Brrr! It’s now mid-November, so we know these Canadian temperatures are dropping fast! But if you’re a job-seeker, sometimes the weather isn’t the only thing that’s getting chilly. If you’ve been getting the cold shoulder from employers, it’s time to take a pause and reflect on your job search progress so far, and investigate the potential barriers in your way.

There are a few simple ways to explore the roadblocks in your job search. We can break these down into two categories: difficulty getting to the interview stage, and difficulty getting past the interview stage.

Not Able to Get to the Interview Stage?

If you are struggling to obtain an interview, take the following observations into consideration:

Assess your application. Are you sending out a generic resume/cover letter (or perhaps no cover letter) with your application, or are you researching the organization and tailoring your documents for every submission? Employers can sense a generic application a mile away, so ensure that your documents reflect the effort and time you hope the employer gives to you.

No really, assess your application. Assuming that you are tailoring your resume and cover letter, consider the quality of your content and the manner in which it is presented – are your skills and experiences clear and relevant to the position? Is your formatting clean and professional, and free of spelling/grammatical errors? Examine the applications you’ve been sending to ensure the quality is high and reflective of the characteristics being sought after in the role (errors and formatting issues don’t reflect a ‘detail-oriented’ individual).

Consider your volume. How many hours are being dedicated to your job search each day? Each week? Allocate and follow a schedule when it comes to your applications. This includes updating your resume, preparing for an interview and scheduling when, where and how to apply to tracking your progress.

Not Able to Get Past the Interview Stage? 

Examine your preparation phase. How are you preparing yourself for your interviews? Look the part! Present yourself in at least a business casual ensemble, complete with crisp grooming. But be more than meets the eye! You nailed the look, now it’s time to nail the interview. Research the position you applied for and the company you are applying for. Be prepared for any and all types of questions, though certainly practice more commonly asked questions, such as ‘tell me about yourself’, ‘what do you know about us’, and behavioural questions such as ‘tell me about a time when…’.

Reflect on your performance. Take a few moments following each interview to evaluate your performance – what would you do differently next time? What do you think went wrong in your preparation? What are the ways to nail it the next time you have a chance? Reflect on all the possibilities and plan how to conquer the next one.

Ask for feedback. Connect with the employer and ask for feedback. Don’t be afraid to also ask tips for next time. Learn to put yourself in the employers’ shoes.

Move on. Sometimes, what we’re aiming for isn’t really meant for us. Don’t be too hard on yourself and continue having a positive mindset. Take a break, assess the situation and do it all over again. No matter how rough the road is, always remember to keep moving forward.