I've been looking for a new job for two months.

42 Comments

1. Lesa Edwards, Career Coach & Master Resume WriterMay 23,2022 at 2:58PM UTC

   A couple of thoughts for you:

   1. Are you spending time customizing your resume each time you send it out? This is essential, so that you are including keywords from the job description.
   2. Are you following up with each position whenever possible?
   3. Are you leveraging your network to put in a good word for you, make an introduction...increase your chances of getting a closer look?
   4. Are you only applying for jobs you are at least 80% qualified for and very excited about? Don't waste your time on jobs you are lukewarm toward.
   5. Are you networking? If all you are doing is responding to job boards, you are in for a very long, very disappointing road.
2. AnonymousMay 23,2022 at 2:58PM UTC

   Between more people moving roles and ATS being used by almost every company it isn't uncommon to not hear back. As long as you continually tailor your resume to each job description highlighting key skills and achievements the only other thing you can do is network.

   Networking in addition to sending out the resumes is the key that sets people apart. Find a hiring manager/recruiter on LinkedIn to connect with and ask more about the job. Connect with people in the depart you are applying too. If there is a phone number or email on the job description you can always reach out and send you resume along to that as well in addition to the actual application. (If you do this make the generic HR emails they sometimes attach are auto reply but it still doesn't hurt).

3. Anita GetzMay 23,2022 at 4:28PM UTC

   I have been unemployed since January, and I am finding the same thing, or I get to the first call then wait for the 2nd or third round calls, but nothing. Apparently this is the new norm….ugh it sucks, good luck with your search

4. Alida MartellMay 23,2022 at 4:28PM UTC

   Yes, I am in the same situation, I have sent my resume to more than 15 companies, to work remotely or in the office and for two months nothing has happened and the only thing I receive is emails thanking me for applying. I am frustrated, coming from Florida to the state of Texas. I really don't understand what's going on in today's job search. companies complain that they don't have enough workers and yet I can't find work.

5. AnonymousMay 23,2022 at 5:09PM UTC

   I am in the same situation. I have been looking for just over two months. I have been talking with five companies. Two of them completely ghosted me, after 4 interviews each. One decided to not hire at all after two interviews. One I legit lost to another candidate. And the last one is still in the works. The process is very stressful and confusing with the constant narrative that there are not enough workers. There are SO MANY people looking for work . And I don't understand the ghosting. At all. When did that become acceptable?

6. AnonymousMay 23,2022 at 6:05PM UTC

   I sent out a gabillion resumes over 6 months and didn't a any movement. I rewrote my resume many times but nothing came of it.

   I paid to have my resume professionally done, and it helped a little. It showed me the problem was my resume not my skill-set.

   So I found a different, better resume writer and it worked. In less than 24 hours of sending out my new resume I had two recruiters submitting me for jobs. One of the jobs I am on the final interview. I have an interview for a 3rd company tomorrow too.

7. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 12:31PM UTC

   Can you tell me who you used for a resume writer? Thank you

8. Sophie JoernMay 23,2022 at 10:12PM UTC

   Job hunting is tough! I think the current labor market is very different depending on the industry you may be looking in. Some markets and companies are experiencing huge shortages when it comes to staff but others are seeing large influxes in applicants, especially those that are now offering remote opportunities. It may be that the industry/role/geographical area you are applying in is heavily saturated with candidates as individuals look to make career shifts. The important thing to remember is not to give up! Find ways to make your resume and application stand out among the rest, contact the recruiting departments of those companies you are most interested in and keep your mind open to possibilities you may not have considered before. You got this!

9. Gretchen SkalkaMay 23,2022 at 10:25PM UTC

   Please make sure you are sending a targeted resume optimized for that specific opportunity and not the same resume for every opportunity.

   Please make sure it's ATS-compliant (no graphics, tables, pictures, columns, etc.).

   As the other commenters have mentioned - please make sure there are no irrelevant roles/duties on the resume you do send (if it's targeted, that shouldn't be a problem).

   This will take a smidge more time (less if you have a foundation resume on file you can customize to specific openings) - but it's worth the investment in time. It really is.

   All my best to you - it will happen for you! :)

10. AnonymousMay 23,2022 at 11:22PM UTC

    Thank you everyone for the support. Your suggestions are all great and I will continue to network and shake the trees to see what happens.

    Here's to keeping a positive attitude in all of this!

11. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 12:21PM UTC

    I was out of work for a year after being downsized a few years ago. I'm an Operations leader. They are always in demand in the field I worked in because it's a high-responsibility/high-stress field. I was willing to relocate my family if needed. I was invited to interview processes that went 10 WEEKS! 10! I interviewed for one job with 8 people. I was green-lighted by everyone. And still didn't get the job. I vetted opportunities and responded to 140 posts during that year. I was still not employed. The hiring process is broken. Badly. Companies should care, but they don't. I finally had enough and went into business for myself. My income is more than replaced and my time is mine. That's not ideal for everyone, but I just wasn't willing to ride that roller coaster any longer. Shame, shame on corporate HR in general.

12. Rajgauri VedpathakMay 24,2022 at 12:25PM UTC

    Hi, I would like to suggest working on 2 things - Resume and Cover letter. Make them so compelling and strong that no one can refuse it. Cover letter is the first thing a recruiter sees so make sure you make a great impression with it. It's always preferred to write the cover letter in email body rather than attaching it to the mail. Add resume to the attachment. Keep ATS in mind while making your resume. A 1-2 page resume having relevant experience as per job role is good to go.

    If you need any help, please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn. I'd be happy to help!

13. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 2:23PM UTC

    I am a journalist and write killer cover letters that always include ATS keywords and snippets from the job description. But even the perfect resume and great letters are meaningless when ageism is rampant. For a male applicant, 25 years of experience means he is "seasoned" and a great addition. For a woman, those same experience years mean "old."

14. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistMay 24,2022 at 4:55PM UTC

    No one should have 25 years of experience on their resume.

    These days, it's customary to lop off anything over 10, 15 years.

    And as a long time recruiter, I will tell you that I never read cover letters and my hiring managers never read cover letters.

15. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 6:08PM UTC

    I hear you but I am proud of my 25 years and award-winning work and won't diminish it. As far as reading cover letters, if they are being completely disregarded by long-time (hyphenated) recruiters, then companies/HRs should remove the requirement to add one on an application. There is no consistency!

16. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 12:45PM UTC

    I changed jobs earlier in the year. The company I worked for previously was going through massive layoffs and financial problems. I kept a spreadsheet and I applied for 30 positions, spoke with 6 or 7 recruiters, got 5 interviews (not all through recruiters), got about 3 "thanks but no thanks" and never heard a word from everyone else. It was very stressful because we didn't know if I was going to be one of the next on the layoff list. I finally got two job offers back to back.I did hear back from one company last month to see if I'd be interested in another position they had. That was 4 months after I had applied and I'd already been with my new company for just about a month.

    Long story short, it seems like just ignoring candidates is the new norm.

17. KelleyMay 24,2022 at 12:47PM UTC

    Take a look at your resume and cover letter. Have someone else look and give you pointers as well. It could be that your information isn’t compelling enough to get these companies to consider you further. Beyond that, I would say that 15 applications over 2 months may be on the smaller side. You need to keep applying.

18. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 12:55PM UTC

    Over 450 from end of December to beginning of April. Several first round interviews. Some that went beyond that. Finalist for a few positions. Two offers middle of April (after withdrawing from a few other processes). I had to learn patience.

19. Kristy LacyMay 24,2022 at 12:59PM UTC

    Yes I have experienced this quite a bit. It is disheartening, a nd it makes you question your skills and abilities at times. Keep going, hang in there and eventually you will land something. Just know you are not the only one that has gone through this.

20. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 2:03PM UTC

    There is a lot of good advice here. I’d like to add that HR departments are also seeing a lot of change. They typically have 1-2 lower level people doing the ATS updates. The other factor is there is a trend in more people ghosting new jobs, so many employers are not doing rejections until the new hire actually shows up, which can be weeks. All this means be patient, it will happen for you. Best of luck.

21. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 2:16PM UTC

    If HR has done the hiring correctly, they have at least two strong candidates in contention. That isn't the (only) reason they don't send rejections.

22. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 2:19PM UTC

    Two months is nothing in a job-search sphere! Sadly, it does appear to be the new normal to never hear anything back. I have been looking for full-time work for five years. Women over a certain age are not getting hired (let alone interviewed) for jobs in their field. But good luck to you.

23. KathyMay 24,2022 at 2:19PM UTC

    Networking.
    When I was a hiring manager and received tons of resumes, getting a call from a colleague suggesting someone they knew would get me to pull the resume and if qualified, they’d get an interview. No matter all the automation, there are people behind it all. It is who you know. Letting the people you know what you’re looking for, will help yield much better results for you. Good luck!

24. Jennifer TaylorMay 24,2022 at 2:23PM UTC

    I sent out hundreds of resumes in over 2 years. Sending out 15 resumes is not a lot.

    Are you following up with hiring managers and recruiters? Find them on LinkedIn and send them an InMail letting them know you have applied and would love to talk more about the job and why you would be a good fit.

    You need to be consistently posting on LinkedIn. Post, comment, share, and connect with as many people as you can in the companies you are targeting. Ask for informational meetings. Seek a mentor, take LinkedIn courses... do whatever you can to network and be visible.

25. Antonia CalzettiMay 24,2022 at 2:23PM UTC

    Recruiter ghosting is unfortunately very real and unacceptable in any transaction. There are many factors that play into this and you need to remember not to take it personally. It could be an internal obstacle with the job, a complicated interview / hiring process or they've found a better candidate. The recruitment process is broken and this is across most companies. Never take it personally - keep your head straight and keep moving forward. Patience is key. It will happen.

26. Rachel BulkoMay 24,2022 at 3:19PM UTC

    When I was brought on to interview a few months ago, the recruiter called me Emily via email. That was the name of the person they hired instead of me. It’s easy to take things like that personally, but in the long term, it’s better to recognize a red flag and read current employee reviews on Glassdoor.

27. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 2:38PM UTC

    15 resumes and no interview in two months isn't uncommon. Keep applying!

28. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 2:47PM UTC

    Job search struggle is definitely real, it takes forever and a lot of networking + sending resumes out to get bites these days. I would suggest beefing up your LinkedIn, turn that toggle on that says you are interested in recruiters reaching out to you (only recruiters can see this on, no one else), do research on the companies you’re applying for and if they truly are a place you want to work then look for individuals that work there and ping them on LinkedIn to network/help you.

29. colleenMay 24,2022 at 3:05PM UTC

    I have been applying for 9 months and get the same e mails, I have only gotten a few interviews and than nothing after that. I have a BA and 16 years experience.

30. Treasury ExpertMay 24,2022 at 4:39PM UTC

    Hi

    Yes, I am experiencing the same. I get the first two interviews and then nothing.

    Perhaps, they were fake job postings. This is a trend going on now. Also,I heard that it takes longer to find new employment. A slow down in economy.

    This is my analysis of situation. So many people looking for employment since pandemic.

31. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistMay 24,2022 at 4:51PM UTC

    Welcome to job searching in 2022 - it's a marathon, not a sprint.

    15 resumes in two months in not a lot - that's 2 per week. You don't say what you do so maybe that has something to do with that.

    If you're getting no response whatsoever, I'd start with the resume.

    Is posting your resume an option? If not, you're doing all the work. There are teams of recruiters and sourcers working all day, every day to find candidates. Is your resume where they can find you? Is your LinkedIn profile up to snuff? Where are you searching for positions?

32. Tracy McHughMay 24,2022 at 6:09PM UTC

    I've been experiencing the same thing but I apply to at least 5 jobs per day during the week. In addition to that I've been connecting with my networking and reaching out to people on LinkedIn.

33. Karen GongawareMay 24,2022 at 7:19PM UTC

    Focus on what you can do (including transferable skills). 15 in 2 months is not a lot, in fact it is hardly any job searching at all. Yes be selective in your job search, tailor your resume per job, but boost up the number sent or at least the time spent looking at jobs.

34. AnonymousMay 24,2022 at 9:15PM UTC

    Same experience trying to find a bookkeeping position with 45 yrs experience, + running my own bookkeeping company.
    I honestly don't know what the answer is, wish I did, but the lack of communication by employers soliciting for resumes surprised me. I spent 8 months looking. And it looks like I'll be looking again, sadly.

35. Audrey KirschMay 24,2022 at 10:39PM UTC

    Maybe it's where you are looking for the openings. Searching for a job is a full time job in itself. You have to look in lots of different places these days. You have to set goals of how many jobs a day you will apply for or how much time you will spend hunting down the openings. And, you have to network. Linked In is great for that. Scroll through all the invitation suggestions that are thrown at you and send invites to anyone in your field whether you know them or not. When my team was hiring, I reached out to every connection I had and many new ones that I connected with to let them know about the position. Most said thanks for thinking of me but a couple were really interested. One of those has actually been hired. So work those connections! You never know when someone will be hiring. Not all positions get posted so make sure that all your connections know you're looking.

36. AnonymousMay 25,2022 at 12:57AM UTC

    The average is 1-2 a day minimum. You need to apply to more. Also make sure your resume has key words that will pass the ATS.

37. JJMay 25,2022 at 1:00AM UTC

    It’s a very competitive market. 15 was a drop in the bucket for me.

38. AnonymousMay 25,2022 at 7:18AM UTC

    this is my life now #sigh

39. AnonymousMay 25,2022 at 10:50AM UTC

    If you only sent out 15 todays job market is very competitive and getting an employer to see you as a unique or the diamond in the ruff compared to 100 others applying at the same time will be challenging and frustrating.
    Buckle up and get aggressive in applying to plenty more bc in part this is a numbers game. Of course spent more attention on positions you rank as top ones you want to work for but also put in for much more to help better your odds. Ensure your resume and cover letter are filled with ex of you saving the day at other jobs

40. AnonymousMay 25,2022 at 12:19PM UTC

    Looking for a job is a full time job itself. 15 resumes isn't very many. When I was looking, there were probably days that I applied for that many in 1 day. Everyone says there are a lot of jobs and not enough bodies to fill them, but it seems like companies are still looking for that unicorn and taking their time. At the same time, ask yourself if you are only applying to the "perfect dream role?" Hang in there and keep plugging away. If you aren't already using it, I encourage heavy networking on LinkedIn. Good luck!

41. AnonymousMay 25,2022 at 1:01PM UTC

    That is awesome that you have sent out 15. Keep sending them out! There are a lot of candidates out there looking. I can received 200+ resumes for one job posting I might put out there. Keep on applying and give it time, some hiring managers may have more than one position they are hiring for so it might take them a few days or even weeks to get back with you.

42. AnonymousMay 25,2022 at 4:46PM UTC

    I recently went through this and did start a new job, but it took 50 applications of which I heard from about 10 of them for an initial screening but anywhere between 1 week to 8 weeks after I applied! Then out of those 10, went through 1st round of interview with 5 and then ended up in final round for 3 of them and 2 resulted in offers. It seems employers need to hire but can't do it fast enough and despite what you may hear on shortage of talent, they are also being very choosey.....I also tailored my resume to ensure that my resume had key words that aligned with the job description. Also make sure your resume is ATS friendly. I also used this tool to analyze my resume with the job description. I found that it is so much more than my qualifications and experience, it's some kind of an AI dance we are doing here to get that initial phone screening! https://cultivatedculture.com/resume-scanner/