Written by Max Loong, Assistant Marketing Manager - Reeracoen Singapore 

Let’s be real, it’s not an easy time to be on a job search. You’re sending in countless job applications, but you don’t receive as many replies as you would expect. It’s not a good experience be in right now, but we are here to help. Whether you’re in the middle of a pandemic or not, here are a few (honest) reasons why you’re not getting invited for interviews – from a recruiter’s perspective.

 

1. Playing by the rules

Most people go through the same motion when they are applying for jobs:

• Go to a job portal
• Look for a job they like
• Send in their resume
• Wait for an interview invitation
• Rinse and repeat

And they wonder why they don’t get many callbacks for interviews. But you’re not “Most people”. You are unique with your experience, talents, skills, and stories that you can contribute to wherever you go. if you want to stand out among other candidates, you’ll have to do things that make you stand out. Not doing the things mentioned below, might give you a better chance to not be “Most people”.

2. Applying for jobs you’re not qualified for

Some jobs require an individual who has certain specific working knowledge and hands-on skills to succeed in the role. Stick to the ones that you are a right fit for, and place more focus on it instead.

3. Not customising your Resume

Most people want to get an interview invitation as quickly as possible; I mean who doesn’t? So, their approach will be sending in a standardised resume to as many employers as possible. For recruiters and employers, reading a generic resume without any relevance to the job is just off-putting and makes you appear lazy.

4. Your Resume is too lengthy

Did you know most hiring managers spend 7.4 seconds to scan through a resume? That’s how much time you need to let your resume make an impression. With a long resume, it just gives hiring managers an impression that you want to appeal to everybody – which is appealing to no one. Keep it specific and concise, 1 to 3 pages are good enough.

5. Not focusing on accomplishments

Similar to the previous point, you only have so much time to catch the impression of hiring managers. Protip: Hiring managers tend to pay attention to the first line for each job experience. In order to your application stand out, highlight your career achievements instead. No need to leave all your job information in there, save more details for the interview session.

6. Unprofessional email address

Imagine receiving an email from IamIronman@gmail.com, you’ll probably treat it as a spam mail! From funny to suggestive emails, we sometimes do get a good laugh on this. In all seriousness, what you put in as your email says a lot about your attitude towards your job application. Use a simple and professional email address.

7. Having an over fanciful Resume

It’s fine to have a well-designed and catchy resume, but don’t over fancify it! Make sure your design makes sense and easy to read. One common bad practice (in my opinion) is to list your skill proficiencies in a bar chart – it doesn’t make any sense and says nothing to me!

 

I always like to tell my candidates this quote: “Go the extra mile, it’s never crowded”.

Like it or not, going on a job search is a sales and marketing process – you’re basically selling your skills, knowledge and abilities to a potential employer. If you want to stand out among the others, put in some effort to do something that most people are not willing to – and you’ll get the results most people won’t achieve. Focus on quality over quantity.

 

Find out more about Reeracoen’s Career Consultation Services and how our Career Advisors can assist you in your career journey.