Ask a Credible Career Coach: Why Aren’t I Hearing Back About the Jobs I’m Applying for?

Dear Credible Career Coach,

I’ve been applying to jobs for months and I feel like I’m doing everything right with my application. But, I’m not hearing anything back.

Is there something else I could be doing to increase my chances of getting a response?

Signed,
Feeling Ignored

Dear Feeling Ignored,

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but simply drafting a cover letter and sprinkling keywords in your resume just doesn’t cut it these days.

Instead of only applying online, I recommend also having meaningful conversations any chance you can get and trying to meet with as many people as possible. Don’t worry, this is less intimidating than it sounds.

Start by identifying what companies and industries you’re interested in working for and where those people hang out.

For example, if you’re interested in working on a marketing team for a tech company, are there related events or conferences you can attend? Most conferences have an outline of guest speakers and companies that are sponsoring, which will help you figure out which ones offer the best networking opportunities for your goals.

You can also find other upcoming events online by looking up local professional organizations and checking out sites like Eventbrite.com and Meetup.com, to name just a few.

When you begin to network, you start to have conversations about what your mission is, what your strengths are, and what you can offer to companies. These conversations can often lead to interviews or other valuable introductions. Plus, you have the added bonus of getting to connect with real people—rather than growing frustrated with the constant silence in your inbox.

While there’s a ton of job search strategies you can use, the common thread through all of them is making the meaningful connections. When you do that, you’ll see new opportunities emerge when least expected—and hopefully do away with that frustration of not hearing anything back. Good luck!

 

 

This article is part of our Ask an Expert series—a column dedicated to helping you tackle your biggest career concerns. Our experts are excited to answer all of your burning questions, and you can submit one by emailing us at editor(at)themuse(dot)com and using Ask a Credible Career Coach in the subject line.

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By UCLA Extension Career Services
UCLA Extension Career Services