You do all the work. You sit for hours, going through the “rules” for applying for jobs. You tailor your resume, you do background research on the company, and you ensure that you address every requirement mentioned in the job posting. You proofread three times, then finally, you click send.

 

And then… nothing.

 

If this happens once, it’s easily dismissed; you’re not going to get called for an interview at every job you apply to. However, if you’re applying for far more jobs than you’re ever hearing back from, it might be worth contemplating why this is happening. Here are a few reasons you might want to consider.

 

1) You’re applying for jobs you’re not qualified for

 

There’s very little point wasting your time and applying for jobs that you’re not really qualified for. Unless you meet the vast majority of the requirements listed in the job ad, save yourself the hassle and skip the application.

 

2) You’ve applied too late

 

If you apply too close to the deadline of a job, then you might be out of luck. Most recruiters will monitor applications from the moment the job ad goes live, and by the time you apply, they might have already interviewed and decided to hire someone.

 

3) There’s too much of a crowd

 

Some job sites will let you know how many people have applied for a specific role and, more often than not, the number is at least three figures. If you’re struggling to stand out from the crowd, your best step is to opt to work with a recruitment agency such as Pure Staff; they can help you cut through the crowd and help to find the right match for you, without the distraction of thousands of other applicants..

 

4) You use the phrase “references available on request” on your applications

 

References are a tricky subject for most job seekers, especially if you don’t want your current employer to know that you are looking for other work. However, recruiters always want to see at least one reference is available with your application; they will understand if it’s not your current employer, but they want to know you’re confident enough to include the details of at least one person who can vouch for you with your application. It’s therefore important to try and include at least one referee with your application; the recruiter is unlikely to even use it, but they like to see that the option is there.

 

5) Your application simply isn’t good enough

 

It’s tough, but it might be a situation you have to accept. If multiple applications aren’t eliciting an interview offer, then you may need to completely rework the way that you apply for jobs. Speak to a recruitment agency or a career coach to help you refine your applications and identify any problems that you may be overlooking.

 

In conclusion

 

Missing out on a job interview once is normal, but multiple times is cause for concern. If you find yourself struggling to get an interview, work through the possibilities above one-by-one to try and ascertain — and hopefully solve — your job-hunting woes once and for all.