I have applied for over 100 jobs on hot jobs and other sites.. Still not hired.. What should I do?

Question

I've been applying for jobs for the last 4 months and no one has Hired me.. I've done my resume 3 times already and had it proof read and people said its ok. I'm running out of luck and spirit, is there anything else I can do or can someone help me with some pointers?

Answer 1

You got several options.  One, apply for an internship to get your foot in the door.  Call HR for any big company in your region, they may be able to help you, or tell you where to forward your resume.  You can also apply for a job through a temp agency, another way to get your foot in the door at a big company.  Good Luck

Answer 2

Stop applying for jobs over third party Internet sites. Stop sending out your applications in bulk. Stop trying to send out as many applications as possible.

First off -- you've never said what it is you can do, or what kind of job it is you are looking for. That makes it really hard to offer you advice. You've just sounded desperate. You need to change your attitude -- every time you talk about your job search, whether its to friends or to Yahoo Answers, you need to say what your area of expertise is in, what your academic background is, and what kind of job it is you are looking for. A person shouldn't hear "I really need a job", but rather, "I am the employee you are looking for and here is why..."

Imagine an HR manager that is receiving all of these resumes via, say, hotjobs, as well as various other resources. There is a stack in front of her. Out of those 50 or 100 people, are you just another resume? The people that are being chosen over you for interviews not only *perfectly* match the job that is advertised, they also have additional skills that a company might be interested in utilizing, like speaking another language, or a more advanced degree than is asked for, or experience at a company that is exactly like the company that's hiring, etc. In short -- the people being chosen for interviews "stand out."

The best way to find a job is through *networking* -- people who know you and respect your work think of you when there is a job opening at their own companies, and they make sure your resume gets reviewed. Networking is an ongoing process. Join a professional association relating to the work you want to do, and if they have a local chapter, go to meetings regularly. Volunteer and exude quality in your work; that person volunteering next to you could be the head of a company looking to hire people, or the nonprofit itself may be looking for people. Look into civic clubs, like the Junior League, Optimists, Rotary, whatever, and take on roles that show your competence and what makes you "outstanding" as a worker.  

Also, think about what would make your more marketable -- is there a certification you could pursue that would make you more attractive to potential employers, or that would allow you to truly *perfectly* match what is being asked for in a job? What about learning a second language? Could you take courses to take your computer abilities up a notch or two?

What does the Internet say about you? Do you have professional profiles at LinkedIn.com or FaceBook.com that an employer would look at and say, "That person looks like a great employee"?

Finally, apply for only those jobs that you are *perfectly* qualified for and that you would truly love to do. Tailor every application carefully. Always say in your cover letter why you want to work somewhere, why you are applying for the specific position, and mention something that lets the employer know you are even just a bit familiar with their work.