This Is Why Your Job Applications Keep Getting Rejected

You’ve submitted endless job applications, but most of them keep getting rejected. As far as you’re aware, there are no reasons for this. Your resume looks pretty decent, you’ve got good qualifications, so why do you keep seeing more rejections than you could possibly imagine?!

Well, just because you think your application is great, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is. Normally, there are three different reasons that you’re not getting callbacks for jobs. 

Reason 1: Your application is too general

When looking for jobs, it’s normal to have a resume and to attach the same one to every application. Likewise, you fill in each application with the same information, usually because you’re just trying to fill in as many as possible. The law of averages means you should eventually get a call from at least one job, right? 

Wrong. 

You see, job applications can be extremely different, meaning you can’t take a general approach to them. You need to actually read through every application and then tailor your resume to the role. Nobody should only have one resume – you should have multiple iterations of the same resume that changes depending on the job you’re applying for. Pay attention to the key roles and responsibilities of a post and then highlight things in your resume/application that prove you’d be good at them. 

You might think your resume is awesome, but it’s just too generalized for a lot of job applications. Really focus on the specific jobs you’re applying for and take your time to make your application as relevant as possible for that role. 

Reason 2: You’ve got a dodgy reputation

Okay, this sounds a bit harsh and judgemental, so bear with me. You might have a very clean background, with no criminal record, no bad experiences at other jobs, and yet you still get rejected from roles. This is because many employers will run background checks on you that extend to your online presence. 

Ah yes, now you’re starting to see the problem! 

While you might not have done anything bad, there could be countless things that you’ve posted online that might harm your reputation. We’re talking about old tweets, old Facebook posts, and so on. Sure, you may have posted these things when you were young, but an employer doesn’t like taking any risks. They’re not harmful, per se, but they can paint you in a bad light. Especially if your online reputation is being compared to other candidates that have a much cleaner slate. 

This puts you in a tricky situation as it can be hard to go back through your entire online history and put things right. However, it is extremely important that you attempt to clean your online reputation before applying for jobs. The best approach is to research yourself and see what people would find if they did the same research. Putting your social media accounts in a private setting will also help, ensuring that only your followers can see through your history. Don’t let the past impact the present – we all do or say things when we’re younger without realizing how damaging or impactful they might be. Clean up your online presence, and it will start being easier for you to get a job. 

Reason 3: You have no experience

In most cases, people get rejected from jobs because they don’t have enough experience. It leaves you in the classic scenario of needing the experience to get a job, but being unable to get the relevant job experience because nobody hires you as you have no experience. 

Phew, that’s a mouthful, but it happens all the time. 

Experience is so important as it can prove to employers that you’re capable of doing your job. If you lack it, you need to find ways of gaining as much experience as you can. Volunteering can help you do this, but you can also consider intern work as well. You may have to make some financial sacrifices to get the experience you need, but it’s all beneficial in the future. When you have more experience, you can start applying for jobs with more confidence. 

In a lot of cases, your job applications are rejected due to one or a combination of these three reasons. Look at any of your previous applications – or ask for feedback when you’re rejected – and you will see which thing is your main issue. From here, you can take steps to correct the problem and stand a better chance of getting a job.