5 Reasons Why You Won’t Get a Job Offer

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A tremendous amount of time and effort goes into preparing and succeeding in getting a new job. Updating resumes, leveraging your networks, going on interviews, etc. Many people face rejection during the job search process and most have no idea why they did not succeed in getting the job. Sometimes it’s obvious (not qualified, your compensation is too high, etc.) but many times it is not. While recruiters might give you some feedback (they might not tell you the full story), hiring managers will not provide feedback as to why they have rejected you for the position.

If you’ve been rejected when you thought you were sure to get an offer, then you need to figure out went wrong and adjust your approach to be more effective and eliminate reasons why you have not been successful.

Suggested Reading: How To Interview Like A Pro: Forty-Three Rules For Getting Your Next Job

5 reasons why you won’t get a job offer:

You Are Not Prepared

Reading the job description does not qualify as being prepared for a job interview. You need to do your research on the company, the interviewers and the position. You should also be familiar with common interview questions and ensure you have the right answers.  Use your social networks to find people you know who work at the company and get as much background information as possible. Leverage LinkedIn to review the profiles of the interviewer(s).  Last, but not least make sure you have your sales pitch (or 30-minute elevator speech).  Take a look at Your Elevator Speech.

“If you cannot state clearly why you want to work for the organization interviewing you, or if the reason you give is vague or fuzzy (or purely financial), you definitely will not get hired. ” – 9 Surprising Reasons Why You Won’t Get Hired

Square Peg, Round Hole

Your resume looks like a good match to the job description. You get called for the interview but in your heart, you know that you are not really qualified for the job.  You decide to go on the interview anyway. We all have our doubts from time to time, sometimes it is because we are taking that leap to the next level in our career. But sometimes it is real, and only you know if are not really qualified. Not having the required qualifications is one more reason you might not be getting the job offer. Candidates often lack the necessary skills and experience required for the job. They either overstate their qualifications or they apply for jobs that simply do not match their experience and skills. See 9 Reasons Why I Won’t Hire You

Photo by Evan Dennis on Unsplash

You Ask the Wrong Questions

Another major reason for not getting a job offer is that maybe you asked the wrong questions (or no questions at all). Don’t ask about overtime and vacation too early in the process, there will be plenty of time for this in later interview stages or even once you get an offer.  Not asking questions will make the hiring manager think that you are not excited about the position or that you don’t really want the job. Show excitement and confidence during the interview to increase your chances of getting an offer.

You Were More Interested in “What’s in it for me?”

Second only to being “the right person for the job” is showing enthusiasm for the company and the role. You need to convince the hiring manager that you really want to work for the company (and you should have a good list of why that is).  If you are more interested in what the job has to offer you rather than what you have to offer, you likely to be rejected. Although you might be eager to know what benefits the job has to offer, the interviewer first wants to know what you can do for the company. Establish your importance by letting the interviewer know how they can benefit from your skills and expertise and why you are the best fit for the company and the job.

Poor Communications Skills

Interviews are short in nature and you will have a limited time to communicate much to the hiring manager (why you are the best person for the job, why you will be a great fit for the company, your relevant experience, etc.).  If you can’t get your point across somewhat quickly, you will most likely not be getting a job offer. Besides having the required experience and qualifications, interviewers look for a confident personality with strong communications skills. Practice makes perfect and you should find friends or relatives who will practice mock interviews with you.