I am receiving zero replies in my job applications

Today’s topic is “I am receiving zero replies in my job application.”

There are many reasons that perhaps you aren’t getting the traction that you really want.

So when a client or potential client calls me and says they aren’t getting traction in their job applications.

I ask them to come forward to me with their job applications. Who have they applied to and what’s the title? What’s the level? How many have they sent out? I can tell you many are applying to the wrong jobs. Yes, it’s great to get a promotion and I, as a career coach, actively promote promotions, especially in today’s very, very robust hiring economy.

But yeah, you can’t go two levels above. That ambition is great. You can only go one step above. Very infrequently can you jump two steps above so those people who are going two steps above are really stretching it. And that’s one of the reasons probably well, I know why they’re not getting the attraction that they deserve.

They’re getting to the other end of the ladder. People are underselling themselves and going down now in today’s fantastic recruitment. You should not go down. You don’t have to go down, you can stay lateral, you can go up one leg but you can also get a huge, massive uplift in salary Especially those people who’ve been in a job for or the same company for about five or six years. You are being taken advantage of salary wise if you do a competitive analysis and look at your competitors at the equivalent level.

I know they are learning. They are earning a lot more. So perhaps you are applying for the wrong jobs. Whether you’re applying two steps up where you should be applying one step up for a promotion or perhaps you are applying too low one or two steps below don’t that’s crazy. Don’t do that. That is really bad career management. 

Then also people are what we call in the industry resume blasts. So they send out five to ten resumes a day without actually looking at the job description and that is not only a waste of your time, but is also a waste of the hiring authority. The HR or the recruitment firm time as well. So don’t do that. Don’t blast out. It’s actually better to send a few targeted resumes than it is to send a hundred or so out.

That is a waste of time. It also adds to your frustration and you want to tear your hair out. You’re getting frustrated And job search is a frustrating journey. Anyway, you don’t want to add to that frustration. A job search is a full time appointment. So treat it as a full time gig. Don’t let your spouses or other people around you give you other tasks to do. They want you back ASAP they want you happy. They want you to earn money. So don’t let them distract you with other tasks or or whatever household tasks or whatever make you need to concentrate so you lock yourself away and spend a minimum of eight hours a day on your job search.

So it’s like anything, the more hours you put into this, the better it’s going to be for you. So your job search has to be strategized. You have to plan it. Don’t be over here and don’t be over there. It’s like another project at work. So treat it as a work project and try to keep your frustrations to yourself.

Most resumes today are scanned by ATS applications, so it’s essential to make sure your resume is ATS friendly. Your resume should not only be ATS-friendly but also pleasing to the eye, sell your skills, and have a ‘wow’ factor.

After applying for a job, there can be a waiting period of up to eight weeks before hearing back due to various stages of the application process. Ensure your resume is dynamic, ATS friendly, and performance-driven for the best results.

Your LinkedIn profile is as important as your resume and should be fully complete. Make sure your job titles and companies match between your LinkedIn profile and your resume. Be active on LinkedIn – share content, comment, and be part of your industry conversation.

Avoid applying for jobs where you don’t meet at least 70-80% of the job description’s requirements. Don’t blast resumes – be targeted in your approach. Treat your job search as a full-time job and plan it accordingly.

Remember to manage your career. It’s crucial.