Why cant I find a job It typically comes down to 10 main reasons

Why cant I find a job It typically comes down to 10 main reasonsWhy cant I find a job It typically comes down to 10 main reasonsYouve been job hunting for weeks (or maybe even months) and have yet to even land an interview. Or maybe, youve managed to make it to the final stage in a hiring process but still didnt end up with the job.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhatever the situation, job hunting is rarely fun for anyone. And depending on what challenges youre personally facing while looking for the right next role, youre also likely going to experience a range ofdifferent emotions during your job search journey from overwhelmed, excited, frustrated, impatient and even invisibleBut back to the issue. If youre having trouble landing a job, chances are its because of one of these common reasons1. Your resume and/or experience arent relevant enough for the jobIf you dont have exp erience that relates directly the position youre applying for, youre likely either being screened out before the hiring manager ever even takes a look or youre being put straight in the reject pile since your background lacks the specific things the hiring manager is looking for. For example, youll need to have experience using certain platforms and tools to land a job that requires knowledge of those platforms and tools or, youll need to have actually managed a team of people before if the role requires that you have management experience. Communication skills and teamwork are great to have but dont really count, as they are way too broad.2. There are errors in your applicationIf yourresumecontains typos, youve left required fields blank, or you didnt share contact information, youre likely leid advancing in the hiring process, no matter how great of a candidate you think you are. Thats because youve essentially created a first impression of carelessness and / or inability to follo w common sense directions, which is something most companies will pass over in a heartbeat.3. You didnt follow the application instructionsAelendher common pitfall in the job hunt is when candidates take shortcuts during the application process, whether by skipping sections or straight out not following directions throughout. This, like havingerrors in your application, demonstrates carelessness and/or inability (or unwillingness) to follow directions none of which are positive things. Those who follow the instructions are the ones who will be considered for an open position.4. You appear to lack clarity in your career (either job-hopping or resume gaps)If youve spent a year or less in more than one of your previous positions or have one or more large but unexplainablegaps in your resume, employers will be less likely to invest in you because theyll wonder if youll be committed to the role. This is really unfortunate if this applies to your situation, but its the reality of the job hunt today.5. Youre applying for the wrong jobsSimilar to having a resume that isnt relevant to the job youre applying to, if youre in the habit of applying for jobs that youre grossly under or overqualified for, that could be a likely reason youre not finding a job. Sure, you might have some of the qualifications required but do you have enough of them? It may be time to take (another) good, hard look at what your resume says youre capable of.6. Your search is too narrowJust because you want to be a partner in a law firm or a high-level executive at an innovative company doesnt mean youre qualified open your mind to building your career by starting in more junior or even entry-level positions to gain experience and grow your career to meet your goals. You may also need to consider applying outside of your ideal industry or drehort to build your resume across the skills you need to gain to be competitive.7. Your network isnt wide enoughIts often a job seekers least favorite phrase but its often true Its not what you know, its who you know. In fact, a LinkedIn study showed that about85% of all jobs are filled via networking. Whether or not that number is accurate today, the point still stands getting to know people in various industries through networking opportunities and attending events that put you in the position to meet others who can either connect you with job opportunities might just be the job search tactic that youve been missing.8. You didnt make a great first impressionIf you made it into an interview, but you showed up late or failed todress appropriately for the setting(one level dressier than the job description requires, at minimum), you might not being making a strong enough first impression to stay memorable to the interview team.9. You didnt practice ahead of timeCandidates who arrive for an interview unprepared stand outasunprepared. There are lots of freely available resources online to help you prepare for an interview, so theres really no excuse reading through and preparing answers for the mostcommon interview questionsfor the roles youre applying for and rehearsing prior to your interview will make a world of difference.10. You dont know enough about the company or industryEven if you have little knowledge of the company and have never worked in the industry, you can impress an interview team by doing a solid amount of industry andcompany research in advance. Take time to learn as much as you can about the organization especially its mission, vision,culture, and accomplishments and the industry.While actively addressing these 10 reasons for not getting a job doesnt automatically guarantee that youll landthe job of your dreamstomorrow, youll bewaybetter off than if these things were hindering your job search.Happy job-huntingThis article first appeared on Kununu.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, stud y finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people