There are a few reasons why the majority of applicants are never shortlisted. See if you can identify yourself in any of the following reasons.

Why candidates never make the shortlist?

#1. First of all, do not post stuff on social media like LinkedIn or Facebook that could lead to damage your reputation with recruiters or potential employers. Managers tend to research people online before they invite them for an interview. Therefore, your social media profile and online presence is now part of the candidate screening process (yes really)! You may be very surprised how much information an employer can find out about you.

#2. It is a very competitive market. Recruiters will only shortlist the top candidates as their reputation is at stake. Make sure your CV is one of the ones that stand out.

#3. You may did not read the job description and have sent a generic CV. You must tailor your CV and cover letter to the job role in question. It is a good idea to have several versions of a CV with each one focusing on slightly different skills or aspects of your employment history. Make sure you keep a record of which version you send to each employer so you know which CV to take with you if you get invited for an interview.

#4. Your CV hasn’t sufficiently addressed recruiter’s main questions. Can you do the job? (Do you have the skills, professional qualifications, relevant experience?) Will you do the job? (Do you have the right attitudes and behaviors to do the job well?) Will you fit into the team or company? ( Do your personality, sociability, work ethics and personal outlook fit with the company or team dynamics?)

#5. Recruiters are becoming more particular about candidates’ industry-specific experience. Although coming from a different industry can sometimes have advantages, lacking first-hand knowledge of a certain industry is another reason why extremely qualified people don’t make the shortlist.