per day or week to submit. If you blast out enough resumes and fill out enough online application forms you’re certain to get hired, right?
But sometimes it feels like you’re just throwing all those applications out into a black hole. It can be overwhelming and demoralizing.
It’s easy to fall into the “quantity over quality” trap. It is true that the more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to find what you’re looking for. But when it comes to finding a job, putting yourself out there doesn’t mean submitting as many job applications as humanly possible!
So what should you be doing? Why You Can’t Get a Job? And how can you escape from the depths of job search purgatory? Here are the top three mistakes our expert team of recruiters and career coaches see with desperate job-seekers:
1. Bombarding Hiring Managers with Applications
Every day we talk to candidates who think that simply submitting more applications will give you a higher chance of getting a job, but studies show that applicants who submit multiple applications in a brief period of time are actually less likely to get a response. When you’re desperately sending out your resume to as many hiring managers as possible it shows… trust us, our professional recruiters can tell right away if you’ve hammered out a lightning fast application or if you’ve taken your time and been thoughtful with your responses! Resumes and cover letters that are written in a hurry seem generic or, even worse, sloppy. It’s much more effective to send out custom cover letters and resumes. That’s right—you should update your resume every single time you apply for a position. It needs to be tailor-made for that employer. Sound like a lot of work? It is… but having someone on your side can help tremendously. That’s why having a good recruiter can go a long way. They have the inside scoop on a wide range of positions and they’ll ensure you’re not wasting time applying to jobs that aren’t a great fit for you!
2. Not Being Honest with Yourself (or the Company)
Be honest—can you do the job? Are you really qualified? Are you what they really need? And, more importantly, is it what you really need? Don’t let desperation cloud your judgment. If you’ve already put this much into your job search, why settle now? If you’re honest with yourself and with others, you’ll be much happier in the long run. You are capable of finding the perfect fit—and of being the perfect fit for an organization. But finding that fit takes time and effort. This is also where a talented recruiter can come in handy, since the best recruiters have established a long-term relationship with their clients and candidates and can quickly put together a perfect match!
3. Not Staying Organized
Maybe you recall a friend’s story or a plotline from a movie that made you think that finding a job is easy. Someone had a referral from a friend, was discovered on social media or otherwise fell into an amazing opportunity. It happens, but it’s not the norm. You have to approach your job search as if you’re training for a big event or studying for a major certification exam. It’s going to take making a plan, strict adherence to that plan, and a high level of organization. Set a date by which you’ll want to have the job. Then think about the small goals you’ll have to achieve each week to meet your end goal and write them all down. If you still want to set and meet a weekly application quota, do so—just make sure that you’re applying to each job with intent, consideration and a tailor-made resume, and give yourself time to shine with every stroke of your keyboard!
Avoiding these pitfalls will go a long way to make sure you’re headed in the right direction, and we’ve got even more helpful job search advice in our other blog articles and videos, so feel free to browse around for more advice from our career experts. And if you’re in Charlotte, you can also reach out to one of our recruiters for help at any time!
You’ll thank yourself when you’ve finally landed the job you really want and you’ll stop asking yourself, “Why You Can’t Get a Job?”