Lack of response is the toughest thing about finding a job

Job hunting can be an exciting time, but it can also be hard work. We recently ran a poll on our Facebook page asking job seekers to share their thoughts on what they find to be the toughest thing about finding a job.

Just under 300 job seekers weighed in with their thoughts and experiences, and while dealing with rejection, prejudice, being overqualified, job shortages and competition, and the time spent on application and interviews were noted as common issues, the two biggest pet peeves cited by job seekers were not hearing back from recruiters, and roles only being open to candidates with experience.

To help you tackle these two issues, we have put together some suggestions to keep in mind and to help you make your job seeking successful.

Lack of response

A whopping 39 percent of you found a lack of response from recruiters to be one of the most frustrating things about job hunting.

Interpreting a job ad can be half the battle in addressing this bugbear. Standing out from the crowd means tailoring your cover letter and CV to meet the needs of the employer. Be sure to read the key selection criteria and required skills and experience carefully so that you can illustrate your suitability for the role – and don’t forgot to include results and examples of your achievements.

There is no harm in getting in touch with the recruiter or employer to introduce yourself and, using a prepared spiel, position yourself as the best candidate for the role(remembering to focus on your experience that best matches the job ad). This can actually demonstrate your keenness to be considered. Just keep your communication friendly and only follow-up once – you want to impress, not harass.

Make sure you also check out our insights on getting the most out of recruiters to help improve your chances of hearing back.

Required experience

Required experience was voted by 24 percent of you as another issue experienced when job hunting. Employers may ask for experience because the rule of thumb is the longer someone’s done something, the better at it they will be – but that’s not always the case.

If you can do the tasks, can add value, and you want the job, then it will not matter if you have two years’ experience or four.

What you need to do is provide examples. Accomplishments that people can remember so they don’t just focus on the years of experience you may or may not have, but they focus on your goals and achievements.

If lack of experience applies to you, you may be interested in our tips for getting your foot in the door.  Plus, you should never understate the universal skills that you already possess.

The Seeker blog is all about offering inside tips and helpful hacks to make the job search process easier and more productive, so be sure to check back regularly for insights to help you find your dream job.

Need some guidance on a particular job hunting issue? Share it on Facebook or Twitter! We love your feedback, and your question may just inspire our next article.