One of the worst feelings is when you work hard to resolve a problem—such as unemployment—yet never see your efforts pay off. However, in times like these, we encourage job seekers to look a different way. If your job search has hit a plateau or caused severe self-doubt, it is essential to not give up. Instead, Chic Resumes believes that it is essential for all professionals to remain in tune with how their resume and cover letter are performing—and how they may be contributing to your lack of gainful employment.
Here are a few signs that your resume is not working:
- No Response
There are many reasons why a job applicant may not hear back from a prospective employer. Sometimes, positions are removed or filled internally. In other situations, a resume may not have made it to a human hiring manager because it did not make it through the intensive keyword requirements that Applicant Tracking Systems are programmed to look for.
If your resume was sent directly to a real person, it is always worth the effort to pick up the phone and call an HR representative to ensure that it was received. If a resume was received, and you did not get a response, you may want to consider revising the document to something that attracts more attention.
- A More “Suitable” Applicant Was Chosen
If a job seeker is lucky enough, he or she may get an email from an employer that lets one know kindly that another candidate was chosen. The chosen professional may have been a “better fit” or had certain “desirable skills.” If this is a notice that comes from an automated message, it is recommended that you take time to review your application and look for weak spots on a resume—such as skills that may not have been as attractive to an employer.
This type of response may also mean that you are looking for jobs in the wrong places and should be applying for entry-level work or different titles to get approval on your resume. If a real person stays in connection to let you know that another candidate was chosen, it is always suggested that you politely ask the individual why you were not qualified for the position or what skills were missing. This insight could provide great guidance on how to improve your resume for future applications.
- The Interview Just Parroted Your Resume
If you were given an interview for sending in a resume than you may feel that there are no problems with your job application. However, if the interview did not turn into a second interview or a job offer—you still may want to consider revising your resume.
One sign that an interview was doomed from the beginning is if the interviewer simply parrots back your resume—asking questions about your work history. A resume should provide a recruiter with an overview of your experience and should elicit questions about how you can contribute to the work environment. If you find that an interviewer is asking a lot of specific questions regarding previous positions, they may be providing clues as to what is missing on your resume.
In either situation, a dry interview could mean that you need to spice up your resume so that future evaluators want to learn more about you as a professional—not what is missing from a piece of paper.
Get a Resume Review for Better Guidance
Your success in a job market could indicate a great deal of how successful your resume and cover letter are. However, if you want to make sure that your job applications are fit for prospective employers, Chic Resumes can provide an extensive resume review. Our review allows clients to understand what strengths and weaknesses exist in their resume—providing brief guidance on how certain resume issues can be resolved.
If a resume needs revision or a complete rewrite, our staff is ready to take your review to the next step. To get started and feel more confident about the documents you pass on to employers, contact us today at (803) 831-7444 or resumewriting@grammarchic.net.
Amanda E. Clark founded Grammar Chic in 2008. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and holds degrees in Journalism, Political Science, and English. She launched Grammar Chic after freelancing for several years while simultaneously leading marketing and advertising initiatives for several Fortune 500 companies.
