I hear from many job seekers who can't help but wonder why they didn't get the job. There can be one reason that makes it difficult to get hired, or even a combination of factors.
Unfortunately, some of what can hinder your job search doesn't have anything to do with how qualified you are, including your age, how long you have been unemployed, whether you were fired from your last job, and how long you stay at a job. A year, by the way, is the magic number.
A new survey from Bullhorn, a global leader in online recruiting software, reports on why candidates didn't get hired:
Getting Fired - Overall, getting fired ranked as most severely damaging to a candidate's future employment prospects, followed by having a chronic medical illness, having a disability and taking an extended maternity or paternity leave.
Job Hopping - The biggest obstacle for an unemployed candidate in regaining employment is having a history of job hopping or leaving a company before one year of tenure, according to 39% of recruiters surveyed.
Unemployment - 31% of respondents consider being out of work for more than a year as the greatest challenge in finding a new job. The range of time for which a candidate can be unemployed before it becomes difficult to find a job is between six months and one year, according to 36% of recruiters. In fact, they said it's easier for them to place someone with a criminal record (non-felony) in a new job than it is to place someone who has been unemployed for two years.
Employment Gaps - 28% of recruiters said having gaps in your employment history is a big challenge.
Not Having the Right Skills - When asked about factors that make it hardest for recruiters to place unemployed candidates in jobs, 31% said "if the skills [candidates] possess are no longer in demand," while 26% said "if [candidates] are out of touch with the modern workplace/technology."
Age - Being considered too old or too young can impact your employment options. 70% of respondents said candidates in their 30s are the easiest age group for recruiters to place in new jobs. Respondents also said that there is greater demand for candidates in their 40s than for candidates in their 20s.
Despite the challenges, if you fit into one or more categories of job seekers that are going to have a difficult time finding a new job there are ways you can help boost your employability outlook:
Image Copyright Getty Images Peter Dazeley