Posted By Amanda Collins on September 9, 2010

So your resume is working for you and you’re getting interviews. But what if you’re still unemployed? As I tell people, if you’re not getting interviews, look at your resume; if you are getting interviews, look at how you interview.

According to Karalyn Brown, an Australian resume writer and career consultant, there are likely five reasons you’re not getting the job following an interview.

1. There are too many people in the interview process.
If 20 people show up for a day of interviews, it will be challenging to stand out (in a good, positive way). Make sure you are professional and maybe share something unique about yourself. Definitely follow up immediately with a thank-you card.

2. The position has been withdrawn.
Sometimes, there is an internal candidate who is chosen. Or maybe they chose someone from the first string of interviews and you’re in the second string. For whatever the reason, this happens and there’s not much you can do about it.

3. You may threaten or intimidate the interviewer.
If the interviewer feels you’re bucking for his/her position, it stands to reason you won’t be wanted. It’s a hard line to ride to be assertive but not overbearing.

4. There is no job.
It may seem ridiculous, but sometimes there isn’t a position available. Most often, that will happen with recruiters who are screening you in the hopes of securing a client—and then it falls through.

5. You don’t interview well.
The issue here is how will you know? Unless you’re keenly aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you’ll not notice how well or poorly you interviewed. It may be beneficial to engage an interview coach if you have this situation arise often. At least you’ll get some constructive, unbiased feedback to improve.

Category: Job Search
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