What Can You Do When Your Job Search Is Not Working?

Nancy Anderson
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Whether you're a recent college grad on the hunt for your first full-time gig or an industry veteran desperately looking to find something new, a job search with no end in sight can be devastating. If you're putting tons of time and energy into a job search that's not working out, consider these seven tips to amp up your game.

1. Diagnose the Problem

Are you sending out stacks of applications without getting a response or interviewing regularly without receiving acceptable offers? Troubleshoot your job search to determine where the issue lies. If you're not getting called for interviews, polish your cover letter and resume. If your interviewing skills are poor, this might be your downfall. Ask a friend to perform a mock interview with you to determine where you need to improve.

2. Take Advantage of Social Media

Don't be ashamed to enlist the help of your social media contacts during your job search. Create a Facebook or Twitter post to let your friends know you're looking for a job. Indicate your skills and the type of job you desire.

3. Customize Your Cover Letter

Don't try to save time by sending out generic cover letters. Take the time to tailor every cover letter you send so it is specific to the job for which you're applying. In your letter, detail what experience and skills you have that make you the best candidate for the job.

4. Create an Elevator Pitch

A job interview is all about selling yourself. Prepare and practice a short elevator pitch, 30 seconds to one minute in length, that explains who you are and what unique skills you can offer the organization.

5. Target Your Responses

Before the interview date, review the job description in detail. Make notes about the skills the company is seeking in a potential employee. List and memorize the past achievements and experiences you have that match those skills, and work these points into your answers to the interview questions.

6. Build Your Network

Enhance your job search by increasing your network. Reach out to other professionals in the industry via LinkedIn, or attend job fairs on a regular basis. If you're not employed, volunteer to meet new people.

7. Follow Up

Never allow a potential job lead to fizzle out without following up. If you haven't heard anything after submitting an application or attending an interview, call the company to follow up. Even if the job is filled, this shows your dedication and determination, and the hiring manager might keep you in mind for future opportunities.

A successful job search requires setting yourself apart from all other applicants, both on paper and in person. If you're becoming frustrated by a job search that's not working, follow these tips to increase your chance of getting hired.


Photo courtesy of Graphics Mouse at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Holly M thanks for your comment. Please note that Recruiters are paid by the company who hires them, not by you. Having said that, that means that they are working for the company, not for you. I found a quick little infographic on LinkedIn that might help: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140415025916-15969601-the-ultimate-guide-to-finding-recruiters-on-linkedin-infographic. @Michael S I hear your frustration. Just keep doing what you have always done and you will find that next great adventure. Don't forget to network with past employers and co-workers. Many times positions are available but not advertised. Networking is a great way to find that little gem.

  • Michael S.
    Michael S. •

    I'm with Tahrin C. I have been doing these steps, as well as many others, several times over the years when I was ready for a new and career growing position, to include always being proactive as the mantra of my approach. Bottom line is you can only control so much. That's why it's so frustrating.

  • Holly M.
    Holly M. •

    Good suggestions, thank you. You mentioned in one of your comments to use a recruiter - how does one find a legit recruiter that doesn't want paid (by me) for their services?

  • Deborah Swaitkewich
    Deborah Swaitkewich •

    These are good ideas, Nancy. We can at least make sure we are doing all we can. This is especially necessary given that there are so many more potential employees than there are job openings.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Tahrin thanks for your comment and so sorry to hear of your plight. Have you used your school's career services office to try to find a position? What happened when you went to the agencies? Did you just go once and then sit and wait for them to call? You have to call them - at least once every week - without fail. Hold them to task. If they are not sending you on interviews, ask why. Most people think that they can just do something one time and then sit back and wait for someone else to do the work. You always have to proactive. So many job seekers come to our sites, create an account and then do nothing more. They wait for us to find a job for them. That's not the way it works. Sure job boards can send emails to you with "the latest job openings" but you have to be proactive, too. Don't count on those jobs. Log on to your accounts, search for and apply to open positions. Follow up, if you can, at least weekly. Finding a job is a full-time job in itself. If you really treat it like a job, you will find that next great adventure.

  • Tahrin C.
    Tahrin C. •

    I have followed every single step, and it has been 10 months I graduated and not a decent job offer yet. It's extremely frustrating and I feel like to cry sometimes. I worked so hard in school, I put my school first more than anything else. I am a hard working dedicated person, I just don't want to see myself devastating every single day. I never get enough interview calls and I always apply so much every day. I even went several agencies they never helped me either. :'(

  • Kisha Marrow
    Kisha Marrow •

    Thank you for the advice, I think it will use this information.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Wandrey and @Merideth thanks for your comments. It can be frustrating finding a job but truly the jobs are there. @Merideth when you contact the temp agency regarding the position, what do they tell you? Keep on them. And don't put all of your eggs in that one basket. Use other temp agencies. Look for a recruiter that specializes in your field of expertise and have them look for you. @Wandrey the jobs are there. Unfortunately, unless you reside in a tiny town, all applications are done on line. It used to be that you could walk into places and complete an application right there on the spot and maybe even have an interview at the same time. Not any longer. Most places require you to complete your application on their site - including doing assessments and possibly even testing but it's all done online. Make sure that you are following up on any of them that you can. It is true that many times the company won't put their contact information on a job posting but they should be easy enough to find. Do a search for the company and find a contact point. Then call them and ask about your application. Are you using temp agencies? A recruiter? Try them. It doesn't cost anything and many times they are filling positions that are not even posted online. All the best to both of you.

  • Merideth G.
    Merideth G. •

    Really trying to avid despair. Recently aced a test, drug screen & background check -- all for a temp job with no start date in sight. Is anyone really hiring?

  • Wandrey V.
    Wandrey V. •

    I don't believe in this job search anymore. I get no response from nobody. I going back to doing my applications in person. I spend a lot of time each day searching for jobs and never once in a year no one has called me for a job. They will call u and talk about furthering your education instead of a job. I give up on this crap. Thank you for a big huge waste of time!

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @William thanks for your comment. It's great that you are doing this. Not all companies will allow this; they will tell you to submit your application online like everyone else. True it does show more interest than simply pushing a button on your computer. It's the way things used to be done but most companies don't want to see you until they bring you in themselves. Of course it's always worth a shot to try it your way. Have you been hired? @Arthur it is so very true that job searching is very impersonal. And not getting feedback is very frustrating. You don't know whether it's because you weren't qualified; you didn't use the right keywords or another reason because you never hear from them. But, if your resume does make it into the hands of the hiring manager, there is where you will have your in-person interview. I hate to think that what you said is true about most people lying on their resume! In today's world, it's truly not the way to go because it's way to easy to verify. All the best on your searches. If anyone decides to try @William's way of job hunting, please let us know and let us know the outcome!

  • Arthur Bernier
    Arthur Bernier •

    I am very tired of online applications and not getting any feedback from the company's I apply to. What ever happened to the in person interview, what is this world coming to. It's a shame that company's rely on a computer to pick the best candidates by chooseing key words from a resume, it has become so impersonal and most people lie on there resume just to please a computer

  • Patrick Jonas
    Patrick Jonas •

    I believe those word of advise are excellent thank you to share with friend's .

  • WILLIAM BEARNSON
    WILLIAM BEARNSON •

    Most of the positions I have landed were because I researched the company, printed off a few resumes with a cover letter explaining what position I was interested in and suiting up, getting in the car and driving to meet the front desk office assistant. They usually are more than happy to track down HR or even the hiring manager. This process usually takes days to land an interview or even an officer instead of months. Shows much more interest then just submitting on a web page (which BTW, you will have to do anyway so do it as well). You have shown multiples of the interest the web submitter only has shown. Try it.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Joey thanks for that. I happen to agree. I think assessments are terrible. I prefer submitting my resume and letting it speak for itself. Then, they can interview me if they want to know more. Sadly assessments are not going away. Companies use them to weed out the undesirables. I understand why they do it. This way they only have to contact the ones who did the best on the assessment and it saves them time and money of having to go through the hiring process for those who would never qualify for the position. The assessments don't really cost the company all that much which is why they do them.

  • Joey P.
    Joey P. •

    Nancy,yes but assessment testes do not tell you anything about the applicant who is applying for the position,as far as I'm concerned assessment tests are a waste of company time and money which could be better spent by, oh I don't know lets say raise increase for employees.

  • Robert Dupree
    Robert Dupree •

    Thank you, I have recently hit such a dead end in my search so these are very helpful tips.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    Thanks for your comments. @Tushar, in most cases, your resume is being "screened" by applicant tracking system software - ATS and not even by a human - at least not initially. If it makes it through the ATS, then it might be reviewed by an HR person or it might go directly to the hiring manager. @Joey I, too, dislike the assessment tests. But I can understand why companies do it. You have to remember that, along with your resume, comes thousands of other resumes - for one position. They have to find some way to get it to a reasonable amount so that they can review resumes and start bringing folks in to interview. The assessment testing is their way of weeding out the undesirables. Sadly it's not going away. More and more companies are using assessment testing to find the cream of the crop.

  • Joey P.
    Joey P. •

    I agree ,then they want you to take an assessment test . What happened to job interviews? You do not even get to a actual conversation with anyone

  • Tushar M.
    Tushar M. •

    Most job are screened by low paid HR ppl not hiring managers kind hard to get the inside guy.

  • Keith B.
    Keith B. •

    Good advice!

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