Never Hear Back? 6 Tricks to Combat Bad Job Search Experiences
Last year, 75% of workers who applied to jobs using various resources said they never heard back from the employer. Does that sound all too familiar to the experiences you’ve dealt with during your search for a new job?
You’re certainly not alone. Recent survey results show that more than one in four workers reported having had a bad experience when applying for a job. In today’s job climate, applications and resumes are often met with silence. While the job search certainly presents a wide variety of frustrations for job seekers, nothing breeds more distaste than a poor candidate experience.
You might be wondering what constitutes a poor candidate experience. It’s made up of two main factors: lack of follow through and employer inconsistencies. Candidates are often left without acknowledgment of a received application or never informed of the hiring decision after the interview.
The highly competitive job market isn’t a secret to job seekers or employers, but it certainly doesn’t mean you’re deserving of a poor candidate experience. While employers are beginning to understand the harms of their silence, it’s important for job seekers everywhere to seek out new ways to stay positive in negative job search situations.
Here are six ways to manage poor experiences during your job search:
1. Keep Moving. Applying to positions and never receiving a response can be frustrating. One simple way to handle this negative experience is to continue moving forward. Rather than waiting around for a reply to every position you apply for, focus on seeking out and applying for new opportunities. This will take the pressure off the looming questions and waiting period often accompanied with a slow or unresponsive hiring process.
Throughout your job search, build and maintain a list of positions you plan to apply for. This will help you keep track of your opportunities, monitor where and when you applied for a position, and also remember those companies that had less-than-desirable hiring processes.
2. Remain Professional. While you may want to show your distaste for the lack of responsiveness from companies during your job search, it’s important to remain vigilant and professional. This isn’t a time to blog or post status updates shedding light on your situation. Instead, reach out to the employers you haven’t heard back from. If you are still given the silent treatment, it’s time to let it go.
3. Focus on the Positives. Poor experiences during your job search are likely to take a toll on your self-confidence and overall positivity. Don’t let the poor hiring processes of potential employers ruin your motivation. Focus on the positives by regularly revisiting your career goals, achievements, and searching for new ways to fuel your hunt for employment.
4. Cope with the Silence. With 29% of job applicants never receiving acknowledgment from an employer, it’s safe to say silence is a problematic portion of the job search. No job seekers deserve to experience this, but it’s important to manage your expectations to accommodate this experience. Don’t beat yourself up over not hearing back from every hiring manager you send your application to. Instead, focus on finding new ways to better showcase yourself to employers.
5. Build Your Network. One way to combat the unresponsiveness and employer inconsistency during the job search is by actively networking. Building professional relationships is a beneficial way to gain insight into job opportunities before your competition. Your networking connections might also offer you the chance the bypass the application process by forwarding your resume to a hiring manager. Skipping a step in the process and fueling your status with an insider referral is a surefire way to increase your chances of response.
6. Seek Out Good Candidate Experiences. During your job search, make a point to seek out positions with employers who are known for treating their candidates with respect. Attempt to gain insight into the hiring process by asking your network and doing some of your own company research. Potential candidates and current employees are likely to share their positive experiences with others. Take the appropriate steps toward handling the poor experiences during your job search. Remain vigilant; your opportunity could be just around the corner.
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