Spoiler: It’s not you, it’s your resume.
You’re likely here because you’re in a job search rut – we’re here to help.
Our team of technical recruiters here at TriCom are seasoned industry experts, and through our conversations with candidates we hear one common frustration: they keep getting overlooked for positions and nobody tells them why.
Even for IT pros like you whose tech skills are in high demand, the job search is tough. There’s nothing quite as defeating as applying for a handful of jobs you were excited about, only to have a dry inbox for weeks to come – we get it. That’s why my team and I got together to share the reasons why your application is being overlooked and you’re not getting interviews. Check it out:
You’re overlooking the basics (yes, typos are still a red flag):
Have you ever found yourself deep in the job search only to review your resume and learn you’ve been sending it out to companies with a glaring typo or two? It’s frustrating, but seemingly small typos could be why you’re not getting interviews. Typos happen to the best of us and while it’s good to brush the snafu off your shoulders and get back out there, you also need to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Because to recruiters, the little details do matter, and yes, techies, this is critical even though you’re not applying for a writing-intensive position.
While it can feel monotonous, I challenge you to spend at least 30 uninterrupted minutes scanning your resume, LinkedIn profile, Git Hub, website, etc. Are there inconsistencies across the mediums? Is your contact information up to date? Are the dates and position titles accurate? Do you have any typos? Take care of it today and get it out of the way. That way, as you progress in your job search, you can be confident you’re submitting the highest-quality representation of yourself.
You’re mass applying to every position you see:
The practice of sending one general resume to any and every sort of relevant job that you see and hoping you hear back from a few can be tempting, especially after weeks of crickets – but recruiters can see right through it. Think of it this way – for every job that you mass apply to, there are a few qualified candidates that are submitting resumes tailored specifically to the job (and these candidates might actually be less qualified than you). Recruiters will never know you’re the better fit for the job if your resume doesn’t make it crystal clear.
Here’s an insider tip – many companies use sophisticated applicant tracking systems with keyword filters that help them weed through resumes before recruiters even get their eyes on them. In fact, it’s estimated that 75% of submitted resumes are rejected right off of the bat if keywords within the them aren’t consistent with the requirements of the job. And when a recruiter like me sits down to review applications, we’re doing the same thing – quickly scanning for keywords to create a “short list” of candidates we want to learn more about. Take a look at the keywords on your resume, could they be the culprit behind you not getting interviews?
Your resume doesn’t illustrate the impact of your work:
You’ve done some pretty epic things, have an interesting story to tell, and are ready to bring something unique to the table – but does your resume show it? If not, you might not be getting interviews even if you’re qualified. After your application has made the “short list”, recruiters work to determine if you’re more than buzzwords. In other words, you might be proficient in a handful of coding languages, but what projects have you put these languages to use on, and better yet, what end results did these projects help the company achieve?
Former Senior Vice President of Google, Lazlo Block, instructs job seekers to use a three-part resume formula using the template below:
Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]
For Example: Created an eCommerce platform that increased sales by 50% and cart abandons by 25% as part of an agile team using the full LAMP stack.
By following this formula, you’re not only using the keywords needed to get noticed by recruiters, but you’re winning them over by concretely illustrating the far-reaching impact that your work had.
You apply without connecting with a real person:
TriCom receives dozens of resume submissions a week – but only a few of those job seekers reach out to our recruiting team to make a real connection. Introducing yourself via email or through a message on LinkedIn is one of the best things you can do to ensure your resume doesn’t get stuck in a black hole. Not only does doing so show the recruiter that you care enough to go the extra mile to make an impression, but they’ll be more likely to view your resume first out of the dozens they’ve received.
Ultimately, you can have a laundry list of skills and experience, but if your resume doesn’t give recruiters the full picture by following the steps above, it won’t break through the noise of other applications and could be a key reason why you’re not getting interviews. In the job search game, quality rules over quantity – spend your time thoughtfully applying to two or three positions instead of sprinting through twenty online applications and calling it a day.
Our technical recruiters are ready to talk to you! We work with leading businesses across Kansas and Minnesota that are looking for tech talent just like you. Submit your resume and introduce yourself or search our current openings today!
