5 Reasons Why You Are Still Unemployed

1. Resume and Cover Letter is too short/too long

Your resume and cover letter shouldn’t be too short or too long. The amount of time your resume will have in front of the potential employer is only no more then 20 seconds. What is just right for your industry? Your resume needs to be precise to what the employer is looking for and with your cover letter bring their attention to the details of what you can do for them. On the other hand, a resume that is too short doesn’t provide enough detail to warrant an interview. While you are working on networking, you can also find out what is the norm for your industry and incorporate that into your resume. Ideally, to get the best presentation have a professional resume writer review your existing documents.

2. Waiting for the perfect job

There are some jobs that are great — great benefits, great pay, great environment, and a product you believe in, but the people in those jobs aren’t leaving anytime soon. This ties in with salary expectations. In today’s market you need to be ready to prove yourself and not start at the top. Getting your foot in the door and proving yourself first is what you want to do, so tone down your list of “must-haves” for a job. If your pay expectations are too high, you may need to adjust quickly to land that next job. The faster you land employment the better. You can continue your job search for an ideal position once you get a “bridge” job.

3. Network is underdeveloped

Make an honest assessment of your networking efforts. Contact all the people that you know or have been in contact with in your previous jobs. Even contact your former co-workers and talk with them about opportunities they may know about in your area. Reach out to new contacts and grow your network—everyday.

4. Nervous during interviews

Sweat forms on your forehead. Your hands are clammy when you shake the interviewer’s hand.

This is just an interview, relax. You need to sell yourself and remember the employer is looking at you to see what you have to offer them and their company. Being nervous and unable to be confident and positive is a big turn off for any employer. Take a deep breath; tell yourself why you are there, what makes you stand out from the others, and why the employer needs you? Yes, this interview is really important. It could pull you from the ranks of the unemployed. If you bomb the interview because you are so nervous about landing the job that isn’t going to help.

Remember you would not be standing in front of them if they didn’t thing you have what they are looking for! Managers are busy. They are not going to waste their time interviewing unqualified candidates. So congrats — you’re qualified. This is now a time to shine, show what you got and go over the top. You need to have the right combination to know how to read and handle the interview.

Find an employment professional to help you prepare to Interview. You don’t Interview everyday, but the Hiring Manager you are going to speak to interviews candidates all the time. Hire a professional to help you get prepared for the Interview. You need to level the playing field to your benefit.

5. Economic disaster area

There is simply no way around staying unemployed if your city is falling apart. I would not want to be unemployed in Detroit right now. I don’t know anything specifically about the job market in Detroit, but with the Big Three cutting people left and right the local economy is in the tank. The same can be said for Home Building in California, Florida, and Nevada. Sometimes, depending on your geography and industry, it is worthwhile to seek employment elsewhere.



Bob Stanley is career services specialist at Best Price Resume, a nationwide Resume Writing and Career Services company. Best Price Resume offers the Best Resumes at the Best Price while providing the Best Service! They accelerate their client’s job search by increasing the quality and quantity of job opportunities. Visit their website for more details at http://www.bestpriceresume.com.