Why Am I Not Shortlisted for a Job?

Be it discussing with the friend circle or interacting with job seekers on the events, time and again the same question surrounds me “Why am I not shortlisted for a job?” This is one of the most heard questions by any employee of Merojob. Sometimes, people even try to persuade us to get them shortlisted which is not possible.?

As a job portal having utmost transparency, employers directly access applicant profiles and shortlist them by themselves. There might be several reasons for not being shortlisted and the reasons may differ concerning industry, employer’s necessity, and quality of applicants. But, there are some of the common reasons applied in most of the conditions.?

So here we are with 5 most common reasons for not getting shortlisted.

1. Unoptimized Profile
2. Lack of Skills and experience
3. Applying in irrelevant places
4. Too many applications for the same job?
5. Employment gaps without explanation

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Unoptimized Profile?

Often people have a university degree with good grades, training certificates, work experience, and certainly deserve to land their dream job. But, the only thing they lack is an optimized profile. This is the most common problem seen among job seekers.?

Unless a job seeker showcases his/her skills, experience, education, and other things that make them the most deserving candidate, employers can never know how much caliber the applicant holds. This is a lose-lose situation for both the employer and job seeker. So, while applying for any job, make sure the profile is optimized. Nowadays, employers are empowered with Merojob AI ATS to sort good fit, probable fit, and most suitable fit based on the job requirements and applicant’s profile. This has even heightened the need to optimize the profile.

Relatable:?How does Optimizing profile affect the chance of being shortlisted?

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Lack of Skills and Experience

Employers post jobs asking for specific requirements and when applicants fail to meet those criteria they are not shortlisted. Sometimes, job seekers enthusiastically apply for the roles where their skills and experience fall short. While applying for any job, one must thoroughly go through the job description, experience required and skills asked. Instead of applying for a role that is currently beyond your capability, it is recommended to work on the skill set those roles require. This not only polishes one's skills but also makes them a step ahead while applying for other jobs asking for similar skills with less experience.

Here’s a?set of Skills to win employer’s heart.

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Applying in irrelevant Places?

“Sir, I have already applied for at least 20 jobs from your app, but got noticed by only two employers where I didn't opt to work.” inquired a job seeker on a phone call. Upon seeing his profile, we found that the person has an education background in science but has been applying for the role of accountant, content writer, front desk officer, etc. continuously applying for the role where your skills and experience don't match won’t necessarily land you the job!

Haphazard application for any role is also a common reason why applicants fail to get shortlisted. A thorough study of job requirements and self-assessment of own skills, education, and experience for the role is necessary before applying for the role.?

Here’s?how to tailor your job application for specific jobs.

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Too many applications for the same Job?

Sometimes, it’s not an applicant's fault! There are several job postings which attract a massive number of applicants. Especially the roles asking for less experience, simple skill sets, and accepting students pursuing bachelor or +2 pass-outs attract freshers, and here’s where too many people apply. This makes the selection process tougher.

But, here’s a way that could make you stand out from the crowd if such opportunities arise in the future. Update your Profile, learn skills in your leisure time, increase networking skills, have a learning attitude and most importantly at the beginning of your career, prioritize what you will learn instead of how much money you are making.

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Employment gaps without explanation?

Most employers look for candidates having continuous service. Unexplained employment gaps make employers doubt whether the applicant’s skill is up to date. Similarly, this also raises questions on commitment issues. These things make it difficult to get shortlisted. So filling the gaps with productive use of time like learning new skills and studying relevant courses is necessary. It can reward job seekers with even better opportunities.?

Above mentioned points are just a glimpse of reasons for not getting shortlisted. With the evolution of the job market, employers look for employees having a better outlook on their designated field. But, the one who tries, who gets up to date with a new skill set, and who keeps on trying in the relevant roles is the one who will certainly be shortlisted for the job.??

Thank you for reading this blog, we hope it helped you to understand the common reasons for not being shortlisted. For more job-related tips, you can subscribe to our Newsletter?The Best Career Guide on Linkedin so that you get a step ahead in your Job Search as well as in your career.

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Recommended Reading:

• 12 tips for creating a better profile?
• Improve your Interview performance
• 10 Tips for a successful job search