Contract workers or recent college graduates may be taken into consideration by businesses. In addition to using recruiters, some businesses might not post job openings online. Applications for highly competitive positions are plentiful, and employers favor candidates who can make a good first impression.
In this article, we examine the reasons behind the difficulty of finding employment and offer advice on how to improve your chances of landing an interview.
When looking for work, there may be obstacles to overcome. Companies may prefer to use recruiters to fill positions or choose to hire internally. Finding out what to do when you’re jobless can keep you motivated and focused during the job search process.
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Why is It So Hard to Find a Job?
You may be wondering why it is so difficult to find a job if you’ve been looking for one for a while and haven’t received many interview opportunities. It’s possible that businesses would rather hire from within or rely on employee referrals. You may have a better chance of landing a job if you have connections at the organizations you want to work for.
Companies Are Overly Selective
Companies are looking for a mythical “perfect candidate.” In many job descriptions, an experienced, highly educated expert with a wide range of skills and experience in a wide range of categories is described. There aren’t enough of these applicants, even if they do exist, to fill every available position. Employers should seek out candidates who most closely match the ideal list of qualifications.
Additionally, it’s critical to acknowledge the evolving nature of the labor market. Years ago, hiring decisions were made with the idea of keeping the candidate on staff forever. They saw those hires as long-term investments. This implied that they could hire a new employee on the off chance, train them, and eventually see a return on their investment.
That dynamic has drastically altered in the present. Throughout their careers, the majority of workers change jobs frequently. Employer loyalty is not what it once was among businesses. Employers must immediately recover their investment in hiring due to the altered nature of the relationship.
That has caused them to hire with ever-increasing care. They must be aware of your ability to add value to the company right away.
Enter the Applicant Tracking Systems
Over 90% of employers use an applicant tracking system, or ATS, as a tool to parse and organize resume submissions. As we detail in our post on how to format your resume for an ATS, “A resume is scanned using ATS resume scanning software to look for relevant information such as work experience, education, and skills.”
In the digital age, the ATS may present a significant barrier to employment for many workers. These applicant tracking systems are used to keyword-screen resumes. Yes, hiring other humans in this manner raises ethical concerns, but it’s an unfortunate reality nonetheless.
It might be challenging for job seekers to get past that hurdle if they are not sufficiently aware of how an ATS screens resumes. We’ll provide some ATS-related guidance that can assist you with this challenge later in this article, and we’ll also introduce you to a tool to check your resume for ATS compatibility.
A Reliance on Outdated Resumes
The issue is as straightforward as their resumes for many job seekers who are having difficulty finding employment. These days, those dated, outdated resumes are not the best option because employers want resumes that stand out from the crowd.
Successful candidates will have resumes that clearly demonstrate their value as employees when looking for work. Sadly, a lot of job seekers today have no idea how to create that kind of resume!
For instance, does the objective statement on your resume still serve as a means of drawing a hiring manager’s attention? If that’s the case, it might be a serious error. Objective statements on a resume focus on what you want from your career, rather than how you can meet the employer’s needs.
Consider that for a moment. Would that strategy be appealing to you if you were that employer? You probably want to learn more about how that candidate can benefit your team, don’t you think?
Lack of Vocational and Practical Experience
About 75% of respondents in a recent survey of 14,000 people between the ages of 15 and 25 said they didn’t think they had the relevant practical work experience necessary for a particular advertised job. But the issue here is that prioritizing practical experience over academic credentials creates a chicken-and-egg situation. Despite not having the necessary practical experience, an applicant’s educational requirements do match the job description. However, if no one will hire them, how will they actually gain the necessary experience?
Promotion from Within
Internal promotion is frequently much more alluring for many businesses than bringing in outside candidates. The company is more familiar with the employee as a worker, and the employee is already familiar with the company’s culture and procedures, which is the main explanation for this. This implies that if they hire internally, training will take less time. However, this frequently results in only entry-level positions being available, some of which many job seekers will be overqualified for.
Tips to Help You Find a Job
Take a Break
Giving yourself a break from job searching doesn’t require you to stop looking for work entirely or even to take a lengthy break. You can recharge your batteries by taking even a single day off every now and then, which will leave you feeling reenergized and ready to resume your work.
“It’s OK to take some time off from your job search once in a while. Allow yourself a day or a few days off and spend that time doing something that energizes you and makes you happy, and reflect on what’s going well in your search,“ says Toni Frana, a FlexJobs career coach. “You’ll discover that afterward, you’ll be able to resume your job search with a fresh outlook and sense of direction.“
Go Where the Jobs Are
To find employment in their field, some people will relocate to a different city, state, or country. Your location might not matter much if you’re looking for a remote job, though. It does, however, help to target your search to the fields and jobs that are most compatible with remote work.
Consider Different Work Arrangements
Find out if there are any alternative work arrangements, such as working remotely, by researching the organizations and positions you are interested in. You might receive more interview requests because there might be a high demand for someone with your expertise in remote positions. Consider whether you prefer working in an office or if you are open to such an arrangement. Your job search can be made more targeted by understanding your preferred working methods and job requirements.
Spruce Up Your Online Presence
According to studies, most hiring managers will check out a candidate’s online presence even before inviting them in for a job interview. What does your online persona look like? Are they a jumble of political posts and (public) family photos? As you look for a new job, it’s crucial to make sure your online presence is polished and up to date.
Take the time to clean up your profiles, or create some new ones that show you in a professional light, and keep them current so potential bosses can see that you’re active on social media…for all the right reasons.
Get Skilled Or Schooled—or Both
One reason you might not be able to find work is if you discover that you aren’t fully qualified for the positions you’ve been applying to. Employers often won’t hire someone who doesn’t have the majority of the skills, education, or job experience necessary for the position. Consider returning to school or using online resources to acquire the skills you require if you need to improve your skill set to more closely match what employers want.
Get Necessary Qualifications
If you are applying for jobs that you are not qualified for, you might want to consider taking classes or improving your skills. Employers typically favor applicants who possess the necessary credentials and work history. Taking online classes or short-term university courses can help you improve your skills. Additionally, if you want to gain experience, you can enroll in a part-time program of study. You might have better luck getting an interview if you do this. To catch the hiring manager’s attention, be sure to elaborate on the pertinent experience and skills in your resume.
Change Your Mindset
When you’ve been applying for jobs for a while without receiving any feedback, it’s simple to feel discouraged. If this is the case, a change in perspective may be all you need to turn the corner and find some success.
Try to remain upbeat and view each application as an opportunity to improve and fine-tune your process rather than approaching each new job search with apprehension.
“Work to focus on the progress you are making with each application—honing your search tactics, getting efficient with your application process, and understanding what keywords to use for an ATS are all important tools to use as you go through your search,“ explains Frana. “Your process is getting better every time you apply for a job, which is fantastic progress toward getting hired. Celebrate your modest progress!“
Try a Temporary Job
If you’ve been looking for work for a while but haven’t found the ideal position, you might want to think about taking on a temporary position. Temp jobs are a great way to establish yourself at a company, pick up some new skills, and expand your network of contacts in the business world. And you never know, some temp workers, even those who are seasonal, are offered permanent positions once their original assignment ends.
Build Your Network
Putting yourself out there to expand your network can feel difficult, particularly if you are an introvert. But networking is one of the best ways to meet new people and generate leads that can help with your job search. While the majority of face-to-face networking opportunities are postponed due to the pandemic, there are plenty of online networking opportunities you can participate in from the convenience of your home office.
Review Your Resume
Resume errors and typos may be to blame if you’ve been looking in your field and are qualified for the positions you’re applying for but are still having trouble finding work. When you’ve read (and reread) your resume so often, it’s more likely you’ll miss some significant issues.
Before submitting your resume, it’s a good idea to have it reviewed by someone else. A spouse, member of your family, a close friend, or a resume review specialist can review your document objectively and point out any obvious errors you should fix before submitting it for employment. If you can’t do that, try altering the resume’s font, size, and color before rereading it so it appears different to you. Once you’re satisfied, change it back to the appropriate font and proceed with applying.
Find a Temporary Job
You can learn and experience new things by working a temporary job. While looking for a permanent position, you can advance your career and expand your network. Additionally, temporary jobs give you a means of support while you look for a long-term position. Depending on your schedule, you might want to look into contract or freelance work. If you do well in some temporary jobs, you might even be given a permanent position. Additionally, they can help your job applications be more successful and provide you with information about the industry you’re interested in.
Customize Your Application
It can be tempting to reuse the same resume and cover letter with a few minor changes here and there when you’re making multiple applications for jobs over the course of a few days, weeks, or months. However, employers are looking for applicants who are the perfect fit, so taking the time to customize your resume and cover letter to each job will help you stand out from the crowd.
Remember that the applicant tracking system’s (ATS) failure to recognize your information based on its keyword searches may be one of the reasons you aren’t getting hired. Adding relevant keywords that the ATS has been programmed to look for to your resume and cover letter can give you an advantage during the application process.
Expand Your Professional Network
You can meet people who work for companies you want to apply to by networking. You can discover more about the positions that are open and discover how to submit a strong application. They might also give you additional advice on how to land a job in the field you’re interested in. Some businesses might not advertise job openings, so it might be necessary to rely on your network to learn about job openings. Attending online networking events and growing your network by contacting industry leaders online are other options to think about.
Consider Other Industries
It might not be exactly what you want initially, but if you’ve tried to find a job in one industry and aren’t having any luck, it might be time to look at jobs in other fields. You might find that you enjoy a new career field much more than you anticipated, and you might be surprised by how many of your skills are transferable from one field to another. You might even discover that changing careers is an exciting and transformative time in your professional life once you’ve made the move!
Look for Other Types of Flexible Work Arrangements
If working from home full-time with flexible hours is what you’ve always wanted, it might not be possible for the time being. Thankfully, there are many types of flexible jobs under the big banner of work flexibility. Include part-time employment, freelance or contract work, alternative work schedules, flexible hours, some remote work, or any combination of these in your job search. If you were only looking for full-time, 100% remote jobs, you might not have discovered job openings that way. However, being open to other types of flexibility can help you.
Practice Your Interviewing Skills
Congratulations if you’ve progressed through the application process to the interview stage! But if none of those interviews result in job offers, it might be time to improve your interviewing techniques. You can practice with friends, family, or even fellow job seekers who might be able to offer tips on what you’re doing right and where you might need some improvement.
Ask a mentor in your career or a former boss you get along with if they’d be willing to participate in a mock interview with you. If not, you might want to think about using online career coaching as a choice to get useful and constructive criticism. Nowadays, the majority of interviews take place online, so preparing for a remote interview process will help you succeed.
Pinpoint the Problem
It’s beneficial to take some time to consider why (and where) you might be struggling if you’re having trouble finding work. What step of the job search process is the most challenging for you? Do you have trouble applying to the jobs you want to? Or after submitting your application, no employers contact you? Have you gone through the interview process only to be rejected from jobs? Understanding the reasons behind your unemployment is crucial to changing your direction and getting your dream job!
For instance, if you frequently struggle to find good jobs in your field, you may be looking in the wrong places. Many positions are available on big-box job search websites, but the vast majority might not be relevant to you, your skills, or your need for flexible work. If you’re looking for a work-from-home job, a niche site (like FlexJobs) will help you find positions that are more targeted to your goals.
Examine your application to see if it can be improved if you aren’t receiving an invitation to an interview. Make sure your resume is in a contemporary format and lists any experience that is pertinent to the position you are applying for. Are your interviewing skills rusty or are you unsure of how to sell yourself during an interview if you’re meeting with hiring managers but not getting the job? You can iron out the kinks with practice and land the job you’re after.
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Summary
Honestly, the process of looking for a job doesn’t have to be agonizing. Finding a job need not be a difficult process, even though the job search process is rarely simple. Realizing your difficulties and acting proactively to overcome them are the keys to success.
You can find the job you deserve and do it with little of the frustration you would otherwise feel if you have the right resume and job search strategy.
