It’s frustrating when you’re looking for a new job, but every time you miss the mark. How come you are not accepted? Here are seven possible reasons why they choose another candidate and how you can solve them.
From forgetting that the interview isn’t just about your answers to not standing out enough from the other candidates. What can you do about this?
Reasons why you won’t be hired
These seven possible reasons are about why you won’t be hired if you’ve been on an interview. Aren’t you invited for conversations? Then it probably depends on your cover letter and resume. Here are seven possible mistakes you’ll make in your job search.
You don’t know enough about the company
Do not ignore the advice to do your research into a company. You appear much more enthusiastic if you know exactly which company you apply to. A recruiter or HR manager also tries to determine whether you 1) will accept the job and 2) have not left after a few months.
It also helps prepare an answer to the question: ‘ Why do you want to work here? ‘
You have not prepared for common interview questions
This brings us to the next point: your preparation is not right. That’s a shame because there are just some interview questions that you can expect. And, by preparing, we don’t just mean thinking about these questions, but also actually putting an answer on paper.
You are not supposed to memorize these answers but think about the whole answer. You often see people nailing the first two sentences of an answer but then jumping off the bat. They have thought about the question, but not the answer.
You forget that the interview is not just about your answers
Do the first two reasons not apply to you? Then it may not be about your answers but other interview skills. Don’t you avoid eye contact with the person in front of you? Is your posture good? Have you not forgotten the small talk?
A job interview looks at whether you have the qualifications and skills to do the job and how you are as a person, and whether you fit well into the team. Do not forget that!
You don’t stand out enough
You are probably not the only candidate invited for an interview. And while you don’t want to be remembered for the wrong reasons, they must remember you after all the conversations. That doesn’t necessarily have to be a huge achievement. It is precisely a detail in your personality that can make that difference.
Small talk is also a powerful tool here. Beforehand, find the person you are interviewing and find out if you have any similarities.
You were too negative (about your previous employer)
Talking negatively about your previous job or previous employer is a real no-go, no matter how terrible it made you feel. It is not professional, and an HR manager will assume that you will also do this about this company in the future.
In any case, HR managers are more likely to hire positive candidates and do not see the worst in everything. That makes you a nicer person to work with.
You want the job so much
Don’t get us wrong; it’s good to show your enthusiasm for a company and the job in a cover letter. But don’t flood the person you’re interviewing with emails or phone calls, don’t arrive half an hour early to wait awkwardly at the front desk (and make the interviewer feel bad that they’re not ready for you yet), and don’t stalk the employees on social media.
It’s good to look up who works at the company on LinkedIn, but don’t send them all a connection request and stay away from other social media channels in any case.
The HR manager doesn’t know why you want the job
The opposite is also possible; the HR manager doesn’t know why you want the job because you showed absolutely no passion for the position or the company. Or are you qualified, but the person in front of you doesn’t understand why this is the next step in your career.
