11 application mistakes that prevent you from getting an interview

You have put a lot of effort into a good cover letter and a neat CV and sent everything neatly by email. And then, waiting. Hoping for that invitation for an interview. When a rejection comes in or you might not even get a response at all, the disappointment is of course great. Yet it may be that you have this entirely to thank yourself. According to HR experts, there are a number of common mistakes that prevent you from getting an interview. I'll go through them with you, so that you will be invited next time.

Too many spelling mistakes

This is one of those things that you might think everyone knows. Yet you will be surprised how often this still goes wrong. We all recognize the fact that you have read a text so many times that you overlook the mistakes. And, to be honest, spelling mistakes in your application look quite sloppy. Especially if it is, for example, in the name of the company or the person you are emailing. It is never wrong to have someone else read everything again, to put those final dots on the i.

Not reading the requirements properly

In some applications, certain extra components are requested. For example, you may need to send a portfolio or pitch an idea that your potential employer could use. If that is not included in your email, your application will automatically end up in the trash. A waste of the effort you put in and the time you will wait for a response. So check one more time before you send everything what was asked of you and whether you have added all of this.

The place where you live

Although we now also work a lot from home and remote work is hot, it can sometimes be a dealbreaker if you live too far away from your employer. Your boss has to pay extra (travel) costs for you and the chance is greater that you will arrive late at the office due to traffic jams or problems with public transport. If the company has a choice between you and another candidate for whom these problems do not apply, then you may miss out. If you really want a job, you can still try; but keep in mind that you might end up disappointed.

Your salary expectation is too high

When it comes to your salary, you can certainly negotiate and stand up for what you are worth. Just be careful not to demand too much and ensure that your expectation remains realistic. Often a certain salary is already mentioned in a job posting. So you can certainly have an opinion about it, but they will not invite you if you immediately indicate that you want to earn much more.

An impersonal cover letter

The cover letter is the chance to show yourself and convince the company to at least invite you for an interview. It is important to describe well what skills you have to offer. But also make sure it is a little personal is. If the company gets the feeling that you sent the same letter to ten others, they will think that you did not really put in the effort. There goes your chance. So show that you have delved into that specific vacancy. Why do you want to work there and what makes you different from other applicants? You want them to remember you after reading all the letters.

You let AI help a bit

Tools like ChatGPT are of course super handy, but if you let Chat write a text for you, it often ends up being a bit boring and impersonal. AI does not know you at all and does not know, for example, how you would say certain things. If people get the idea that you had your letter written by AI, the chance is small that you will get an interview. That also radiates the idea that you want to put in effort. You can certainly use ChatGPT, but only for a spelling and grammar check. Writing the text yourself may take a bit more effort, but it gives you a much better chance of a good result.

You have too little experience

This is one that especially recent graduates will recognize; you are rejected because you have too little experience have. Although this is of course super frustrating, you can often see it coming. Nowadays, many companies already state in the job posting how much experience they require from their potential employee. You can always try to convince them that you are suitable for the position, even without that amount of experience. But you can also choose to prevent disappointment and look for a vacancy that better fits where you are in your career.

You are applying for multiple vacancies within the same company

It sounds like a logical thought: the more lines you throw out, the greater the chance that something will come up somewhere. Yet it is not very handy to apply for too many vacancies within the same company. It gives the impression that you are not really interested in that one specific position. Employers may also think that you do not know what is expected of you, as each vacancy requires slightly different skills. You may really master them all, but there will probably be doubts about that.

Your email has no subject

It may seem very trivial and unimportant, but the subject of your email can really make a difference. Companies often receive, especially when they have job openings, an enormous amount of emails. If the subject is not interesting or clear, the email will probably not be noticed immediately. Then a new wave of messages comes in and yours gets forgotten. Maybe that’s why you never hear anything again. So clearly state your name and the vacancy you are responding to in the subject.

Your documents are not viewable

If you have put so much time and effort into your CV and letter, and the documents or links do not work. If a company receives your application and your attachments are not readable, they will (unfortunately) not ask you to send it again. Your chance is gone, while you may have written a very strong letter. So always check if everything works and whether links are not set to private. You can of course send a test email to a friend.

Your application is too late

Just like that being late for an interview does not really give a good first impression, the same goes for your application email. Job postings often have a deadline after which the company will start making choices. If your email arrives only after that, they probably won't even look at it anymore. Because if you can't email on time, how will that go if they hire you? So always pay close attention to when you can apply. It would be such a shame if it goes wrong because of that.

Source: The Every Girl