It’s been months into your job search and you’re just about ready to pull your hair out.
You’ve changed your approach 11 times. You’ve lost count of how many positions you’ve applied to, at this point. You’ve reached out to your mentors, hired a resume writer to no avail, read dozens of career articles, and you’re this close to convincing yourself that maybe you should just stay put at your current company. After all, it’s looking like the only option anyway.
Your job search isn’t working and the reason may surprise you. GETTY
But, before you throw in the towel, here are three surprising reasons your job search still isn’t landing you interviews and dream job offers.
You don’t know how to prove you’re good.
I know, I know. You’re incredibly good at what you do. You have performance reviews to show it. Your clients and colleagues love and rave about you. You’ve gotten promotions, bonuses and raises to celebrate your efforts, and you know without a doubt that you’d kill it in the role you desire next.
But there’s a difference between being good at what you do and proving that you’re good at what you do. The former you’ve had years to master, the latter not so much.
Still, getting the job offer you desire requires both. You must know your value, but you also must be able to communicate your value to others in a way that resonates with them. So, while you may be wondering why none of your interviews have been panning out in your favor, it’s best to take a step back and evaluate how you’re speaking about yourself to ensure you’re not leaving hiring managers guessing about what you can do.
You’re not showing up as a problem solver.
While you may know how to prove you’re good at what you do, you still may suffer from Pick Me Syndrome, as I like to call it. Every time you apply for a position your first thought is something along the lines of, “I hope they pick me. I hope they interview me. I hope they give me a chance.”
No one wants to hire someone to give them a chance. Companies hire people to solve problems. Job openings aren’t posted to give you an opportunity, they’re posted because the company has a need they’re looking to fill. Until you stop applying out of desperation and low confidence and start positioning yourself as the solution to their needs, you’ll always be an average candidate to the hiring manager.
You’re selective without a strategy.
You can be selective and know that you don’t want to, nor have the time to, apply to jobs 24/7. But when you know you don’t want everything thrown your way but also don’t know how to get interviews for the roles you do want, there’s nothing more frustrating. You’re still left feeling discouraged, stagnant and tempted to settle.
Without a real strategy for getting the attention of hiring managers, bypassing the competition and sealing the deal, you’ll keep missing opportunities and waiting for the next opportunity to pass you by. You need to know exactly how to stand out, exactly how to connect with the right people, and exactly how to talk about yourself in a way that doesn’t just get you interviews but gets you the job offer.
Job hunting is a full-time job and a side hustle. When you’re working 40+ hours a week, and juggling other responsibilities, you can’t afford to make these mistakes if you want to land a new role as quickly as possible. Stop playing the guessing game in your job search and start showing you’re the problem solver your dream companies need.
Adunola Adeshola coaches high-achievers on how to take their careers to the next level and secure the positions they’ve been chasing. Grab her free guide.
Originally published at Forbes