Qualified - But No Interview!

by Dee
(Utica, NY)

I am a Call Center Manager and applied for a similar position in a different city. I am perfect for the position but never got a call for an interview.

Dee -

There are many reasons why qualified people get overlooked in the hiring process. Some are justified, and some can be avoided. Let's start with some basics:

1. First, I will assume that you are truly qualified for the position you're applying for. This means that you have the required number of years of experience and that you have managed a group similar in size to the group that you would be managing in this new role.


2. If the company is looking for particular industry experience, I will also assume that you have this.


3. You mention that you are applying to another city. Again, I'll assume that the company is willing to relocate someone into this role. If relocation was not talked about in the job advertisement, it's possible that the company is only looking for local candidates.

Having covered the most obvious issues, we'll now talk a little about the more subjective reasons why people are not called.

Your resume has a lot to do with whether you get called for an interview. Unfortunately, resumes are used to screen people out of jobs, rather than into jobs. If the screener does not like what they see, your resume will not reach the hiring manager's desk. So, what types of things can go wrong with your resume?

1. You include a Career Objective on your resume that does not match the position you're applying for.


2. Your resume does not include some of the keywords the screener is looking for. If it's not blatantly obvious to the screener that you're a fit for the job, you might be overlooked. A strong Summary Statement is a good place to include these keywords.


3. Your work history is choppy. If you've had several positions within a short time, there's a good chance you'll be screened out.


4. Your academic background does not match what the company is looking for. Some companies insist on a 4 year degree (or more) - sometimes with a particular major.


5. The companies you've worked for are much smaller than the company you're applying to. If you're applying to a large Fortune 500 company, but your experience is in a company with $100 million in revenue, chances are you won't be called for an interview.


6. Is your resume easy on the eyes? Is it well spaced, professionally prepared, with strong accomplishments listed throughout?


7. The quality of your competition. Sometimes, it's not that your background is not a good fit, it's that someone else is a better fit. In this case, maybe there's someone who's already in the city the job is located in, who has most of what the company is looking for.


8. Finally, sometimes companies post positions to look externally, but they actually have an internal candidate they like. They're "shopping" to see if there's someone better out in the market. If no one is clearly more qualified, they go with their internal choice - in some cases, without interviewing external candidates.

These are some of the things that come to mind as resumes are screened in the hiring process.

To increase your chances for success, you might want to invest in a professional review of your resume. We do them here at Top-Sales-Jobs.com: Resume Critique. If you do a search, I'm sure that you can find other service providers as well.

I know that it can be frustrating to feel like you're totally qualified and then not get that call.

Hope this answer gives you some things to think about.