Why is it so hard to get a job right now?

If you have been looking for work seriously for any significant period of time, then you are aware of how difficult it can be to find work in this day and age. You might even start to question if perhaps you are not as employable as you had previously believed you were. Believe us when we say that you are not the only one going through this. Check read the comments on this page to get an idea of the level of frustration that is being felt by millions of other people who are looking for work.

Sadly, many people who are looking for work anticipate that it will likely be just as challenging to obtain employment this year. After you have a better understanding of why it is so difficult to obtain work at the moment, you will be able to take actions to enhance your chances of being successful.

Why is it so difficult to find work today?

When you browse at job boards and see all those unfilled openings, it may be really aggravating. This is particularly true when your cover letter and CV are being overlooked by potential employers. And it's impossible to miss all those signs that say "Help Wanted" if you're driving through the commercial core of any town in any part of the country. After all, if there are so many businesses looking for people, why aren't you getting the interviews you need to secure those jobs? Why is it that your CV is always getting overlooked at potential employers? Why is it so difficult to find work today?

First things first, you need to be aware of the fact that many businesses and recruiting managers have no intention of filling all of those employment opportunities. Many companies use internal promotion. Others merely keep a file of resumes on hand by routinely asking for them in order to create a pool of possible applicants from whom they may choose when vacancies become vacant.

As a direct consequence of this, the labor market may not be as competitive as it seems to be at first appearance. To summarize, you shouldn't automatically think that your job hunt is more challenging than that of any other job seeker. The reality is that you are all vying for a limited number of positions that are now open.

Reasons why many applicants are unable to get employment

If you have been looking for work seriously for any significant period of time, then you are aware of how difficult it can be to find work in this day and age. You might even start to question if perhaps you are not as employable as you had previously believed you were. Believe us when we say that you are not the only one going through this. Check read the comments on this page to get an idea of the level of frustration that is being felt by millions of other people who are looking for work.

Sadly, many people who are looking for work anticipate that it will likely be just as challenging to obtain employment this year. After you have a better understanding of why it is so difficult to obtain work at the moment, you will be able to take actions to enhance your chances of being successful.

Why is it so difficult to find work today?

When you browse at job boards and see all those unfilled openings, it may be really aggravating. This is particularly true when your cover letter and CV are being overlooked by potential employers. And it's impossible to miss all those signs that say "Help Wanted" if you're driving through the commercial core of any town in any part of the country. After all, if there are so many businesses looking for people, why aren't you getting the interviews you need to secure those jobs? Why is it that your CV is always getting overlooked at potential employers? Why is it so difficult to find work today?

First things first, you need to be aware of the fact that many businesses and recruiting managers have no intention of filling all of those employment opportunities. Many companies use internal promotion. Others merely keep a file of resumes on hand by routinely asking for them in order to create a pool of possible applicants from whom they may choose when vacancies become vacant.

As a direct consequence of this, the labor market may not be as competitive as it seems to be at first appearance. To summarize, you shouldn't automatically think that your job hunt is more challenging than that of any other job seeker. The reality is that you are all vying for a limited number of positions that are now open.

Reasons why many applicants are unable to get employment

According to the data shown in the preceding picture, an average job posting will generate close to 250 applications. Between four and six of the individuals who have applied for the position will be contacted for an interview. An offer will be made to just one individual.

The following are some other factors that contribute to how difficult it is to get work:

1. Organizations are often too picky in who they hire

Many businesses are on the hunt for the unattainable "ideal applicant." After a cursory examination of a number of job postings, one is likely to form an image of an expert who has years of expertise, a high level of education, and a diverse set of talents and experiences in a variety of fields. If there are people with these qualifications, there are not enough of them to fill all of these vacancies. Instead, companies need to search for applicants who are able to check off the most boxes on the ideal list of criteria.

It is also essential to acknowledge the shifts that have taken place in the labor market. Employers used to recruit potential workers with the idea of keeping them on staff for the rest of their lives many decades ago. They considered such hiring to be investments for the long future. Because of this, they were able to take a risk on a new employee, invest in that person's training, and eventually see a return on their initial investment.

These days, there has been a significant shift in that relationship. The majority of workers will, during the course of their lives, have a variety of different jobs. The loyalty that formerly existed between employers and their workforce is almost absent nowadays. Due to the altered nature of the relationship, employers are now required to gain an instant return on their investment in employing new staff.

Because of this, they have become more pickier about who they take on as employees. They need to be convinced that you can contribute to the company in a meaningful way right away.

2. Begin using the applicant tracking systems

Over ninety percent of companies utilize a program called an application tracking system, sometimes known as an ATS, to analyze and organize the resumes that applicants send in. "ATS resume scanning software is meant to scan a resume for job experience, skills, education, and other pertinent information," as we outline in our piece on how to structure your resume for an applicant tracking system (ATS). ATS stands for applicant tracking system.

In today's digital era, the applicant tracking system (ATS) may be a significant challenge for many job seekers. The use of certain keywords is the basis for the screening process carried out by these applicant tracking systems. It's true that this is a dubious method through which people employ other humans, but unfortunately, it's also the way the world works.

Candidates for jobs who do not have a good understanding of the process by which an applicant tracking system (ATS) evaluates a resume could find it challenging to get over this barrier. Later on in this article, we'll provide some ATS-related tips that will assist you with this difficulty, and we'll also introduce you to a program that can evaluate your resume to see whether it's compatible with an applicant tracking system.

3. Reliance on out-of-date resumes in applications

The difficulty for many people who are having trouble finding work is something as simple as their resumes. Considering that employers want to see resumes that stand out from the rest of the applications they get, using one of those old, dated resumes is not the ideal choice.

When it comes to looking for work, successful individuals will have resumes that demonstrate their worth as workers in an effective and convincing manner. Sadly, a large number of job searchers in today's market are completely clueless on how to write a resume of such kind!

To provide one example, does the goal statement on your resume still have a significant role in attracting the attention of hiring managers? If that is the case, then you could be making a significant error. When writing a resume, you should concentrate your objective statement more on what you want out of your career than on how you can satisfy the requirements of the company.

Take it into consideration for a moment. Would you be interested in taking such an approach if you were in that employer's position? It's likely that you'd be interested in learning more about how that prospect can contribute to the success of your team, right?

How to boost your chances of finding employment

The process of looking for a job does not necessarily need to be an agonizing one, which is excellent news. There are in point of fact a great number of actions that you may do to increase your chances of finding work. However, the majority of them are centered on a very small number of critical areas of concern.

1. Focus on your resume!

There is no getting around the fact that you need an outstanding resume in order to improve your chances of being hired. It's true that there was once a period when resumes were essentially just a formality, but in today's world, they carry a significant amount of weight. If your CV is, at most, average, you probably won't have much success in snagging the job of your dreams.

During the course of the hunt for a new job, your application has a good chance of being overlooked in favor of those of other applicants who have more impressive resumes, even though you are equally qualified for the position.

Checking out this page, which is titled ATS Resume Test: Free ATS Checker and Formatting Examples, is a good place to start if you want to make improvements to your resume.

2. Use keywords intelligently

You should probably remember the ATS screeners that we spoke about previously, right? Learn how to employ keywords in your cover letter and CV to give yourself the best chance of being hired. This will assist to guarantee that yours gets through the system and onto the desk of a hiring manager so that you may be considered for the position.

3. Format your resume so that an ATS can read it.

Since you are now aware of the competition for your resume, you are able to make adjustments to it so that it has a greater chance of doing well on the ATS test.

4. Make applications to the appropriate positions.

Are you submitting your resume to the appropriate jobs? All too often, a large number of individuals fail to choose occupations that are the most suitable fit for their skill sets. At other instances, they fail to display the appropriate abilities in the appropriate manner in their resumes. Keep in mind that the majority of hiring managers will just spend a few minutes doing an initial review of your CV.

If it does not attract their attention within that period of time, it will be discarded. Make sure that the talents and experiences that are most relevant to you are the ones that are needed for the job position, and be sure to emphasize those abilities and experiences in your summary statement.

5. Network, network, network!

Keep in mind the importance of your network. You've invested a lot of time and effort over the years into developing a strong network of partners and connections in your field. Make the most of such connections so that you may introduce yourself to potential employers and get your foot in the door. Inquire about the people they recommend. Make it a point to inquire about any new employment vacancies that would be a good fit for your credentials.

To put it another way, don't simply sit around and hope for a job to come your way; instead, make use of everything at your disposal to get the interview you need.