Why didn’t I get an interview?

If you’ve applied for the job of your dreams, but haven’t made it through to interview, you may be asking yourself what went wrong. This can be a frustrating and upsetting situation, but it can also be a useful experience that you can learn from and develop for the next application.

At CareerWise, we aim to match the perfect candidate up with the correct job every time. However we know that things don’t always go to plan, and we’ve come up with a few helpful tips to reflect on if you have missed out on an interview this time.

Why Didn’t I Get An Interview?

Poor application. The way in which you present your application will give an impression of you as a candidate, and if your layout, attention to detail or grammar let you down, you will find it difficult to make the shortlist. Take the time to proof read carefully, or ask a friend or careers advisor for help.
Lack of experience. You may be the most enthusiastic applicant, but if you don’t have the relevant experience or the qualifications that the job requires, you will not be considered for the position. If you are lacking in the basic skills or specialised qualifications you need for the job you want, this could be a great time to investigate further training.
Over qualification. Ironically, if you are more highly qualified than the job you have applied for demands, this may raise questions about why you are not applying for jobs at a higher level. If you are trying to change direction in your career, you will need to explain this clearly within your application.
Other applicants. Even if you tick all the boxes, you may not be the best candidate for the job on the day. Internal candidates are often asked to interview for positions within their company, so if you are an external candidate this may put you at a disadvantage. However, this does not mean that there is any problem with your application, simply that you were not in luck this time.
Technical hitch. Many job applications are submitted electronically these days, and this can mean that a technical problem can prevent your application from being received. It is always worth checking that your application has reached the right person, or following up with a paper application as well.

Always Ask For Feedback After A Job Application

Unless you phone and ask for feedback, you’ll never know why you didn’t get an interview, so you won’t know what to do differently next time.
Remember, if you didn’t get an interview, the chances are that this wasn’t the perfect job for you. It’s out there somewhere, so don’t give up!

Are You Looking For Recruitment Agencies in Cork and Galway?

CareerWise is Ireland’s leading specialist recruitment firm, based in Cork, Limerick, Shannon and Galway, and our friendly team are always on hand to help. Contact us online now or call us on +353 (0) 21 206 1900 to arrange a consultation.

For roles including accounting jobs across Cork, Limerick or engineering jobs across Galway, call us at CareerWise on +353 (0) 21 206 1900 for a consultation, or contact us online today.

Joe Robbins

(Director) BBS (Hons), MBPICS – Shannon Office

Joe Robbins is co-founder of CareerWise Recruitment. A graduate of the University of Limerick (Degree in Business Studies, 1985), Joe worked in the UK for five years where he specialised in materials management, production management and plant management for a number of companies.

He returned to Ireland in 1992 to become Operations Manager for a Cork-based start-up, FMC Automotive Division which was subsequently taken over by Snap-on Equipment. Joe managed the business re-location of this company to Shannon in 1997 before setting up CareerWise Recruitment in 1999.

He is a committee member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Mid-West region, and a former Director and Vice President of the Shannon Chamber of Commerce. Joe is former Chairperson of the Sixmilebridge Camogie Club and current Chairperson of the Clare County Camogie Board.

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interview advice