Recently, a man came to us complaining that he hadn't gotten a single job interview, though he had been diligently sending out applications every single day for months.

Age discrimination was the reason. He was sure of it.
Certainly, age discrimination is very real and rampant in today's job market. Yet, when we asked him to describe his job search, we began to suspect that something else was at work.

If you're not getting interviews either, here are a few things that might be hurting you.
 



Ineffective Marketing Plan
This man was ONLY applying for jobs online. This is one of the least effective way of getting hired. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that you should never apply to jobs online. I am saying that you should limit the time that you spend on online applications to 15-20% of your job hunting time. Spend the rest in more effective activities like networking.

Your resume doesn't have the right stuff for the ATS
Remember, if you're applying online, the employer is probably using an Applicant Tracking System (software that screens resumes). Consequently, if yours doesn't have the right stuff, it will languish, unseen, in their database. The right stuff includes keywords, used in context. And there's much more.

Your resume doesn't have the right stuff (part 2)
Assuming that a living, breathing human being reads your resume, they may not be impressed. I've seen a lot of really awful resumes-and many that aren't awful, but just don't put the applicant's best foot forward. They don't make a good case for that candidate being the answer to the employers' problems.

Common advice in job search groups is that you should write your own resume. NEVER hire someone to write it for you. All right. This is just downright bad advice. I've seen candidates who do a fabulous job writing their own resume--they should write their own. But many others don't have a clue about how to write a resume. These people need some help and it is a huge disservice to tell them otherwise.

Others assume their resume is great because they hired someone to write it for them--and maybe paid that someone a princely fee. Hopefully, you got what you paid for, but don't count on it. [please see our blog article, "Why Not to Write Your Own Resume-And When You Should]. You may have paid big bucks and yet be no better off than the guy/gal who ineptly wrote their own resume.

Your LinkedIn profile is lackluster-or worse
You might think your LinkedIn profile doesn't matter in your job search because you are applying with resumes. But many employers are looking for candidates on LinkedIn--and recruiters spend their days searching LinkedIn. If you don't have a great profile, you're missing out on an important source of possibilities.

Plus, many employers who get your resume will also check you out on LinkedIn. They want to see what you say about yourself there, as well as what other people say about you. Be sure to have a number of good recommendations! Do not neglect your LinkedIn profile!

You're applying for the wrong jobs
It could very well be that you're just not qualified to do the jobs for which you are applying. Or you're not reaching high enough and the employer won't think of offering you the job, thinking you'll be bored. Don't waste weeks and months this way. Good referral interviews with people in the field can help prevent this mistake.

You're laser-focused on companies everyone else wants to work for
OK, maybe you'd love to work for Microsoft, Apple, or Google. Go for it! But realize that these companies are inundated with resumes. The competition is fierce. Get hired there, if you can, but broaden your search to other lower-profile companies that may also provide exciting and lucrative places to work.

Typos and grammatical errors
Many hiring managers have only to see one, maybe two typos, and they will pitch the offending resume in the trash. Likewise, you've probably noticed that in online discussions, people are often mocked and their contributions dismissed simply because they misspelled a word or two. People often aren't very polite online. :(

That said, I've run into some really brilliant people who just can't spell and/or they don't write well. They're great employees, but their brains don't function well in the spelling and grammar department.

Some people say, "Hey! It's not fair to reject me for a few spelling errors!" No it's not, but that's reality. If you're one of these people, make sure someone who does have those skills is keeping a close watch on all your marketing materials and emails.

Then, there are those who do have good spelling and grammar skills, but are prone to sending before proofreading thoroughly. Be sure to slow down the process and make sure your work is 100% accurate.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

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No contacts on the inside
Surely, you've seen this in the places where you've worked. The boss hires someone he met at a networking event or the friend of one of his employees. Check to see who you know on the inside. Be sure to keep expanding your network so you're more likely to have a connection for the next job.

Wretchedly Boring Cover Letters & Thank You Notes
A lot of the competition, maybe most of them, are sending bland, wretchedly boring letters full of sentences like this:

"I'm confident that my skills and experience are a great match for the needs of your company."

Saying the same bland, dull things that nearly everyone else is saying is only marginally better than saying nothing at all.

Lack of follow up
Remember that one of the three factors that win job interviews is enthusiasm. The boss wants to know that you're excited about the job and a phone call or email to follow up is a great way to show your enthusiasm-and separate yourself from all those who just send in a resume and wait.

Paying attention to these things and some of the other fine points of the job search can shave weeks and months off your search-and help you get a better job. Age discrimination is very real, but you can beat it.

Ready for a fresh start in your career or job search? Call us today: 847-673-0339.