You thought you had submitted a strong CV and cover letter that showcased your relevant experience and skills, but your job application was rejected, so what are the 5 reason why that might have happened?
The job you’re applying for is too junior
It’s often difficult to tell from a job advert what level the role's at, but reading between the lines can often give some clues. If the company’s looking for “at least 3 years’ experience in design engineering and you have 10-15, then they’re likely looking for someone at an earlier stage in their career. Likewise, if the advertisement talks about “knowledge of” or “understanding of” and and you're an expert user with substantial experience, the role is likely too junior for you.
The company isn’t a “good match” for your background
Skills and experience ought to be transferable, regardless of the industry sector or company size. However, if you come from a manufacturing background and are seeking a position in corporate services, the hiring manager might be worried about your adaptability. In a competitive job market with fewer job opportunities but more applicants, companies can afford to be selective. Therefore, it is essential to effectively showcase your relevant skills and experience in both your CV and cover letter to enhance your likelihood of being selected for an interview.
Your CV and/or cover letter don’t “sell” you for the job
Failing to tailor your CV and cover letter to each job application means you aren't presenting a competitive application. Recruiters and hiring managers typically skim through CVs to identify relevant skills and experience. If you haven’t included these in your CV (assuming you have them of course!) then you could risk being declined. A “Key skills” section in your CV can effectively highlight these – just remember to customise them for each application.
Unexplained gaps in your CV
It’s no problem taking time out from work but make sure you cover these in your employment history. Gaps in your work history can make recruiters and hiring managers uneasy, as they may not have time to inquire about them. You don’t need to say much - just dates and a sentence explaining what you did should be enough.
Your information is too difficult to understand or too detailed to read Put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter or hiring manager reviewing 50 applications. How readable is yours? Using bullet points is beneficial, but make sure to space them out properly, keep them relevant, and refrain from using company-specific acronyms. If you are an international applicant seeking your first job in New Zealand, include a hyperlink to each previous employer's website and a brief description of the organization's activities.
Ultimately, the one factor beyond your control is if the position has been either withdrawn or filled internally. Ideally, you would receive notification of this, but unfortunately, that isn't always the case. As long as you have addressed all the other possible reasons for rejection, you will eventually begin to see some favourable outcomes.
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