Marcus Richards
Despite the UK’s unemployment rate being exceptionally low of late, competition for jobs remains high because people are not as rooted. Unaffordable housing markets and a new way of living mean people move around more and are willing to relocate cities for jobs.
So for example, it is quite the norm for several qualified candidates from London, Edinburgh, and Leeds to be online, all browsing jobs in Manchester on Jobrapido. Naturally, this increased competition for roles is one of the biggest reasons why you do not hear back from employers – they just have a bigger pool of talent to pick from.
However, this isn’t the only reason the frustrating hours of refining a CV and creating a cover letter are met with a silent telephone. Read on to find out why those employers are not getting back to you after applying for jobs.
1. Intensive Screening
Companies are extending their screening processes today in ways that never existed in the past. The norm was for an employer to contact your references after a great interview, which still occurs, but now there is a pre-screening phase before the interviews.
Expect employers to be searching your name in Google and going through all your social media with a tooth comb. It is best to polish your social media before making the application.
2. Lack of Time
More in-depth screening is required because so many more people are applying for the same job. This has something to do with the earlier mentioned aspect of professionals moving around more and willing to relocate. However, it also comes down to the internet and the ease of applying for jobs repeatedly, especially on websites where your CV is saved, and the application is made with a single click.
All of this results in employers taking a lot more time to make a decision. In fact, Glassdoor found that the hiring time has more than doubled over the last decade. As employers are spending so much valuable time on this part of the process, they simply don’t have the time to get back to every applicant.
3. You Need to Impress Everyone
There is also the fact that your CV and cover letter have to impress everyone at the company. You may win over managers A and B but manager C may have significant doubts. Impressing everyone is a tough thing to do with two documents – so go easy on yourself!
4. Not Following Application Procedure
You may also be making what seems like a small mistake but is actually huge. Many people choose to submit an application in a convenient way, ignoring what the employer has asked. For example, if they requested your CV to be sent to a specific email address in PDF format and you sent it in Word, you are already making them disgruntled.
In the end, some things are in your control, but others are just not. Searching for a job is difficult so try not to get disheartened by a lack of responses.
