5 Reasons Your Job Application Didn’t Get A Response From The Hiring Manager

By Susan Gitonga

Two years ago, I was jobless and almost depressed. Some of my peers, people I went to campus with were already settling in new jobs but I wasn’t. Looking back, I can now pinpoint the mistakes I made when applying for jobs, some I laugh about.

I know that some of you are where I was 2 years ago. You have made so many applications and still no response, not even one.

I’ll share with you the reasons why your job applications are not getting any response from hiring managers.

5 Reasons Your Job Application Didn’t Get A Response From The Hiring Manager

1. You didn’t use the subject line the job advertisement said you should use in the email

This one might seem obvious, but some people don’t follow such simple instructions. I have seen job seekers writing an Email subject, such as “Job Application”, “MY CV”, etc. while the advert clearly indicated something different.

To an employer, this only goes to show that you did not follow instructions or you wanted to use your own subject line because it would grab the attention of the employer.

In a nutshell, always follow the directions on the job advert.

Read Also >>> Best Sample Job Application Letter In Kenya for 2017

2. You didn’t write a cover letter

In most cases, an advert will not say that you should write a cover letter. Sometimes the advert reads “send your application” and it does not specify “CV and Cover letter.”

The assumption is that you already know that a CV should be accompanied by a Cover letter.

Unless the advert has clearly indicated that you should send your CV only, always send both the CV and Cover Letter.

A cover letter is very important and is what the employer reads first before going through your CV.

3. Your Cover Letter is one long paragraph, from start to finish

The Compositions you wrote in Primary and High School were never one long paragraph and that goes for any other form of writing, such as a cover letter.

Writing one full long paragraph can be very tiring to the eye of the employer and no one wants to read a full story that does not have small breaks.

That said, always write your cover letter in a short paragraph, and say 4 or 5, depending on how long your cover letter is.

Related Article >>> Application Tip: Should The Cover Letter Be An Attachment or Body of the Email

4. You didn’t write anything about the company other than the name of the company

When you were younger and had to write a love letter to that young lady or man, you did not make the letter about yourself. If anything, you wrote things about the girl/boy you liked in order to convince them that you loved them. Right?

Now the same applies for a cover letter. You must make it about the company and how you plan to be a good fit for them. Why are you interested in working for the company? Write it down. What can you do for them? Write it down. Which skills do you have that can contribute to their success? Write it down.

That is the only way you will be able to convince the employer to give you a job.

5. Formatting formatting, formatting

Just like a well dressed person looks attractive, so does a CV that is very well formatted.  First and foremost, and this is a mistake I have seen in many CV’s, do not write your whole CV in bolded format. The CV ends up looking very untidy and unprofessional.

Bold should only be on your Headlines and subhead lines e.g. Professional Summary, Education Background etc.

Have a neat CV.

Alongside all the above mistakes, do not follow up too quickly after your application. Give it a week or two, before you can follow up.

Struggling to write a good CV? Click here for our Professional CV Writing Services. 

Susan is a Communications Officer at Career Point Kenya. Email: susan@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke