5 Reasons You’re Not Getting Responses to Your Job Applications

If you’re a job seeker and after a period of about 60 days you haven’t gotten any responses from employers, something might be wrong. The following are possible reasons why and tips to increase your job application response rate.


1. You don’t qualify. Plain and simple, you do not meet the requirements. In today’s competitive job market, do not waste your time applying to anything that comes your way hoping an employer will have pity on you. It’s not going to happen. Focus your time and energy on identifying the appropriate opportunities and networking towards them.

2. You’re minimally qualified. You meet the qualifications by the skin of your teeth and perhaps the position prefers someone with more experience than you. The candidate pool will impact your chances, but so will your ability to network and connect with someone on the inside.

3. You’re qualified, but no one can tell. Take the time to highlight key accomplishments, qualifications and skills that are relevant to the positions you apply for. Don’t assume that employers will read between the lines. Use detailed examples and include keywords to make it easy for them to see that you’re a match.

4. You’re Johnny-come-lately. Don’t wait to the last minute to apply to a posted position. If an employer is looking to fill a position quickly, the early bird will catch the worm.

5. No one can reach you. Aside from providing erroneous contact information or no contact information, there are a number of reasons you may be out of reach. Call yourself; make sure your voicemail is working properly and delete messages to keep your inbox from getting full. (Also, get rid of the “ring back” or “caller tune” music.) Be sure to answer unknown or private calls if you’re an active job seeker. It’s not uncommon for a recruiter to call you privately initially to screen you prior to providing you with contact information. If possible, provide a phone number that only you answer, not your unreliable roommate or forgetful 5 year old. In regards to email, have a dedicated email address for correspondence with employers and check your spam mail.

The reasons may seem simple, which makes them easy to overlook. This is the occasion where it’s OK to sweat the small stuff, because they can have a big impact on job search success.

Moving You Forward,

Cathy Francois, MBA
Career Coach
Founder of Rezume Forward

P.S. I provide professional and personalized career consulting. Available services include strategic career planning, résumé writing, interview preparation, LinkedIn profile optimization, and more. Click >>Email me to schedule a consultation. 


This article was originally posted on onlinecareertips.com.

Quick Guide to Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile

Perhaps you got suckered into LinkedIn after receiving so many invitations from colleagues and friends to join and only haphazardly completed your profile. You are just beginning to realize it's value to your personal brand, your ability to manage your professional network, and keep up with today's industry trends. Yet, you still haven't gotten around to updating, completing, and/or taking advantage of all the enhancements that your profile has to offer. 

A complete profile is a great sign to potential employers, clients, customers, and business partners. It shows that you're open and ready for business. So handle your business! Below is a short slide presentation via +SlideShare I created to help you do just that. Learn how to make the best of your headline, personalize your LinkedIn URL, create an eye catching summary, and more!

Quick Guide to Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile from Cathy Francois, MBA

Moving You Forward,

Cathy Francois, MBA
Career Coach
Founder of Rezume Forward

P.S. If you still don't feel like updating your LinkedIn profile, let a professional handle it. Click >> Email me to schedule a free consultation. 

Creating Y.O.U. - Launch Your Personal Brand in 2014

Do you remember your high school’s senior class superlatives? I remember categories such as, “Most Likely to Succeed,”  “Best Dressed,” and “Class Clown.” Maybe not class clown, however I think what’s most interesting about superlatives is that there is never any official campaigning before the voting begins. However, the superlative winners have been subconsciously campaigning all along; most since freshman year. Even as teenagers our self-perception impacted how others perceived us based on the attributes we displayed.

How you are perceived by the rest of the world matters and the information you are providing to promote those perceptions is even more important. Today you do not need to be a celebrity like Kim Kardashian or entrepreneur like Tony Robbins to be concerned about your personal brand.  Even cats manage their personal brand these days, why not you?  If you are connected to any social media network you may be building one without realizing it.

You create Your Own Universe.

Everyone has talent to offer the world. Even if you’re not sure what that is yet, be mindful about what you’re projecting to the universe while you discover your passion. (That way you’ll have to do less damage control later.) If you've discovered your special niche, it’s time to show it to world. Think about the skills and knowledge that you possess that may appeal to others and the best way to display it. This will help bring value to your brand, also known as brand equity. As a career professional, that translates to why you’ll get hired over someone else. Here are some tips to get you started with your personal brand launch this year.

Create a Domain. Create an address on the worldwide web where someone can find you. Consider purchasing a domain such as yourfirstandlastname.com. If designing a page sounds like a little too much right now. Just purchase one and park it for later use. A free alternative is creating an About.me page. You can find mine at http://about.me/cathy.francois. The template is simple and yet very customizable and can be linked to any other website or social media platform.

Social Media is a Must. This may seem obvious, but I have met some very reluctant souls. However, if you’re just starting out I recommend having a Twitter and LinkedIn account at the very least. They are not only great platforms to showcase your brand, but a fantastic place to connect with others who share similar interests. Other great social media outlets to consider are Pinterest, Instagram, +YouTube, +Facebook, and Google+. I personally use all of them. You can call me a social media junkie if you want to, but guess what? You’re reading my blog now :).

Share Your Knowledge Freely. Sharing your passion or expertise can be as easy as sharing a status update with links to relevant content or photos of your work. You can take it a step further through blogging or vlogging (video blogging). There are many platforms where you can quickly design a blog and start sharing such as Blogger, Typepad, or Wordpress.

Have Marketing Material. What’s a brand without marketing material? If you’re in the business of taking your career to the next level have a business card whether you’re entry-level, mid-level or C-suite level. Not a corporate card for an organization that you work for either. Your personal brand is one that you will take with you no matter who you work for. Think of the companies that you’ve worked for as your clients. Update your resume with key skills, knowledge, and accomplishments that your clients benefit from and develop a portfolio to showcase your best work.

Dare to Be Different, but be Yourself. As you figure out the best way to build your personal brand it’s easy to get caught up in the way others do things. You might be even intimidated by the knowledge of others. That’s okay; learn from them, but stay to true to what’s unique to you. If you have an idea to showcase your brand that’s different from what others are doing, go for it! Incorporate the right marketing and your audience will find you and appreciate your uniqueness.

Now imagine getting an invitation to your high school reunion today. What would your colleagues say about you now?  What would you want them to say? When it comes to your personal brand remember you create Y.O.U. (Your Own Universe).

Moving You Forward,

Cathy Francois, MBA
Career Coach
Founder of Rezume Forward

P.S. I provide professional and personalized career consulting. Available services include strategic career planning, résumé writing, interview preparation, LinkedIn profile optimization, and more. Email me to schedule a consultation. 

Spot Phony Employment Ads Like a Pro

As a former classified sales representative it is too easy for me to distinguish a legitimate employment ad from a phony one. It’s like trying to give me a Chucky Cheese game token and telling me it’s a dollar coin. However, I have found that for many others these differences that I see plainly might not be so obvious. There are many innocent, desperate, or otherwise unsuspecting job seekers who fall victim to scams.  The search for a job in today’s market can be intense, especially with 11.5 million people out of work, 37% of which who have been out of work for more than 27 weeks. Many times these phony ads are used to source your information to sell to companies, or worse, used for scams resulting in identity theft, bank fraud, or an all-around bad deal. Here are some ways to instantly spot these employment ads, and to recognize them for what they are: counterfeits of the real thing.

Simple job description. It’s so easy a cave man can do it. If the job description is too simple or too vague delete and skip to the next. “All you need is a computer, type 10 words per minute; no GED required.” Think about it; a scam artist is not going to take the time to put an elaborate description together and prefers a catch-all ad to grab the attention of just about anyone.

Over-the-top great pay. Following the super easy job description is a great salary for doing little work. You need to stop looking for a cushy job anyway. Great pay typically comes with great responsibility and the description should reflect that.

Hard-to-ignore typos. After years of working in print media I have seen many “legit” typographical errors make it through the presses. But there is something to be said about obvious spelling or grammatical errors that hurt my eyes like the sun’s glare. If you have to ask yourself if the writer is “smarter than a 5th grader” it might be a scam artist.

Check the source. Even emails coming from seemingly legitimate sources, such as Career Builder, can be phony. Check the domain name of the email you've received. An email ending with @yahoo.com or @gmail.com is an immediate red flag. It does not cost much for a company to create a domain name, so freebie email addresses are a no-go. If you see a unique domain name that appears to be a company name Google it! What you find will give you the answer you need on whether or not you need to inquire further. Please note that sometimes there is not any company information available on a job posting if the company wants to keep the posting confidential. In addition, they may choose to go through an agency and that’s the information you will see.

Something about money. If you’re forced to pay for something in order to apply, or if the job requires you deposit checks from a foreign country, it’s a scam. If they ask your bank information for “direct deposit” before you even interview, it’s a scam.

At the end of the day follow your intuition and use your common sense. The same way you don’t have to put a game token into a vending machine to find out it has no value you don’t have to fall for the “okie doke” employment ad either.

Moving You Forward,

Cathy Francois, MBA
Career Coach
Founder of Rezume Forward
http://about.me/cathy.francois

This article was originally posted on onlinecareertips.com.

Continue the discussion on Twitter @rezumeforward

Follow on Facebook

What Career Coaches Can’t Do for You

I love what I do and believe it's my personal calling to help others move forward in their careers. Whether I’m working with a student or doing private consulting I assist people of all walks of life with career planning, updating resumes, job search techniques and even motivation. However, with all the benefits of having a coach guide you through the sometimes complex job search process there are some things career coaches cannot do for you.

Coaches call the play; you drive the ball.

Can’t Drive You (figuratively or literally). Career coaches can give someone the tools and motivation to jump start their career, but it’s up to the individual to get behind the wheel and put the plan into action. We can make very strong suggestions, but in end you are responsible for the decision to follow through (or not) with any advice you are given. When you leave the office or hang up the phone with your coach you have to find what drives you personally in life. Is it your family, lifestyle, or financial gain? Ask yourself what motivates you and how can you tie that into your job search or career?

Make Something Exist that Isn’t There. The same way a beautician can’t make you look like Beyoncé, I can’t make you look like a stellar candidate if you’re not the right fit. I am not a magician or a genie that’s going to fly you on the red carpet to your dream job. By no means am I a dream crusher, however like a basketball coach is aware of the strength and weakness of her players, I am not going to encourage someone to seek a position that I believe doesn’t play to the person’s strengths. We want to see you win!

Shoulder Your Burdens. There are things that happen in life (some within or not in our control) that impacts our ability to achieve career success. I get it and I empathize with you, but I won’t sympathize with you. As a career coach I do need to know your challenges to partner with you, but leave your excuses behind as it will serve as a road block towards a solution. We want to see you move forward!

Employ You. We are not hiring managers. Career coaches may find you leads, introduce you to a connection, but you have to be prepared and do the work to seal the deal. Today’s job market is quite competitive to say the least and coaches give you the tools to help you rise above the pack; use them to your advantage. We want to help you get hired!

We can help you create a strategic career playbook, but remember you are the star that’s going to run the play because all great players have a coach.

Moving You Forward,

Cathy Francois, MBA
Career Coach
Founder of Rezume Forward
http://about.me/cathy.francois

Continue the discussion on Twitter @rezumeforward

Follow on Facebook

 

Summer Business Casual Casualties: Dress Code Drama

Summer time brings out bikini tops and flip-flops. We dress a little lighter to escape the heat of the sun. Even companies with stringent dress codes, may relax their rules during warmer months. However, some may become too lax about their professional appearance, turning summer into a human resources nightmare filled with dress code drama. While I know it’s hot this summer, here’s what’s not. 

Mountain High, Valley Low, Don’t let your Cleavage Show (from the front or the back). Victoria your secret is out. Yes, I saw the tattoo on the small of your back you tried to hide from your mom.  Wardrobe that is low cut or low-rise may equal job cut or no raise.

Press to Impress. Don’t be that Sloppy Joe or Dingy Jane walking into the office like your clothes got chewed by a goat (as my Caribbean mom would say). The “shabby chic” peasant style is not in. I know the economy is tough and a dry cleaning bill may seem like a luxury, but starch spray and an iron goes a long way. If you’re wrinkled like the dollar bill you forgot in your pocket, it may reflect poorly on you.

No Funky Feet. If you want to get your foot in the door don't let your feet get in the way.  Don't kick yourself with your kicks (sneakers) or flop your style with flip-flops. I understand you may commute via public transportation and don’t want to scuff your good shoes. Just switch them out when you get to the workplace. It shows that you care about and value your professional image; an asset worth noting.

Bring Spaghetti for Lunch, but Leave the Straps Behind.  To keep your skin in the game, cover it up ladies. I know tanks are a summer staple, so try layering with a light cardigan or blouse.

It is hot out there this summer, but remember to keep your business casual style cool and professional while you escape the heat. Have a safe and fun summer!

Moving You Forward,

Cathy Francois, MBA
Career Coach
Founder of Rezume Forward
http://about.me/cathy.francois

Continue the discussion on Twitter @rezumeforward

Follow on Facebook

Life After Graduation: Paving the Way to a New Career

A friend of mine, who I admire, wrote this profound statement on her social media status, “Don't let one goal end without setting another in motion.” I immediately thought that it was timely advice for many soon-to-be college graduates. Have you thought about your career after graduation? What do you want to get out of your degree? Here are some tips on career planning ahead.

It’s Your Career: Own IT! News Flash: Having a degree in _____(you fill in the blank) is not your instant meal ticket to success. When you hear someone say, “This degree has done nothing for me,” it’s probably a result of poor career planning. Remember in life you’re guaranteed nothing, so be intentional about your next move. Very few people get handed opportunities so create a path to collide with them.

Apply Patience. Your first job after graduation may not be exactly what you always dreamed of, but proper planning will help ensure that it’s at the very least a building block. Most recent graduates obviously lack experience so seek opportunities to gain experience prior to the completion of your program if possible through internships, volunteering, or participating in student professional organizations.

Ready or Not Search Early. Keep a pulse on industry trends and what the market demands so you can prepare and align yourself accordingly. Starting your job search before you’re ready will do just that. It will be easier for you to discover where to look, who to connect with and uncover resources along the way without the pressure of finding something immediately.

Write It Down. Whether you create a formal plan, flow chart, journal, or simply list your goals, writing them down will increase your chances of following through. When choosing your career goal don’t write something down because it sounds good. Ensure that it’s connected with your desire and passion.  Do not let your present circumstances detour you from dreaming big.

If you’re thinking, “I wish I would have gotten this advice earlier,” it’s not too late to implement these tips. Transitioning into a new career? This is for you too. Remember what lies ahead in your career depends on the plan you laid before. Ready or not…set….GO PLAN!

Cathy Francois
Career Coach
Founder of Rezume Forward
http://about.me/cathy.francois

Continue the discussion on Twitter @rezumeforward

Follow on Facebook