Whether you’re new to the job market or have plenty of experience behind you, job interviews can be extremely intimidating.
In fact, studies show that approximately 93% of those searching for a job have experienced some level of anxiety. If you’ve ever been denied a job opportunity, there are many potential reasons why you didn’t get the job.
Believe it or not, this anxiety could be one of those reasons. However, there are dozens of others too, so it’s essential to do everything to better prepare yourself for the next time.
Your Interview Skills are Vital in Portraying Yourself as the Best Candidate for the Job
When you’re looking for a new position, you need to do everything you can to pose yourself as the best candidate for the job. After all, if you’re enthusiastic about the job you’re applying for, you’ll be more likely to get the job, right?
Unfortunately, this is not always the case. If you’re not taking the time to hone your interviewing skills, then there are quite a few things that can go wrong, which could lead to you losing the job.
5 Possible Reasons Why You Didn’t Get the Job
One of the most frustrating things in the world is not getting the position you want. After all, the better you are at your current job, the easier it will be to get another one, right? Unfortunately, there are dozens of possible reasons you didn’t get the job you last applied for.
Instead of taking it personally, use it as a learning experience to help prepare for your next job opportunity.
1. Not Researching the Company
If you didn’t research the company you were applying to, then you’ll have a tough time portraying yourself as the best candidate for the job. Studies show that approximately 47% of job candidates get rejected because they didn’t research the company they applied for.
Your interviewer can quickly tell if you’ve done your research. Be sure to check out the company’s website, social media pages, and Google reviews. This will give you a good idea of what the company is about and provide you with some insight into the organization’s culture.
2. Coming off as Overly Ambitious
While you want to portray yourself as the best candidate for the job, you also want to be realistic about your skills and experience. If you are overly ambitious, you may come off as an overachiever. If you’re too proud to admit when you don’t have the experience you claim to have, you’ll come off as dishonest, which will turn off the hiring manager.
3. Lacking Confidence and Poor Body Language
If you show up to the interview with a lack of confidence and poor body language, then you could be in trouble. Studies show that approximately 30% of job candidates don’t get the job because they lack confidence and portray themselves poorly.
Whether it be a shaky voice or slumping shoulders, many small details indicate to the recruiter that you aren’t confident in yourself and your abilities or don’t actually care about the position. Make sure you remember to smile, keep your voice calm and steady and present yourself as the best candidate for the job.
4. Badmouthing Past Employers and Coworkers
There is a high probability that your next job interview may ask you to reflect on past positions or employers. While you can describe what you may not have agreed with or reasons you were let go, never play the blame game or go out of your way to badmouth a previous employer or coworker.
81% of hiring professionals agree that badmouthing a previous job/team is poor taste and will instantly disqualify a potential job candidate. Instead, keep your responses positive and focused on the positive aspects of your experiences or things you may have learned.
5. Not Personalizing, Organizing, or Proofreading Your CV to Each Employer
When on the hunt for a new position, the last mistake you want to make is turning in an application or CV that is incomplete, unorganized, or that addresses the wrong person.
Think about it for a moment. Your CV is the first impression a potential employer will get of you. Suppose your materials are unorganized, full of spelling errors, or worse, addressed to another company. In that case, you’re going to look unprofessional and lazy.
Before you apply to any position, take the time to proofread your CV. There should be no spelling or grammar errors, and you should remove all slang that may come off as unprofessional.
Once you’ve done that, take time to reorganize all the materials to be submitted. You want to make sure you include only the most relevant information, samples, and references to each position. Go through your cover letter and resume and insert any pertinent keywords to help make your skills, education, and experience stand out to each employer.
Finally, you need to go through each of your applications and address the right companies. You’d be surprised at the number of applications that get submitted with the wrong recruiting names and company names. Be sure you personalize each copy to the specific brand and individual you will apply and talk to.
Interior Talent: Helping Job Candidates Find the Perfect Fit
We’ve seen it all. We’ve interviewed thousands of job seekers over the years, and we’ve learned how to find the perfect job candidate for many positions. We have over 18 years of experience helping individuals find new jobs and helping hiring teams find the best candidate for open positions. We know the many reasons why applicants don’t get the jobs they thought they were going to.
If you’re currently on the market and need help finding the perfect new position, let the Interior Talent team help.
Contact us today to learn more about how to get that perfect job you’re dreaming of.