Not getting interviews after taking the time to prepare a carefully crafted CV template can be pretty frustrating. It’s not always clear what’s gone wrong or why you’re not getting through to the next step of the hiring process.
In this article, we look at the 10 key causes for job interview rejection and explain what you can do to avoid these from happening to you. Do any of the following sound familiar?
1. Your CV isn’t tailored for the position
A generic CV won’t get the results you want it to.
Employers are always looking for the best fit for their individual situation. If elements of your CV like your experience and skills section don’t do this they’ll usually pass you over for other more suitable candidates.
To get noticed easier your CV needs to be updated to fit the needs of each prospective employer you contact. By using a CV builder you can make this much simpler by easily swapping out texts and changing sections that don’t quite hit the target you’re aiming for to get things better refined.
2. There are spelling mistakes on your application
This is an easy one to avoid. Spelling errors and grammar mistakes (even little ones) are going to undo all the good work you’ve done preparing your CV.
Companies, obviously tend to look quite harshly at these kinds of errors and will usually throw out any CVs that make them. A quick re-read before you send in your application is normally enough to spot any outlying mistakes. Five extra minutes of your time is well worth the potential rewards.
3. There is a very large number of applicants
Another common reason that you might be missing out on interviews could be the sheer number of applicants. Naturally, the more people that apply for a position the more competitive the final role will be.
According to Glassdoor, each corporate position in the US can attract 250 applications upwards. Of course, that’s all those people going for the exact same job.
In this case, there isn’t much you can do except applying and hoping for the best. Even with the best-prepared CV possible, you might still find yourself up against someone with a fancier degree or years extra of experience that will rule you out of the shortlist.
4. You’re falling foul of ATS
Applicant tracking software (ATS) is more common than ever in modern companies. When you come up against it it can torpedo your chances if you don’t optimize your CV properly.
The most important points to consider when planning a CV that gets around ATS are keywords and template design.
You need to make sure that your finished file has enough relevant expressions and terms written into the text. This will always depend on the job in question but a quick read over the job description can usually point you in the right direction.
Also, you need to plan your design with a simplified template that doesn’t use custom graphics, fonts or other elements that ATS may struggle to read correctly. Generally, it’s best to use a preoptimized template with standard, machine-readable fonts and features.
If you need a bit of help preparing your CV for these online filters our guide for applicant tracking systems can help you get around these issues.
5. You’re not applying for enough jobs
Another possible reason that you might be getting few interviews could be to do with the volume of CVs you are sending out. Or aren’t, as the case may be.
Generally speaking, you need to apply for around 10-20 positions before getting an interview, based on research by TalentWorks. It can take up to 200 applications in total before getting a job offer, however.
Therefore the reason you could be experiencing slow progress after only sending out a handful of CVs to employers could be that you just haven’t sent enough as yet.
Of course, these numbers aren’t totally absolute. Yet, quantity matters as much as quality when it comes to job applications.
6. Your CV is too long
A big no-no with CVs is writing a document that’s too long. In general, one page should do the trick with 2 pages being the absolute maximum.
Longer CVs usually perform worse than clipped and concise documents. This is because recruiters famously only spend about 7.4 seconds skim-reading through applications before making a decision.
Obviously, if there is more to read you’re less likely to get on the hiring shortlist. 3 page or longer CVs tend to perform poorly as a result as there’s just too much to read within the time given.
7. There are noticeable gaps in your employment
Gaps in your employment history are a very common reason that applicants miss out on job openings.
Recruiters are naturally curious and a little suspicious of why these occur. By not explaining the reasoning for a period of time away from work you’re more likely to end up in the reject pile.
To avoid this from happening, always try to make an effort to explain or subtly conceal the space in your work history. This doesn’t mean you have to lie, but you should be aware that unexplained gaps in your CV of a few months up to a year usually set alarm bells ringing.
8. You live too far away from the job
One reason that employers might be taken aback by your application is that your address is too far away from where the job is. This is increasingly becoming less common as more workplaces switch to remote employment, however, a lot of companies may still reject you based on this.
If you are planning to move for the job or are about to move to the location in question anyway, be sure to make that clear on your resume and cover letter. That way any doubts that the recruiter may have about your viability can be quickly answered.
9. You haven’t got the right background for the job
Sometimes you’re just not the right fit for the jobs you are applying for. If you are sending in applications for lots of positions but you’re not checking the criteria properly (or as we said before you’re not modifying your CV correctly) your success rate will be low as a result.
It’s important to make sure you can see where you would fit adequately into the company based on their desired skillset. Otherwise, you’ll get very little response back from those that you do target.
10. You’re missing referrals or another key component
There are a lot of possible sections that can be added to a CV. Aside from obvious inclusions like work experience and education, you can also add details on references, awards, courses and much more.
Adding all of these could make your CV too long. However, choosing to add an additional section that showcases a remarkable achievement and fits the job description can make your profile really stand out.
Also, it is often a good idea to at least make a mention of any references that you have. These don’t have to be listed on the page but at minimum, you should add a statement saying “References available on request”, unless you are specifically asked to provide them up front.
It can be tough securing interviews but it’s always a game of numbers. Getting everything about your application right can take time and patience but once everything is properly tuned you’re far more likely to get the results you deserve.
One of the most important starting points is properly tuning up your CV for the job at hand. Try out our building tools today to get the ball rolling.
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