5 Major Reasons Why You Are Not Getting The Jobs You Apply For

Why is it that there are so many qualified but unemployed candidates?
If people say there are no jobs, why are recruiters having a hard time filling certain positions?
And for those of you still not getting called to interviews after applying for jobs, this post aims to share the 3 main reasons you are not getting that job you applied for.
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1. You are sending scanned documents to recruiters
Unless a job advert has asked you to send a scanned CV and Cover Letter, please do not send one when applying for jobs.
If you have been applying for jobs with a scanned CV and Cover Letter, chances are you are not getting that job.
Why? Most recruiters will not be bothered to open the document.
Also, some job seekers are going to the extent of attaching a photo of their CV in their applications. 
You are competing against other suitably qualified candidates who followed instructions; do you believe a recruiter will pick you for the interview?
To be on the safe side, always send in your CV as a Word Document attachment if it has not been specified. You can also use PDF, but note that most recruiters prefer your CV in Word.
Read More >>> Should I Submit My CV In Word Or PDF? 
2. You sent your impressive CV without contact information
The times we have written about this issue of contact information is countless. So here is the harsh truth; you are not getting that job you applied for if you did not include your email address and phone number on your CV. Why?
Because recruiters receive hundreds of emails in applications, and according to this article here the number goes up to thousands.
This then means they will not have time to go searching for your email among the pool of applications they have. If you think this to be unfair, try put yourself in the recruiter’s position.
Would you spend hours trying to find contacts to reach one candidate when you can easily find those of another one?
In an environment where you have a deadline to meet, the answer you are looking for is No. So, always include your phone number and email at the very top of your CV.
3. You sent a CV but did not say why
In a tough job market like the one in Kenya where getting hired is a full-time job in itself, you need to be very careful when sending applications.
I recently received a CV in my email with no Subject line and no information in the email body. I am not a recruiter but I couldn’t help but wonder what the job seeker was thinking at the time of sending the email.
Recruiters receive applications like this on a daily basis, with some just writing “Application for Job” in the subject line.
This is wrong and you are not getting that job you applied for if this is what you did in your application. In every job application there is usually details on how to apply and under this, recruiters always include the subject line to use.
If you decide to leave it out or use a different one, recruiters will not find your CV and hence you will not be called for the interview.
4. You are not as qualified for the position as you think
The one common issue among most job seekers is why they can’t seem to get interviews or jobs, yet they are well qualified for the position.
If you fall into this category of job seekers, I would like you to ask yourself this one question; why do you really think you are qualified for the position?
You could say you have the experience needed, but have you worked in a similar industry like the job posting requires? You could say that you have the skills, years of experience and have worked in a similar industry, but do your duties and responsibilities align with what the position seeks?
You could also say that you have every qualification needed, but why do the job titles on your CV tell a whole other story?
The reality of the matter; you are only as qualified as the recruiter handling your application thinks. Most of you do not spend enough time analyzing the details of a job description and that is where you go wrong.
5. You are searching for ‘any’ open jobs
As a job seeker, the one thing you want is a job. Most times you will not care for which opportunity as long as it’s a job you can do and get paid.
There is nothing wrong with this, except the fact that you are probably not going to be considered for a job demanding 2 years experience when you have none or less than that. You are also not going to get that data clerk job without experience, even when you know very well, that you can do the job.
For you to find jobs, search for the ones you are qualified to do instead of just any open opportunities. Be specific; recruiters don’t know what you can do, they look at your papers.
Most times we are to blame when it comes to job applications. You have the qualifications, experience and in a recruiter’s eyes you are a perfect candidate.
But then you go ahead and make the 3 mistakes above without even realizing it and you remain frustrated wondering what went wrong.
Lilian is a Communication Officer at Career Point Kenya? Got any job search related queries? Email lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke.