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Why is it so Hard to Find a Job without these Techniques?
May
When the pandemic hit in April 2020, the unemployment rate in the US reached 14.8% – the highest we’ve seen since 1948.
Meanwhile, even in recovery, the United States unemployment rate was 5.2% as of August 2021, according to a BLS report.
So, even if there’s recovery, why is it so hard to find a job?
There are a lot of factors as to why it is so hard to get a job these days thus, we’re going to list all of them down and show you what you can start doing immediately to improve your chances.
Firstly, the job market is highly competitive. A single job post can get hundreds of applicants.
Second, a huge majority of jobs never get posted publicly.
One of the biggest reasons is, managers would opt to fill positions through either employee recommendations or recruiters.
Third, companies may hire within their ranks. Job opportunities are not exclusive to external applicants.
The truth is, people within the organization can also fill the position and at times, it can be more favourable to the company since they already may know their staff well.
If you think you’re the only one having a rough time, don’t worry because you’re not alone and never will be.
Why is it so hard to find a job and why can’t I find a job?
Are you asking yourself, why I can’t find a job?
It’s frustrating when you can’t get a job after you’ve given your best efforts but there are a few things you may need to understand before job hunting.
Company Advantages
Not every company is actively hiring and they might actually be testing the candidate market.
Companies might also be gathering a pool of resumes for future use.
That may be why some companies take ‘months’ to get back to you.
Whatever the reason is, before you come in for an interview or preliminary interview, it’s best to do some research on the company.
You have to get as much information about the company as possible.
It’s best to establish yourself to the employer that you’ve done your research and you fully understand how the value you bring would impact the company.
Some of the areas to focus on are revenue generation, their challenges, top competitors, and how your job description will add value to the company.
Remember, the core of every interview is about what you can do for the company and not vice versa.
Make sure you understand your job description as interviewers love to hear candidates speak about how they’re passionate about the company and how they can add value to the company.
Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Why is it hard to find a job? Because companies use ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to filter out candidates.
You need well-researched keywords in your resume to meet the ATS standards.
Here are a two reasons:
ATS 1 – Overly Selective
Companies have the advantage to be selective over who they think can provide the most value to them.
With the addition of Applicant Tracking Systems, large corporations have the capacity to filter huge volumes of applicants which means there’s a chance that the resume that you feel was very well-written is not even landing on the recruiters desk.
Today, Fortune 500 companies and many more smaller companies are already using ATS to aid them with targeted recruitment, human resources, and hiring.
ATS 2 – Outdated Resumes
Are you asking yourself this question, “why I can t find a job?”
When did you last update your resume?
Make sure that it starts with a single sentence that showcases your background along with two of your greatest skills and why you can value add tremendously to the company.
Remember – it’s always about the value you are able to provide.
Also, include a column that consists of about eight additional skills in bullet points that you can use to validate your experience.
This will help hiring managers conduct a quick scan of your abilities before they begin to look for what they want for a candidate.
Also, research what companies in your industry look for in candidates and showcase it in your resume.
The key is to make sure that everything you include in your resume will serve a purpose and display that you add value to any organization you enter into.
What To Do When You Can’t Find A Job?
If you cannot find a job, it’s good to take a step back and assess your portfolio to make sure you’re well prepared to take on a new role.
This can be a good chance to learn the best practices on what to do if you can’t find a job.
Here are a few things you need to work with:
Some parts of your resume matter more than others
The top third of your resume is the most important.
Did you know recruiters spend an average of only 6 seconds looking at your resume?
It should highlight your skills pertaining to the job and the industry in bullet points and should show within 3 seconds why and how you can add value to the company in a very compelling manner.
This is the first thing recruiters and hiring managers take the time to read since it’s the most visible part before they quickly skim through all sections.
Make sure to grab their attention with the first few lines of your resume.
Refine your job search
If you can’t find a job, maybe you’re looking in the wrong places.
Job boards are the modern equivalent of classified ads.
They have millions of listings and additional resources like blog posts, career coaching, and resume tailoring.
Job websites are the most effective and efficient ways to look for jobs that align with your unique skill set.
Write your resume filled with keywords for the ATS
What to do when you can’t find a job in your field?
Have you tried adding industry-relevant keywords to your resume?
Think about it – when you google search for the top pizza place in your area, don’t you include key details about the kind of pizza that you like?
That’s what recruiters do as well.
Many companies today depend on the ATS to help them sort through millions of resumes.
The good thing is, ATS uses keywords to scan and rank candidates.
This is a great way to help you increase your chances of getting seen by a hiring manager who uses an applicant tracking system in their hiring process.
Apply for the right jobs according to your skills & experience
Why can’t find a job I like?
Employers will spend a few seconds on your resume until they make a decision to contact you or not.
That’s why it’s important that they can quickly see relevant skills, qualities, and experiences that they’re looking for in an employee.
When writing your resume, and cover letter, focus on your most relevant skills.
Remember employers will choose resumes that closely match their criteria.
Make sure that you show them how you can add value to their company.
Target jobs hiring with no experience
If you’re making a career transition, you would often spend your time researching more than applying.
I mean why not?
Wouldn’t you want to ensure you make the best decision for your future?
However, in this case, what many people fail to understand is that if you’re in the midst of a career transition with no actual experience in the field – you would always need to get some kind of experience first to ensure much higher chances of hiring managers or recruiters noticing you.
You could either target jobs hiring with no experience, apply for internships or even start by looking for freelance or temporary roles to build up experience in that field so that your resume would not get overlooked by the ATS.
Update your social media profiles
What’s the connection between my social media profile and why I cannot find a job?
It’s simple.
Employers can easily look through social media profiles to check how are you like outside of your work and if you do display a passion for the industry outside of work as well.
One such example they could be looking out for is: do you share articles pertaining to the industry or express an interest in the industry through the pages you follow and comment on?
It’s also a good way to help them differentiate between the passionate ones and the casual job-seekers.
Take up a course – don’t waste time!
Are you getting stressed because there are no jobs available for you?
One of the best things you can do in the meantime is to enrol in an industry-relevant course.
Even if you land a job but if you’re not ready for the role, this could leave a much larger negative impression on your career than imagined.
Courses are a great way to equip yourself with the right discipline, industry-knowledge and industry-relevant keywords to help you get seen by your employers and help let them know you’re passionate enough to get certified.
Network
Career networking is important not just when you’re job searching but it can help you move up the career ladder as well.
You can use everything you have from personal, academic, professional, and even family contacts to help you land the perfect job.
Choosing career-specific platforms to network such as LinkedIn are the best as these platforms are specifically tailored for career networking unlike informal platforms like Facebook.
Networking is one of the best ways to learn about job opportunities or to work in a company that you love.
Summary – Why is it so hard to find a job?
Everyone out there has experienced the struggle to find a job at some point in their career.
If you’re feeling disheartened, remember – you’re not alone.
The important thing is you’re actively doing something everyday to improve your situation.
To accelerate your job search, excel in your career and climb up the corporate ladder even quicker, you can engage a career coach who would be able to utilize their expertise and focus to help you get further ahead than if you travelled alone.