Why am I not hearing back on job applications?

WHERE YOU APPLY

Truth is, it isn’t really worth it just to blindly apply to hundreds of jobs online, even if LinkedIn says you can. Our research found that the most effective mode of online job applications is directly through company websites, rather than on job boards or through the “one click apply” feature on LinkedIn. Companies tend to be monitoring the submissions on their website a bit more closely. Also, a lot of job boards (yes, even the major ones!) scrape company websites for open roles and post them without the company permission. The company will receive the applications to those jobs eventually, but they’re rarely “top of the pile” and often mixed with a lot of spam. That said, applying online (even on company websites) isn't usually the most effective route of looking for a new job.

HOW YOU APPLY

We’ve said it before (and we’ll keep saying it, till our Head of Content retires), but it is worth it to apply to LESS jobs and to change your resume for every job you apply to. It just isn’t worth your effort to mass apply because the chances of a reply are so low. These changes mostly fall into two buckets:

1. Vernacular. Does this job description say “project management experience” and your resume says “managed project roll out”? Does the job description say “good team player” and your resume says “strong collaborator”? Change it! Those are easy wins. And yes, matching technology is *sometimes* that straight forward. Read our more in-depth article on beating the resume bots here.
2. Why me? The number one question your resume should answer is WHY are YOU right for THIS job? They’re looking at hundreds of resumes and the answer to that question needs to be immediately clear within the first few seconds of them opening your resume. There shouldn’t be any doubt in their mind that you would kick-butt at the job they have open. That might mean reordering your experience or skill section a bit to highlight your most relevant attributes. This could also be done by editing your professional summary at the top of your resume or your cover letter to add a “I think I’d be a great contributor to __ team because of my experience doing X, Y, and Z.” 

Another thing to adjust in how you apply is to make sure that you’re applying to the right jobs. It shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. Like the above paragraph, it should be immediately obvious to a recruiter why YOU are applying to their job.

FOCUS ON YOUR CONNECTIONS

Most jobs get filled through a referral or a personal connection. It’s just a fact of the job search, unfortunately. No amount of resume tips or tricks will give you as much of an advantage as a personal connection. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply for jobs, it just means you should rethink your strategy and try to find an inroad to the company. There are three ways we suggest you do that:

1. Warm connections. These are friends, colleagues, former colleagues, family members, etc. If you apply for a job at a company that one of them works at or worked out, reach out and let them know! You never know who is connected and who might be able to put in a good word for you. Knowing someone who works/worked at the company you’re applying to gives you a huge leg-up.
2. Cold connections. For this, go to the company page on LinkedIn and see which of your connections work there and if anyone from your college or other educational institutions works there. People are usually more than happy to help and the worst they can say is “no”. Here are a few things you can ask:
3. Hi! I see you went to X University as well. I am looking for my next career move and applied for a job at Y Company. I’d love to connect with you to learn more about the company and any tips you have for getting a job there.
4. Hi! I see you also went to Z High School. I’m a passionate coder and just applied to a job at Y Company as a software developer. Would you have fifteen minutes to chat on the phone? I’d love to ask a few questions about Y Company.
5. Why this works: You aren’t asking them for a job, you’re asking them to help you out. People love to be helpful. If you get a chance to connect with someone, ask them about the company culture, tips they have for getting hired, and any other questions you may have. If you impress in this interaction, they might seek out the hiring manager for you and put in a good word.
6. Recruiters. This is an important and (we think) underutilized part of the job search application process. When you apply for a job on LinkedIn, you can usually see who the recruiter that posted it is. Reach out to them. Send them a nice message, (Hi! I just applied to the X job at Y company that you posted. I’m super excited about the opportunity and would love to connect with you) and stay in touch. Send connection requests to them and engage with their content. Recruiters are great people to have in your network and even if you don’t get chosen for this opportunity, they’ll likely have similar ones in the future.

Building your network and your networking skills is the most effective way to improve your job search results. If not for this job search, then for the next one. For more tips and ideas on getting started networking, read our blog here.

Lastly, be kind to yourself. Don’t get discouraged. Just because you spent time on something and didn’t hear back doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. All of this experience, applying for jobs, writing about yourself, working on your networking skills will help you hone your message and grow your professional capabilities. Keep at it and don’t forget to work in time to take care of yourself and recharge. 

Looking for more job search resources? Check out all of our job search-related blogs here.

We host a free, monthly career development webinar. Browse upcoming Level-Up with Meytier events here.