7 reasons why you didn’t get an interview

Job searching is a complex and time-consuming process. You have to do many things, and every employer, recruiter and hiring manager has their own requirements with some asking for a CV and cover letter, and others for referees. It’s almost a full-time job! It can be extremely disappointing when you don’t land an interview for a job you thought you were ideal for. Fortunately, there could be a straight forward and easily addressable explanation for this.

It can be difficult to stand out in the current competitive job market, amongst many other applicants. You have just six seconds to impress a potential employer, recruiter or hiring manager with your CV, so make every second count! It is not just a matter of experience, or the absence of it, that may hold you back. Read on for other possible reasons why.

You didn’t tailor your CV

Sending out a lot of generic job applications, in most cases, will not increase your chances of getting an interview. Tailoring your CV to each role increases your chances of success, as the employer, hiring manager or Applicant Tracking System (ATS) want to see that your CV accurately matches the job description.

To impress the employer or hiring manager, research and emphasise key skills in your CV that match the job requirements, tailoring your CV to showcase your value by selling yourself, without lying. Understand the company's needs through research, hop online and look at their website, values, culture and product to demonstrate that you genuinely want this job. You are probably aware that two of the most common interview questions are “Why did you apply for this position?” and “What do you know about our company?” so you might as well get a head start on your interview prep.

Insubstantial evidence on your CV

Is your CV fluffy and lacking evidence of your achievements? Employers and hiring managers want to read your results with measurable facts, figures and statistics to demonstrate how your skills have added value to past positions.

You lack the required experience, qualifications or skills

It may seem obvious, but many applicants disregard the ‘required’ experience or skills section which is usually bullet pointed on the advertisement. Most employers and hiring managers are unlikely to invite you for an interview if you don’t meet their minimum requirements, as they typically many applicants who do.

You are overqualified or are looking to take a step back

You would be forgiven for thinking that being overqualified or with a wealth of experience makes you ideal for any position, however, it could be quite the opposite. If you are keen on a vacancy, be honest and outline in your cover letter why you want this position in particular, highlighting your transferable skills for the role. This strategy won’t work every time, but for the right position an employer or hiring manager may be open-minded, landing you an interview to sell yourself in person.

Too many other applicants

Tough competition is always a possible reason why you didn’t get an interview. Try not to let this dampen your spirit, if your application aligns with the positions you’re applying for, you're likely to land an interview sooner rather than later.

You keep changing jobs

Changing jobs frequently can red flag you, and make you seem unreliable to employers. To address this, emphasise your commitment in your cover letter and consider removing short-term roles from your employment history, or pop a note next to these as either casual or temporary (if that were the case).

Mistakes in your CV

Making a mistake on your CV can destroy your chances of getting hired as it shows lack of attention to detail and carelessness. Ask someone else to proof-read your CV, they may even have further suggestions you hadn’t thought of.