8 Reasons Why Your Resume Is Not Getting Shortlisted

So you have submitted your job application and have been waiting…and waiting but you have not received a call back from the recruiter.

We have all gone through this at some point in our careers, and we understand it’s not a very nice feeling.

If you are also going through the rough phase and wondering “why is my resume not getting shortlisted?” then you have landed on the right blog.

This blog will provide 8 reasons why your resume is not being selected by recruiters and what you can do to change that.

It is not ATS friendly

Most companies nowadays have an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to help recruiters scan job applications. It is a software application that helps to sort applications based on certain criteria, such as keywords, skills, years of experience, education institutions, etc.

If your professional resume doesn’t hold the keywords stated in the respective job descriptions, there’s a fair chance that your application will not be recognized.

So, next time before applying, read the job description carefully and try to draft your resume with the stated keywords to get noticed.

It is filled with errors

Another factor that puts off a recruiter is if a resume is filled with errors. If the document is filled with errors, the recruiter might think that you are not sincere about the job.

Your resume is your first impression to the recruiter, making it all the more important to proofread the document at least 2-3 times to ensure that the document is free of all errors and inconsistencies.

You can also use other applications to check your spelling and grammar such as Grammarly. It not only suggests grammar rectifications but also suggests uniformity and better sentence constructions. This can help you to take your resume up a notch.

Inconsistencies in employment history

There’s a chance your application can get rejected if the recruiter finds the information provided to be inconsistent as it might make you look like a fibber or witholding critical information.

So, check the information you have provided in your education and work experience section as the tiniest of inconsistencies can make the recruiter lose interest in your application.

Do not withhold information whether it’s your frequent job change or long employment gap. You can mention the reason for taking a break with a timeline if required.

It is a generic resume

Every company has different requirements for different job positions and sending across a generic resume does not answer any of their requirements.

So, the first thing is to shortlist the job listings that really interest you instead of applying blindly. Next, read the job descriptions thoroughly and add the relevant skills and other details as per their requirements.

You can also provide a short resume summary to introduce yourself to the recruiter at the beginning of the resume and add relevant factors to it.

Tip: The resume summary shouldn’t be more than 3-4 sentences.

It speaks of job roles only

Don’t forget to add the accomplishments of your positions when you list your work experience. The recruiter doesn’t only want to know your employment history but also wants to see your growth trajectory.

So, list your accomplishments when you are highlighting your work history. This will give the recruiter clarity about your career progress and provide insights into your skill development.

No online presence

Online presence nowadays plays a very crucial role, not just for businesses but even for personal branding.

Depending on the role you are applying for, recruiters might want to search your social media profiles or even other professional platforms.

If your profile is difficult to come across, there’s a fair chance you’re going to lose the chance of a callback. So, get a clear understanding of the role when you’re applying and make appropriate changes to your social media accounts.

Tip: You can also add the profile links to your resume, cover letter, or your email body for simpler access.

Invalid contact details

Your contact details play an equally important role in your professional resume for the recruiters to reach out to you. Without these, how will the recruiter ever reach out to you?

When updating your contact information, apart from your phone number, make sure your email id is professional without any confusing alphabet or numerics.

For example, a recruiter might get confused if your email id reads, “S0bhit23@gmail.com”, instead try to keep it simple like “sobhitshah@gmail.com”. The second email id has no chance of any confusion, making it easy for the recruiter to understand and reach out to you.

It is too long

A resume is a document that sums up your information regarding education, work experience, acquired skills, etc. Ideally, a resume should be no more than 2 pages.

So, you can omit a few details from your resume that no longer hold any relevance. For example, if you are a working professional with 5+ years of experience you can omit information like your school education or internship history, or something similar.

So do not get disheartened and instead before your next job application, ensure that you don’t have any of these above mentioned errors in your professional resume.

Apart from this, you can also read up on how to write the best resume to leave a lasting impression on the recruiter and ensure a guaranteed call for the interview.

All the Best!