As a professional Career Counselor, discussing the job market and job search strategies can be one of my favorite topics. With this in mind, let’s chat about struggling to stay afloat in the job market? If this sounds all too familiar, have no worries; you are far from alone here.
In fact, a lot of people become immediately disheartened after just a few weeks of searching for a job in a market that is highly competitive where the odds often seem to be stacked against you. Fortunately, as a professional in career services, I’ve been trained as a Certified Empowerment and Motivational Professional to help students and community members navigate these challenges and help keep their heads up when things tend to look bleak.
I mean, really, on average, a recruiter will spend less than sixty seconds looking at your resume or CV. This isn’t enough to make that much of an impact which is why you can’t afford to make any of the mistakes that will cause you to instantly miss out on job offers. Wouldn’t you agree?
If this is a topic that you are passionate about, grab a cup of your favorite drink and a notepad, and let’s dive right into some of the problems that would be helpful to address so that you can continue applying for new positions confidently and successfully.
Applying For The Wrong Jobs
Who would have thought this would be a thing? But, it is.
First, you want to make sure that you are not wasting your time applying for the wrong jobs. There’s a certain modern mindset that you should apply for jobs that you aren’t qualified for or that you don’t have the necessary experience to complete.
But, this isn’t the ideal job search strategy or mindset one should have in mind. Instead, use your time to look for the minimum requirements of any position and ensure that you are able to meet them. If you meet the minimum requirements, apply for the position.
Lack of Flexibility
Next, you should think about your level of flexibility. You might go to an interview for a job with a set list of requirements in mind. That’s fine and it’s true to say that you’re interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.
However, it’s important to make sure that you are presenting yourself with a little flexibility here. You need to think about ensuring that you are able to adjust to different work situations.
As an example, while a lot of businesses are offering a hybrid work model, many still prefer an office-based approach. That’s something that you need to keep in mind.
A Poor Resume
The first step in gaining any position is always going to be perfecting your resume. Without a strong resume, you’re going to end up in a situation where you never even get an interview. This can be true regardless of your qualifications and experience.
So, how can you make sure that your resume stands out and looks fantastic? Well, there are lots of different elements that you do need to work on here.
As an example, you may want to consider the structure of your resume. It needs to be clear and easy to read. You might also want to consider how long your CV is. Ideally, it should be one page, certainly no more than two pages to ensure that it’s easy to read and skim through.
A Lack of Social Media Presence
This one is a bit tricky, but it’s important to consider your social media presence. While there are some search committee rules regarding this, some companies still have a look at your social media presence.
In the event, that they do a quick search, be sure that you are representing yourself well because they will oftentimes be looking to see if your personality meshes with their company culture.
No Support On The Market
It’s difficult to get a job these days without at least a little support. The good news is that there are lots of different options for support that you can explore. For instance, you might want to think about using a career advisor. They can help you learn what jobs you should be applying for.
You may also want to think about reaching out to recruiters. Recruiters are far from a waste of time. A lot of employers will only look at CVs and resumes if they have received them from a professional recruiter. So, if you don’t get the attention of these pros, then you could miss out on a lot of juicy roles.
You Don’t Have The Right Mindset
It’s possible that you are missing positions because you don’t have the right mindset. This can be an issue because you may not have the right amount of motivation or self-confidence.
If you think this might be an issue, then it’s important to make sure that you are taking steps to build up your level of confidence and ensure that you feel better about yourself.
For instance, you might want to think about using resources such as Everyday Power. A resource like this is great because it is full of fantastic content that can help get you in the right mindset for any interview.
Poor Body Language
Issues with body language are another reason you can miss out on a role. You are probably already aware of the statistics suggesting that the majority of communication is nonverbal. That’s why you should make sure that you are working to improve different elements of your body language.
A great example of this is your handshake. A strong handshake will always suggest a high level of confidence. Another example of this would be your posture. You should make sure that you stand up tall and don’t slouch during your interview. And, don’t forget eye contact. Appropriate eye contact is important, as well.
Too Business Focused
It might seem like you always need to focus on business during an interview. However, this isn’t the case. They want to look at your personality, too. This means that you need to think about how to answer personal questions as well as professional ones.
Sometimes, more personal questions could arise such as what kind of hobbies you enjoy or even the holidays that you have been on. Anything like this will provide a snapshot or a window into who you are and this can matter then certain skills or qualifications to some employers.
No Questions Asked
There are lots of simple, easily avoidable mistakes that you can stumble into during an interview. One example would be failing to ask the right questions or indeed any questions at all.
At the end of the interview when you are asked, do you have any questions for us, the answer should always be yes. Having questions to ask shows that you are invested in the interview as well.
Not Enough Research
Not doing your research is one of the top reasons why interviews fail and the person is not hired. Without a high level of research, you won’t have the information that you need about the company. This can make you look unprepared or as though you didn’t care enough to deserve the position.
No Unique Selling Point (USP)
You could be skipped over for a job because you don’t have a unique selling point. Something on your CV needs to make employers or recruiters stop and think. If you don’t have this – and it’s possible that you don’t – then you’ll be skipped.
A USP can be anything from a unique skill to a fascinating piece of work experience. Sometimes an employer will bring you an interview purely because they want to talk about something that was present on your resume.
If you do have a USP, then you need to make sure that your resume draws attention to it as much as possible.
Not Enough Qualifications
As already mentioned, a lack of a USP or unique selling point is a big reason why people are often skipped over for job applications. You just need to make sure that you stand out and that there’s something to separate you from the other candidates.
Remember, popular jobs can have thousands of applicants. One of the best options for a USP is going to be an increased number of qualifications. It’s not uncommon these days for people to have multiple degrees. Particularly, when you can apply and complete courses entirely online these days.
Poor Presentation
Finally, it’s possible that you are being passed over for positions because you aren’t presenting yourself the right way. Employers are always looking for someone who seems professional and will be an asset to their brand identity. That’s why you should make sure that you are dressing smartly for an interview and be mindful of your appearance.
Final Thoughts
By exploring these tips in this post, you can certainly increase the chance that you will be considered or even chosen for your dream job or position. Adjust any errors found and you’ll find that employers are more interested in you, regardless of what position you are pursuing.
