7 Reasons Employers Are Rejecting Your Resume

So you’ve sent your CV to a handful of employers a month ago. Sadly, no one has reached out to you yet, and it makes you wonder why. You need a job asap, and it’s quite frustrating. Hold on. We feel you.

First, please don’t be disheartened. Rejections are part of life so keep sending your resume to the right companies. You’ll find your perfect match soon. However, before that, please take time to read the common reasons why employers reject resumes so you can avoid them the next time around. Better be informed than sorry, yes?

Also, you can keep this blog on your Pinterest board for future use. Just click the infographic below or the red button to your left to save this.

Done with pinning? Let’s get straight into the reasons why employers reject resumes.

7 Reasons Employers Are Rejecting Your Resume

1. Mismatch of skills and/or qualifications

Recruiters are very particular when it comes to the skill set they need for a certain role. Hiring a mismatch is definitely the last thing they want because it can be detrimental both to the company and the employee. Above all, the company wouldn’t want to waste precious time and resources on training alone when they have the option to hire someone who has enough experience or at least has the basic skills required. On the other hand, doing something that’s far from their interests can cause stress and withdrawal to employees.

The lesson here is to refrain from applying in roles that are not related to your work experience and qualifications.

Otherwise, if you want to drift into a new industry, make sure to equip yourself first with the skills required on the job. You can do this by studying, and gaining certifications related to that career before sending a resume.

For example, you want to apply for a web development role but you have zero experience in coding and web design. Your previous job is focused on administration. To be qualified for the job, you could consider studying a web development course while building your portfolio. Your goal is to show the employer that you can ace the role, so having a certification and a sample work can help in securing a slot for initial assessment.

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2. Your CV follows a “functional” format

This means that your resume focuses on skills rather than your work experience. Remember, employers need “proof” that you can do the job, so saying that you have the communication skills, technical skills, etc. isn’t enough. You need things that can back your words up so including your diploma, certification and/or degree, as well as your portfolio or a proven track record of your experience, is crucial.

3. Major typos, spelling or grammatical error

Applicants are being judged by their resumes so make sure that your document is free from major typos, spelling or grammatical errors. Or else, it can turn the odds against you — all the more if you’re applying for a content-related role.

Review your resume before sending, even if you’ve done that already before. It pays to proofread. Always.

4. A negative image on social media

Believe it or not, some companies actually browse through the social media accounts of applicants to see through their character. They’re very much aware that we practice the “best foot forward” mantra in our resumes so they go into your personal accounts to have a glimpse of our emotional state.

Some of the red flags for them are rants about previous employers, public cussing, nudity and the like. Our advice is to keep your social media accounts private and to be mindful of your posts at the very least.

5. Your CV is not competitive enough

This time, you have the qualifications for the role and you have a prior experience related to the role, but the HR finds it “not competitive enough.” What can you do about it? Well, the best way is to highlight your achievements and successes related to the role.

Another strategy is to study a post-diploma course or another diploma that can make you look “overqualified” for the job. For example, if you have a Diploma of Applied Information Technology and you’re applying for a role related to artificial intelligence, you could consider studying cloud technology. Aside from the usual IT skills, studying cloud technology can also equip you with an in-depth understanding with regards to automation, network engineering and more.

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6. Misleading or false information

Recruiters have their own way of verifying information. If they found out that you’ve provided falsified or inflated data to make yourself look more impressive, then you’ll be cut off from their list immediately.

Integrity is one of the values that employers sought after. And thus, lying, exaggeration, and alteration of information is definitely a no-no. Don’t lie just to get what you want. Most of the time, it works backward. It can cost you your reputation and tons of opportunities. We don’t want that to happen to you so stay true to who you are.

7. They’ve already hired someone.

Some job postings only accept applicants for a certain period of time. And sometimes, although their job advertisements are still up online, they’ve actually hired someone already which is they could no longer entertain further applications.

In such cases, you have no other choice but to let go and look for other job vacancies. *Cue Ariana Grande’s song “Thank you, next.”

These are just some of the reasons why employers don’t call back applicants. Meanwhile, if you want to learn how to write a kick-ass resume, you can refer to this blog. It also has a free template that you can download if you’ve never created a CV before.

Also, if you’re interested in upgrading your qualifications in a specific field, you should check out the online courses. Feel free to reach out to us by hitting the orange button below. Likewise, if you have concerns or questions, you can also address them through the button below.

Have a wonderful day ahead!