7 Reasons You Probably Didnt Get That Job

1. Your CV was not attractive.

According to BeHiring, a recruiter takes only 6 seconds to go through a CV and decide on its fate. 6 solid seconds, 4 seconds to go through your qualifications and experience and 2 seconds to decide on it. One size fits all when it comes to CVs doesn’t work. If you are applying for a job, your CV is the first thing that sells your potential to the prospective employer. Make it short and snappy but powerful enough to exude all your natural and acquired skills. Think of a recruiter with 120 CVs to go through. Would you think they will look at your 6 paged CV twice? I don’t think so. Here are a few dos and donts when preparing your CV:

1. Make it as simple as you can without complicated words and flashy jargon and terminology
2. Don’t label it CV, please
3. If possible make it so short and write things in point form
4. If possible include a link to your linked in profile on your CV
5. Tailor-make it for the job you are applying for don’t include non-related or irrelevant references and working experience from what you are applying for.

2.  You Didn’t Do Your Homework About The Prospective Employer

Sometimes just visiting their website or asking around and knowing about the products and services your prospective employer offers will go a long way in a job interview. A few years ago my very woke friend told me the reason why I was never called for an interview at a Telecoms company even though my odds were very high was because I gave a number for their competitor as my contact detail. Now that I’m wiser I see how absurd it was for me to expect to be employed by them when I use their competitor’s products only and not theirs.

Before you go for an interview do an exhaustive search of their operations, products and services even their history so that you don’t go there expecting the people to 1st employ you and then teach you about their company. Make Google your friend before you go for an interview.

3. You just don’t qualify

According to a report that was published in the Wall Street Journal, 50% of the typical job applicants fail to meet the basic qualifications or for that job. This means probably half the time we seek for jobs we are not qualified for.

Its human nature to overrate ourselves most of the times. As humans, we overestimate our capabilities. Sometimes we think we can fit in somewhere when we don’t really fit it. Before you apply, review the job post several times to make sure you qualify. Trying your luck will result in the recruiter tossing your CV after those 6 seconds unimpressed because you don’t meet the basic criteria in the first place.

4. Your social media profile sold you out.

Ever been on Facebook and you are mortified by a post by one of your friends. Well, it has emerged that some recruiters are now checking social media profiles of candidates just to get to know a digital you.

Now imagine those horrible posts and comments you may have posted long back? Those posts may not really depict your views on the subject matter now, but they are damning to you if the person who wants to be your employer sees them. Avoid commending on grey areas on social media. Keep your profile as clean as possible because you never know who is checking it out without you knowing.

5. Competition kicked you out

It’s no secret that competition is now stiff these days. Most people on the job market are overqualified or rightly qualified. Competition usually kicks most of us out when we are applying for these jobs. The competition starts at resume sieving all the way to the interviews.

Sometimes there is that one or those 2 people who are more qualified, who have more experience or who have a little bit more charisma than us. It’s not us its natural selection.

6. You didn’t nail the interview

Like I said up there a resume will sell you and your potential to your recruiter before they see you. Now an interview will be the moment of truth scenario where you get to sell your personality, confidence, charisma and a bit of skill to the recruiter. Sometimes these few things will make a recruiter pass you by:

1. Poor Dressing. Dress professionally like you are going to see a client. Skimpy clothes or tight-fitting clothes may offend other recruiters and so does ill-fitting clothes and unkempt hair.
2. Know it alls. Even if you know it all, don’t let the recruiter know it. Tone your excitement down and let the recruiter lead the discussion. Most people are intimidated by subjects they don’t understand you wouldn’t want to strike the intimidation nerve no matter how good you are right?
3. Pompous Achievers. Reasonably praise yourself when you are speaking about yourself.  Humility is a beautiful trait and everyone admires it. In short, don’t overemphasise your capabilities and your achievements
4. Poor English. Articulate your responses very well in proper English minding your grammar
5. Lack of confidence – Need I say more?
6. Liars. Too good to be true responses will be deemed like that, too good to be true.

7. You didn’t do a Follow-Up

Yes, a follow up can increase your chances of getting a job. There are some organisations where recruiters have so many things to do at the same time. They may forget or be overwhelmed with other responsibilities to the point of trivialising recruitment. Following up on them may actually trigger something that may remind them about you. According to one career coach, this is how you follow up on a job.

Following up on a job application (without pestering)

1. Send 1st follow up email. Be polite, not demanding

2. Wait 1-2 weeks, send another follow-up. Remain polite

3. Wait another 1-2 weeks for FINAL follow up. You can try via phone

4. If still no response, MOVE ON, let go!

— #CareerCoach 🇿🇦🇿🇼 (@MsPhiona) January 11, 2019