Where are all the Jobs?: Didn’t Get a Call Back? 3 Things You May Be Doing Wrong

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Didn’t Get a Call Back? 3 Things You May Be Doing Wrong | Career Rocketeer

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Didn’t Get a Call Back? 3 Things You May Be Doing Wrong

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 03:30 AM PDT

There's nothing worse than taking the time to conduct a thorough job search, only to get lost in the stacks with dozens of other candidates. Sure, you may have a pretty good work history, top-notch experience, and great recommendations, but that doesn't mean you automatically receive an interview, or even a job offer. Quite possibly, there may be something wrong with you as an applicant. Here are three things that may hinder your chances:
Your online presence. In our online world, how you portray yourself on the Internet can be an important deciding factor for employers. Why? Many employers want to paint a full picture of an applicant. Your Facebook profile, Twitter stream, blogs, or even what other people are saying to you can give an employer a better idea of your character. After all, you will be representing them should you get hired. So, if your online presence is full of controversy, an employer will likely dismiss you as a candidate because they don't want to take a risk on a candidate that has a lot of excess baggage.
Your online presence doesn't have to be a huge project you take on, either. You just have to maintain it regularly by thinking before posting, making sure you follow people in your industry who are going to contribute to you overall brand, and monitoring what other people are saying. Remember, there will always be a "paper trail" of anything you post, so be sure they are good things.
Your resume doesn't speak of your accomplishments. Many applicants blindly send out resume after resume and forget the really important stuff: your accomplishments. After all, what are you without your skills and positive work history? More importantly, your resume needs to show an employer why you are an asset. This means giving the employer real examples, including numbers, percentages, clients gained, etc. By giving an employer actual accomplishments, you also give them a reason to contact you, which is the whole point of conducting a job search.
You haven't followed up. Even the most organized employers get bogged down. So, if you haven't heard back from them after an acceptable time period (say, a week or so), it's in your best interest to follow-up. Although you may feel like you are bothering them, follow-up once per week is perfectly acceptable. They may have missed or overlooked your application the first time, and your follow-up can reiterate your interest in the position. Shoot them a short e-mail or make a quick phone call to ensure that your name is at the front of their mind. Never forget that at the end of the day, you are your own recruiter. No one is going to do the work for you.

What else might a job seeker be doing wrong resulting in no interview or job offers?

Guest Expert:
Mary Marino is the founder of EmploymentPipeline.com, a job search resource that inspires job seekers to become their own recruiter. EmploymentPipeline.com has launched its "Occupation Pipeline" widget, a unique tool which enables users to perform broader career searches by sourcing occupations and employers, rather than job titles. Connect with Mary and EmploymentPipeline.com on Twitter and Facebook.