You are not networking

There’s a saying that your network is your net worth. This is as true today as it has always been. Although the advent of the internet has made finding new opportunities much simpler, you still cannot avoid human interaction.

Go to networking events and talk to people who work at the company you want to work for. Building a relationship with people that have access to what you want can never do you wrong. Networking events have incredible value associated with them because of the connections that can be made. Don’t stop at only talking to people who work at your dream company, either. Talk to everybody that goes there. Becoming a master at interacting with others never hurts, and you might find even better opportunities than you initially had in mind.

You don’t know how to sell yourself

A lot of people apply a negative connotation to selling. They view selling as greedy and untrustworthy. This is false because everyone is selling something all the time. Whether you’re in an interview, going on a date, or trying to negotiate a raise, you’re selling the other person on why you should get what you want.

You need to be clear and confident in what you convey, both in your resume and in the interview. Employers want to know that you truly have the skills and knowledge it takes to enhance their business and current projects.

Your resume doesn’t portray measurable accomplishments

This may be something that you’ve already heard before. When employers are deciding on who to hire on to their team, they’re impressed by proof of their ability. That proof comes in the form of specific, measurable results they have obtained.

It’s not enough to say that you “helped a organization get more sales or finish a project.” You need to use analytics and numbers when talking about what you’ve accomplished. Saying that you “increased sales by 38% each quarter” is not only more believable, but you stand out to the hiring manager as a person that’s likely to bring them success.

You plain lack interest in the job

I get it. You would rather work somewhere else doing something different, so you’re not excited about going for anything less than that. This is dangerous because employers can sense a lack of interest.

It’s hard to fake enthusiasm about something you couldn’t care less about. If you feel like you won’t enjoy your role or the company, don’t apply there. It’ll save both them and you the time of interviewing and showing disinterest.

You haven’t done your homework

One of the most common questions in interviews is why you want to work for the company. Especially if you’re going into a sales-related role, they want to see you doing the work before you’ve even started.

Research the company as if it was a potential client you would have to make a sale to. Then, when it comes time for you to answer this question, you can confidently answer with what you’ve learned about the company and why it impresses you. You can also confidently answer how you will bring value to the company.

You don’t have the qualifications

This one is difficult to get around. Sometimes, it’s difficult to have the necessary qualifications that employers are asking for. Just remember that their desire is to see that you know how to do the job in question, do it well, or be able to learn it quickly.

There are ways to maneuver around this. Let’s say you’re applying for a sales job. They want you to have 3 years of experience, but you only have 1 year of experience. You can explain to them the measurable results that you’ve achieved working on company’s projects. If you’ve worked for yourself, you can show them the results you’ve achieved there and it sets you apart as a go-getter.

You don’t come off as confident

Interviews are a challenge for anybody that doesn’t have the best personal speaking skills. You are probably as conversational as can be when around people you’ve known for a while. You might even be confident at an event surrounded by people you haven’t met.

In the interview room, that doesn’t matter. It all comes back to them wanting to hire someone that will get them results. If you go in there with your palms sweaty, knees weak, and arms heavy then you know what you need to work on next time to land the job.

The key here is practice. The best practice possible is in the situation you’re practicing for, so having multiple interviews would get you comfortable doing interviews. If you’re not able to do that, you can just practice in front of a mirror or with a friend. Don’t write down answers and try to memorize them, though. That’ll get you dependent on those specific questions. If they ask different questions then you’ll be nervous because you didn’t prepare for them. Just practice and get used to the feeling of interviewing.

You come off as entitled

There’s a line between confident and arrogant. You need to show the employer that you’re able to do the job, but don’t act as if you are entitled to have that job. 

These are some things to think about if you’re not having luck getting the job you want. Now that you have an idea of the mistakes you may be making, take it upon yourself to learn from those mistakes. It’s on you to change your situation.

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com