Are you being diligent with your job search? 
Really doing what you are supposed to be doing? You wonder to yourself: Why am I not getting called for the interviews? You think you are doing the right stuff; but getting the calls takes more than just posting your documents online and waiting for the phone to ring. Here is my top four reasons why you are not generating the responses you should:
Using online resources as the sole method of application: Applying online is easy; that is why a lot of people do it. And I don’t mean just a lot of people – I mean thousands – probably tens of thousands. How are you expecting to stand out in that? That is like trying to draw a needle from a haystack to quote an age-old cliché. You cannot simply post and put your feet up. For one thing, posting on too many boards dilutes your personal brand. Don’t you think that hiring managers and recruiters look at all of the boards? Well, they do. If they see you all over the place like a cheap dime store floozy you will appear desperate – not someone that they will be interested in contacting. As I have said before, and I will continue to say – people want what they cannot have. This applies to nearly everything in life. When it comes to searching for a job and landing the interview, so true. You need to exhibit a bit of mystique. You should not be parading yourself around all over the place. Be discerning. This is a situation where being somewhat aloof can work to your benefit. Choose one or two boards that you think will work best for you and discard the others.
Your résumé is bland and uninspiring: They say that you only get one chance to make a first impression. The résumé is the document that gets your foot in the door. This is the one area of your job search where you have the most control. The way you market yourself on paper and extend your personal brand is what the reader sees. Present a less than stellar understanding of how and what you can deliver and that is how you will be perceived. Make sure your résumé tells a compelling story. Examples with clear and defined results will make sure you shine. Also important is how the résumé is developed on paper. Make sure that you are consistent in your presentation and all i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed – no spelling or grammatical mistakes please.
You are applying for positions that do not fit your background: Many of my clients tell me the following: “Oh, well – I can do anything. I am super organized, detailed, and able to handle any project – blah, blah, blah. That is probably true and I certainly don’t doubt that you are excellent at a lot of things. Hiring managers don’t see things quite in that way though. They are looking for people with the skills to fit a particular opening. Your résumé needs to reflect those competencies or you will not be called for the interview – no matter how qualified you think you are. I am reminded of a client who worked for a leading telecommunications company. He had a very strong quantitative background and applied for a job where it was mandatory that the applicants come from an investment bank handling mergers and acquisitions – he possessed neither but wondered why he wasn’t called. It seems obvious to me! If the job states a must have and you don’t have it – you can forget it.
You are not leveraging your social or traditional network: You will work, and work hard to identify opportunities that are right for you. One of the best ways to conduct your search is to use your network. This means you need to engage friends and family members, friends of friends, friends of family and the list goes on. You shouldn’t stop there. Use social media to your advantage. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are a few of the ways you can engage other people, develop productive, and reciprocal relationships. It’s an ongoing learning process for all of us. Your search is what you make (or don’t make) of it. Nobody said it would be easy.
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Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of ResumesDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
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DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
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