Getting Rejected? Here's Why.
The job market is flush, for the first time in 18 years the unemployment rate is 3.8%. That's great news for you as a recent college graduate or someone looking to switch companies or even careers. So why aren't you getting job offers? I'm going to be a little blunt here. Think along the lines of "He's Just Not That Into You" (a favorite book of mine) blunt. If you have one or two interviews that didn't result in a job offer you can assume that the job was already filled or the company went a different direction. If you have applied and heard back from a bunch of companies and have started the interview process and then heard rejection after rejection, it's you. And that's okay. That's workable. The first step is realizing that you need to make a few adjustments. And they are likely minor adjustments.
I'll run through the different stages of the recruiting and interview process and discuss what getting rejected at each stage, from the application through the interview, means and give you some advice to get to the next round moving forward.
Online Application- The first step towards securing a new job is typically to apply online. You might know a friend (great!) who sends the hiring manager or recruiter your resume directly, but typically the first step is that you hear of a job you are interested in and apply online. Why don't you hear back?
Unqualified- Most companies today use some version of an Applicant Tracking System, even if that ATS is an excel spreadsheet that tracks candidates. Typically, if you don't hit minimum requirements or your experience doesn't align with the job you are interested in, the recruiter, system or hiring manager declines your resume without even really looking at it. How to overcome that? Write a cover letter. This isn't a guarantee, but writing a cover letter expressing your interest and explaining why you would be good for the job could help get you an interview. Almost all applications have a section that allows you to upload additional items. Write a cover letter, label it clearly and then upload it. Cover letters are no longer necessary, but they are a great way to express your desire and also connect the dots in terms of how your past experiences have prepared you for your desired job. Cover letters are so rare these days that it all but guarantees that your application will be looked at.
Underwhelming- If you are going after an in-demand job there are going to be upwards of hundreds of applicants. Even if you meet the basic requirements you aren't guaranteed an interview. A few ways to make your resume stand out: highlight and express accomplishments in terms of value added, explain how your efforts in your previous roles have benefited the company in the big picture, update your objective to describe in detail the job you are looking for and make sure that your resume is completely up to date. After you have been graduated for over a year, please feel free to take off any college accomplishments, GPA or summer jobs.
The Phone Screen-Your resume made it past the primary review and they scheduled your initial phone screen. Most companies will want someone to chat with you via phone call before bringing you in to interview. If you think of return on investment, a company wants to continue to filter down their funnel and get a quick glimpse of their potential candidates before committing to an hour long interview. Why don't you get invited to an interview?
Unqualified- You might get into the phone screen and the recruiter might realize at that time that you can't articulate your experience or that your past experience isn't exactly what you're looking for. In order to avoid this, be sure to research the minimum requirements for the job and make sure that you can talk about the experiences you have had that explain how you are qualified for the position.
Underwhelming- More often than a recruiter discovering that you are unqualified for the job is that the recruiter is underwhelmed by your call. Your resume might have said all of the right things, but you lacked passion or didn't convince them you were valuable enough to risk an hour of time. That might sound harsh, but that is the truth. If your phone screen doesn't turn into an interview you should evaluate a few things: did you smile while you were talking on the phone (that can make a huge difference), were you excited and able to clearly articulate your experience and why you wanted the job, did you ask thoughtful questions, did you build repertoire with the recruiter, did you answer your phone the first time they called, could you comprehensively explain what the company does? In sum, if you get rejected at this stage it means that your first appearance was underwhelming and changing just a few minor things could be the key to getting invited in for an interview.
The Interview- Companies will typically have you complete at least one in-person or virtual interview. They want to see your body language, get a feel for your presence and generally do a deeper dive of who you are, your experiences, and again, always, what you want. You might interview with the same recruiter, a different recruiter, a hiring manager or a combination of those three. Why doesn't your interview lead to an offer letter or next steps?
Unqualified- Even at this time a recruiter or, more likely, the hiring manager might dig in further and realize that you aren't qualified for the position. While the chances of getting rejected for being under qualified diminish with each step of the interview process, they still exist. Study, study, study the job requirements and make sure that, even if you don't have the minimally required years of experience, you can clearly and concisely explain why you are qualified for the position and what plans you have to add value to both the position and company as a whole.
Underwhelming- The further that you get into an interview process, the more likely that you are to get rejected because they found a better candidate. That could mean that the candidate was more experienced, or just that they interviewed better than you did. If you are consistently getting rejected at this stage, you need to spend some time examining what you have done in past interviews. Pull up lists of typical interview questions and practice answering them. Have a friend, relative or roommate ask you the questions. Record yourself answering them. Have a peer grade your answers. Review your resume and remember what all you have done. Explain clearly to your friend, or even your camera, why you are a good fit for the position. Practice explaining any gaps in employment that you have, what you're looking for and how you would be of value to the company. Make sure you thoroughly understand what the company does. Interviews are unnerving and practice is key.
Additional Steps
Some companies also have second, even third round interviews or some sort of action item for you to complete. If you have gotten rejected from this final step more than once you need to examine what went wrong and try to focus on improving those skills. It is likely going to be associated with the company finding a better candidate. You want to ensure that next time that better candidate is you.
The recruiting and interviewing process is intense and can be exhausting. There are multiple steps in the process, starting with your application, continuing through your phone screen and then interview, and ending with what you hope is a job offer. Do yourself a favor and work smarter, not harder and make sure that you are preparing to get the next job you apply for!