If you’ve ever conducted a job search including canvassing the major job boards, you’ll know that if you search long enough, you’ll find a job that fits your background perfectly (albeit, sometimes “long enough” can seem pretty darn long!).  You’ve done every task they list….twice, and possess every qualification they require.  You get so excited when you find it because you know you’re at least guaranteed a phone screen or face-to-face interview, right?

So, you apply for the job then sit back in your easy chair waiting on your phone to ring or your email to “ding.”  One day passes.  One week passes.  One month passes.  Nothing – not a ring, a ding or any other sign that they’re interested.  You know they received your information because you received one of those canned emails stating so.

“So, what’s the problem?  Why am I not good enough for the job?”

This is the conclusion that many draw when they encounter this scenario and it may not be true.  If you KNOW you possess the education, relevant work experience, licenses/certifications, job titles, and everything else being requested, then the problem may not be you.  And, it may not be the employer either.  The problem could be that your timing is off.

As a former recruiting leader, let me explain.

When a recruiter posts an open job, contrary to popular belief, they ALWAYS check the posting in their applicant tracking software system to see who has applied, and they do this on a regular basis.  Remember, if you apply for the job, this saves the recruiter time from having to source for the right talent, so they check often with the hopes that the perfect candidate just applied.

If the recruiter has posted a job on their company website, other job boards, specialty sites, university sites and anywhere else they can think of, networked with people they know (and don’t know) to get leads on good talent, they may amass a nice number of people applying for a job.  Let’s say their efforts lead to 147 applicants in their applicant tracking software system.  After reviewing 125 applicants, the recruiter is excited because (s)he has identified eight strong candidates.  The recruiter screens all eight and recommends four to the hiring leader.  From the four, the hiring leader selects one for the job.

Great news for the recruiter and hiring leader, but lousy news for you because you didn’t even get a phone screen opportunity and you know you possess the qualifications for the job.  Here’s a possibility – the recruiter may have found the candidates (s)he needed in the first 125 applicants, and you were applicant number 129.  This means the recruiter never even saw your application!  This happens all of the time.  If a recruiter finds the talent they need in the first ten candidates, believe me they won’t continue searching that applicant pool for more – they have too much to do.

Of course, if the job was just posted two days ago when you applied, this is probably not the case.  There could be one of thirty other reasons why you didn’t get a response.  But, if you see that it’s been open for a few weeks when you apply, there’s always a chance that it might not get viewed.

Instead of beating yourself up and discounting your skills, experience and abilities, chalk it up to either the timing is off or the role is not right for you – at least not at this time.  If you allow the negative thoughts of not being good enough grow, they will choke out your future possibilities because you may just talk yourself out of even applying.

Until next time….