7 Reasons Qualified Candidates Are Not Getting Jobs

Source: Workopolis

In an ideal world, the job would go to the most qualified candidate. However, there are many reasons why you might not get hired for various jobs – even if you have all of the skills and experience to successfully do the work. Sometimes candidates simply kill their own chances of getting hired.

I once spoke with a candidate who had a brilliant CV and who seemed like she would be awesome at the job she had applied to. However, in our conversation it quickly came out that she didn’t have much of an understanding of what the company actually did, and she had obviously never read any of the existing material on the website.

She didn’t even seem particularly interested in it. I ended up hiring a much less experienced candidate who had done her research and clearly demonstrated a passion to contribute to the work we were doing.

Top Reasons employers won’t hire you despite your qualifications

1.You don’t do any research
As I mentioned in the introduction to this article, not doing your research can cost you the job. Employers want to hire candidates who know about their industry and its challenges, and who have thought about ways that they can contribute to the company’s success.

If your first question to the interviewer is, “So, what does this company do?” you won’t be getting the call. (And hiring managers do get asked that very question.)

2.You aren’t very savvy on social media
When you’re looking for jobs, social media is more media than it is social. Remember that anything you publish has the potential to be broadcast to unforeseen audiences. Even if you have strict privacy settings, it is possible for someone inside your network to copy and share photos or posts.

Employers will Google you and look you up on social media sites. A sales manager shared the story of a candidate with a brilliant CV who interviewed well, but who didn’t get the job because he was smoking or holding a beer in what seemed like every photo ever taken.

3.You’ve got a bad attitude
Some candidates come into an interview and start complaining about their former boss or coworkers, they grumble about their past work as if this will show why they’re motivated to make a change. It doesn’t show that at all. It just makes you look like a complainer. Employers want to hire upbeat, positive team members.

4.You’re sloppy
Proofread your CV and cover letter. So many recruiters told me that this was the deal-breaker that they most often see in candidates. Misused words, spelling mistakes and typos all make it look like you can’t write properly, you don’t pay attention to detail, or you just don’t care that much. Any of those can keep you from being hired.

5.You’re desperate

While it’s good to be enthusiastic about the role, employers are turned off by candidates who seem simply desperate for jobs. It’s a fine line: you have to play it cool, but not too cool. Display confidence without overdoing it.

6.You have no references
One candidate gave a recruiter three reference letters. Because the font type and style of all three were very similar, the recruiter decided to call the recruiters to verify. It turns out that the letters were indeed fake. However the worst thing about the story is that all three people called said that they actually would have been happy to recommend the candidate.

Trust your references. Tell them about the jobs you’re applying for and ask if they would be willing to recommend you for it.

7.You have unrealistic salary expectations
Of course you know how much money you’d like to earn – and what perks you’d like to have from your employer. But if your expectations are unrealistic, or you’re too demanding or inflexible, it will turn employers off. Do your research, find out the salary range that jobs like yours pay, and be willing to negotiate for the best deal you can get.

Finding jobs is hard, and the competition can be fierce. But if you keep getting turned down for jobs that you know you’re qualified for, maybe it’s time to make sure that you’re not acting in one of the ways that repels most employers.

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