Q: This past week I received a message from a job seeker who has been job hunting high and low for weeks without any success. He has had interviews and some leads but nothing has turned out. He was either “miles” away from the salary expectations, wasn’t senior for the position, or I did not get the job.

A: This particular individual is like so many I have seen on an on-going basis. I can understand his urgency and frustration from putting in effort job hunting and not getting the kind of results desired. Sometimes, finding the right job and the right fit can be difficult and its time to re-look at the job search process for areas where improvement can be made.

Poor Resume. A bad resume is a show stopper since this is the first step in the process. How can you tell if your resume is the culprit? Well if you are applying for a jobs that you are qualified for but not getting interviews, it might be a sign that your resume needs a second look. Research some resume writing tips and do it yourself or hire a professional resume writer.

Shaky Job Interview Skills. Perhaps you are getting called for interviews but not getting further in the process. How can you tell if the problem is your interview skills? A good way is to ask for feedback from the interviewer after the interview or selection process. Ask the interviewer to give you some feedback on your interview skills, strengths, weaknesses and so on. Although intimidating, don’t pass up this opportunity to get some valuable coaching. It also shows the employer your receptivity for feedback and commitment to improvement.

Another good question to ask here is how to do you feel in the interview? Do you feel confident in an interview? After the interview do you feel as thought it went really well? If you feel really nervous and lack confidence then it is important that you address it. However, if you feel confident in interviews and think you interview well but never get an offer then it might suggest a lack of awareness. It is not uncommon for people to over estimate their own ability when it comes to job interviewing. If this could be the culprit, then it is important that you seek some training or help to improve your interviewing skills.

Not a Good Person/Job Fit. Sometimes you fail to get the job offer simply because it is not a good fit with your skill set. Are you under qualified for the jobs you are applying for? If employers tell you that you lack some required experience, skill, education and so on then it may be an indication of a poor fit. Perhaps, you are being told that you are over qualified. Are your salary expectations way above the employer’s offer? By this I mean if you are repeatedly finding yourself having salary expectations greater than what’s offered, and employers repeatedly indicate that you are over qualified, then you may need to reconsider the kind of jobs you are targeting unless you are making a career transition and applying for entry level jobs to break into a new career.

Information provided by HR Difference.

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