Didn’t Get that Job You’re Hoping for? Here’s Why

Creating a resume, getting interviewed, looking for work… these tasks can get very frustrating especially if your enthusiasm for a position isn’t reciprocated with an offer. We’ve all been there and it never gets easier with time. Sometimes we don’t even make it to the interview even for jobs that we’re sure we’re more than qualified.

The question is, why? Why didn’t the interviewer see what’s so painfully obvious to you, that you’re the perfect fit for the job that person is interviewing for? Here are some reasons why:

You Wrote a Long Resume

Recruiters and hiring managers look at resumes all day long. And while it’s part of their job to do so it isn’t not the only thing they do. Most will only glance at a resume. Some people feel the need to write long resumes that go on and on for pages. While that old adage about resumes needing only to be a page long no longer holds, that’s no excuse to submit a ten-page dissertation about your life’s many triumphs. If recruiters and hiring managers don’t see what they’re looking for in about thirty seconds, that resume is done. Even if you have the skill set the recruiter is looking for, that person may miss that juicy information if it’s buried under clutter.

One other thing that long resumes inadvertently do is create an impression that you’re a poor communicator. You need to discuss your work experience and training in a succinct, concise manner if you want people to read your resume.

Tailor-fit your resume to a specific job posting. If the posting is looking for someone with CPR certification, make sure to highlight your CPR certification at least one bullet point. And when you do your bullet points, don’t cheat and cram in an entire paragraph in there. One bullet point means one point.

You Lack Passion

Or maybe you do have passion but fail at expressing it. A job interview is really one of the few situations in which you are not only allowed to indulge in self-promotion but are expected to do so. Yes, you can brag and are encouraged to brag. Whether you’re talking to the interview on the phone or in person, the interviewer needs to see that you have passion for what you do.

You can show passion by talking in details about your role in your current or previous job and expressing what you like about your work. That said, obvious made-up fodder will do more harm than good. Things like, “I love helping people” just sound like you’re pulling the interviewer’s leg and most interviewers know it if you’re pulling their leg.

You Said What in the Interview?

Interviewers will ask you questions. Remember that an interview isn’t a normal conversation. That means that you can’t just say any little thing you like. Your answers have to be good, even to those questions that seem like trick questions at first, such as, “What is your biggest weakness?”

Build a rapport with your interviewer but don’t try to be too friendly. You should watch what you say and if you realize that what you said may not put you or your experience in a good light, try to backtrack and rephrase. “Actually, can I say that in another way?” is a good way to offset any exchange that might not have gone as well as you’d like. The interviewer will most likely remember what you said to correct yourself instead of your gaffe.