You have been applying for jobs for over month or so now. You have tried to perfect your CV and covering letter and you know you have a wealth of experience under your belt, therefore being the ideal candidate for the job. However, for some unbeknown reason you aren't hearing back from employers after your job application.
It is incredibly frustrating when you get the silent treatment. No response; zilch, zip, nada! Your confidence has taken a hit and you are now left wondering: Where am I going wrong? Why am I being ignored?
Therefore, we have compiled some points that could help you understand why you aren't hearing back from employers.
Large influx of applicants Due to the sheer volume of applicants rooting for one position (on average around a whopping 118 applicants apply for any given job!), it’s no wonder that you aren’t hearing back from employers sooner than expected. Sadly a lot of employers get so many applicants they don’t have the time to reply to everyone. Keep persevering, apply as soon as you see a relevant vacancy open to help increase your chances. Keep up-to-date with mobile and/or email alerts based on your job preferences. You can also send the company an email (give it a week or two) as a follow-up.
Your CV doesn’t match the job description This is an obvious one, or is it? Many of us think that our flawless CV will be a sure-fire winner with the employers. That's not necessarily true though. If you haven’t included the “right" keywords in your application, then the CV may be tossed into a bin before you know it. (Sounds brutal but it's true). Did you know that certain employers now use something quite fancy to sieve out applications? Some larger companies have invested in candidate screening software which does all the hard work for them. At Send Me Your CV, we personally don’t agree that the software is where it should be to do its job as it should be doing, leaving many candidates puzzled as to what they should do with their CV and how to format it etc. This is why we speak to some of the top software brands such as Smart Recruiter to understand how their software works and what they look for in a CV to get the best result. Application tracking systems (ATS’s) are used to screen CVs, scouring for certain hot keywords. The only problem for you is, if you haven’t included these keywords in your application, your application will be disregarded. Bear in mind that if, for instance, employers are seeking: strong UI and UX knowledge and skills then don't be misleading and state that you have these skills. (No fibs allowed, remember?) Beat those clever bots and include keywords in your application to get your CV noticed.
You weren’t “the right fit for the position at this time" This one is quite disheartening; a common phrase often said. As far as you were concerned, you were the perfect fit for the position. So why have you been told otherwise? Well, this could be because the employer found another candidate that “fits” closer to the job description than you. Also, after being screened by an ATS, your application is then passed to a human to check. Or maybe two! One may say they love it yet the other may find fault with it. It's difficult to please everyone, eh? The best thing to do is ensure your CV demonstrates the job description in your daily duties. This is why you should always explain your roles and not just list them. However only explain the 3 most recent roles in depth as this is the average number of roles an employer will read. Again, keep trying, applying and don’t give up.
Your CV wasn’t formatted correctly Spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes are all a big no-no. Mismatched bullet points, paragraphs in a muddle and unnecessary text spilling onto the following page will not bode well and look visually appealing to the employer. A CV should never be over two pages long either as over 70% of employers will discard a CV with this alone! If your CV needs a bit of a makeover so you can start getting the responses that you want, Send Me Your CV can help give your CV the look employers will love! We will be able to format your CV so that it flows in the way it should and include the relevant keywords, giving you the best chance of hearing back from employers.
You didn’t apply the way they wanted You’re alerted via mobile that a vacancy has just been posted online. You have your CV and covering letter all ready for action. You hit the submit button and off it all goes into virtual space. You know that you have got this one! But... a couple of days later, you realise that they in fact wanted you to write ten sentences why you are a good candidate for the job. Oops!!! This is a common mistake though. You skimmed through the job description and assumed that the application protocol was the same as all the other applications you have made. This is not case, dear job hunter. You have to read through the job advert very carefully and adhere to what and how the documents need to be sent. This small error can prove disastrous if you get it wrong. Should you realise that your application was sent in the wrong way, you can email the company, nip it in the bud and resubmit it.
Try following the five points above and see how you get on. Hopefully you will then start to hear back from employers.
Good luck and don’t give up!