Qualified

3 posts
Why You Get Rejected From Jobs Youre 100% Qualified For

Why You Get Rejected From Jobs Youre 100% Qualified For

You found a job opening you were a great fit for. You crafted your resume, wrote a polished cover letter, and submitted your job application with high hopes. After a few days or weeks, you get the rejection email, or you get ghosted by the employer, never hearing back about the status of your application. You were 100% qualified for the job. So, why did you get rejected?

The Bushel-Of-Apples Effect


You're not getting interviews for jobs that you're 100% qualified for because of the bushel-of-apples effect that happens when you apply online.

Think about it this way: You go into a store and decide to buy one apple. That's all you've got the appetite for and that's all you can afford. You walk over to the produce section and see a big bushel of apples. They all look good; they're all roughly the same size and same color. But you're only going to pick one. So, what do you do? If you're really hungry, you might decide to pick a slightly bigger apple. Or if you like a certain color, you pick that one and discriminate against all the other apples that are completely okay and worthy of being picked, but you can only pick one.

That's what employers have to do right now. And because of applicant tracking systems (ATS), they get thousands of applicants—not 10, not 15, thousands. This is why you are getting rejected over and over again. It's not that you're not qualified for the job; it's the bushel-of-apples effect. You need to understand that the way to get selected is to not be in a pile; you need to go around the system. You need to be able to connect directly so that your message can get to a hiring manager and they can pull you from the pile.

This is what most job seekers do not understand today. That easy apply button and those online applications actually made job search harder because they make it possible for anyone to apply. You're going to have to put in the extra effort to find a good job, which means you're going to need to be pickier about who you apply to. Once you learn how to conduct a proactive job search (job shopping instead of job hunting), you can be way more intentional. You can pick who you want to work for and you can go after it differently so that you can get picked from the pile.

You're not alone, my friend. That bushel-of-apples effect is just killing your chances on those applicant tracking systems and it's going to require something different in order to get better results.

If you want to learn how to conduct a proactive job search, sign up for a Work It DAILY membership today. Getting the job search help you need has never been easier.

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

Why You Get Rejected From Jobs Youre …

Not 100% Qualified? No Problem! Why Personality Can Get You A Job Over Experience



Most people think experience is the most important factor in getting hired. And yes, having the right skills and experience is essential to land a job interview. But experience won't be the thing that gets you the job.

This is why the most qualified job candidates often don't get a job offer. Experience is important, but it's not the deciding factor in the hiring process. Hiring managers consider other factors when deciding who to hire for an open position.

Personality + Aptitude + Experience = HIRED


@j.t.odonnell Replying to @malice.in.chains Why personality wins of experience in job search. #jobtok #careertok #career #job #personality #experience #aptitude ♬ original sound - J.T. O'Donnell

People get hired based on personality over experience all the time. In fact, there are three things that hiring managers evaluate you on: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).

Why doesn't the most qualified candidate with the most experience get hired? It doesn't work that way. Companies tend to get a whole bunch of people who all have relatively the same experience, so they could all do the job. So what they have to do is discriminate. And I know you hate that word, but that's what hiring is. Hiring managers look for other attributes like personality as a way to figure out which person will be the easiest to work with on the job.

This happens every single day. Only 39% of people who get placed in jobs have the exact experience. Think about that number. Sixty-one percent get placed because they have other things like personality.

Now, you can't convey personality on a resume and LinkedIn profile. Don't even try, because when people do that, it's kind of like thinking you have style and a sense of humor. When you don't, it can come out all wrong. Instead, you need to learn the tools for conveying your personality in the job search. And Work It Daily can help.

Join our community to learn how to convey your personality in the job search and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

Not 100% Qualified? No Problem! Why Personality …

How To Effectively Demonstrate Your Value In A Job Interview



One of the most common reasons candidates get rejected after a job interview is that they don't provide enough relevant, tangible examples of what they've done in their current/previous job that would be relevant to the position they are seeking.

When you're looking for a new job, you need to provide specific concrete examples of the competencies listed on a job description—whether it is problem-solving, influencing, taking initiative, or managing change.

A lot of job seekers will give generic examples or just talk about what they've done—but without mentioning specific accomplishments. You could be very good at your current job, but if you struggle to effectively demonstrate your expertise and value in a job interview, you may miss out on your next career opportunity.

Here are a few tips to help you overcome any blocks you might have about talking about your achievements:

Discussing Accomplishments Isn't Bragging


One of the reasons candidates shy away from talking about their accomplishments is because they don't want to sound arrogant. However, the job interview isn't the time to be too humble. Talking about your accomplishments and using facts and numbers isn't bragging—it's telling a story.

You have to remember that a potential employer wants you to do well in an interview. They are literally looking for an excuse to give out the job! So, tell them what they need in a clear, factual manner.

Demonstrate How You Overcome Challenges


Man demonstrates how he's overcome challenges in a job interview

A great way to answer questions while highlighting your skills and accomplishments is by using the "Experience + Learn = Grow" model and/or the STAR technique (situation, task, action, result).

What was the situation/problem? How did you solve this problem/overcome this setback? What did you learn from this experience? How did you apply what you learned to your career?

These methods are particularly beneficial when you're answering behavioral interview questions that hiring managers ask to see if a candidate has enough self-awareness to know what they're good at, and what skill sets need improvement.

Use Numbers To Your Advantage


A job seeker discusses some of her quantifiable accomplishments in a job interview

Numbers are great for demonstrating your skills and expertise. Did you increase revenue, or save time/money? Did you improve a procedure and, if so, how much time did you save? How many clients did you win in your last job? Don't just tell the employer what the result was. Tell them how you got the result and what your decision-making process was.

Prepare several examples of quantifiable results for your next job interview and you'll significantly increase your chances of getting that job offer!

Need more help preparing for your next job interview?

We'd love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades. More importantly, we have tons of resources inside our community that can help you prepare for your next job interview.

It's time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

How To Effectively Demonstrate Your Value In …