Q:  I have been job hunting for about three months with little luck.

I‘ve had a couple of interviews but afterwards,  I never heard anything back.  The most frustrating part is that I don’t know why.  I wish there was a way to find out what I’m doing wrong.

A: You might not be doing anything wrong.  Job hunting is –among other things- a head game, and you must make sure you remain optimistic and positive in spite of continued rejection.  After all, a job search is a series of “no’s” followed by a yes!

Having said that, it is also important that you have your basics covered, including a solid resume and social media presence. Some tips.

RESUME –

• If you apply for a position online, make sure your resume can be read by an automated applicant tracking system which scans for keywords, and is the gate keeper to making the first cut.
• Customize resumes to each job posting, mirror keywords listed in the job description, thus increasing chances human eyes will see it.
• Keep it brief –you don’t have to include your full glorious history, experience and accomplishments on a resume, you’ll have plenty of space to elaborate online. 

SOCIAL MEDIA –

• LinkedIn profile.  Unless you don’t mind limiting your job search to small mom & pop businesses, a LinkedIn profile is a must.
• Over 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn to look for candidates, for listed and unlisted jobs.
• Another advantage on LinkedIn is being able to expand your resume.  Do you have great presentations? blog posts? won awards? or earned certifications that don’t merit listing on the resume but are still brag worthy? List  them. Link them, don’t be shy.

Lastly, to the sticky part of your question:  How do I ask for feedback after interviewing and not being selected?  I’m not going to lie to you, most employers aren’t going to tell you why they didn’t select you, that would open them up to a world of litigation risk.

But, even if it’s a long shot, try something like this in an email:

“While I’m disappointed I wasn’t selected for the job, I wanted to thank you for the chance to interview with your company.  I’d welcome any suggestions you might have for improving my job search”.

This is vague enough that they might suggest other companies where you might apply or improvements to your resume or interviewing skills.

Even if you don’t hear back it doesn’t hurt to thank them one more time, and leave them with a good impression.  Who knows, they might have other openings soon.

©Copyright Eva Del Rio

Eva Del Rio is creator of HR Box™ – tools for small businesses and startups. Send questions to Eva@evadelrio.com