No response after submitting a resume or application:

• You are applying to jobs you’re not qualified for.
• Your resume or application has grammar errors that turned the recruiter off.
• You did not complete the application appropriately or shoved a resume in it and wrote “see resume” on it.
• Your resume was not targeted to the position you are applying for (you sent the same resume to apply for different types of jobs).
• It looks like a “to do” list and there’s no story –> You look like a robot.
• You have a shoddy job history with a couple of months here and there and employers are not willing to take a risk to train you and have you leave.

If you get calls and then do not get invited to interviews it could be because:

• You did not sound interested during the phone screen, were monotone and totally lacked enthusiasm.
• You had poor speaking skills or lack of correct grammar.
• You didn’t have much to say and the dead air was agonizing and the recruiter couldn’t bear the though of having to do it all over again in person.
• You said “I don’t know” a lot.
• You were pompous and or cocky or had some other poor attitude on the phone.
• You were negative about your past employers or about anything else.
• The Recruiter wanted to talk about your experience and skills and you wanted to talk about the money.
• It was 11:00am and your mom answered the phone and had to call you out of bed to take the call (I am not kidding).

You landed an interview but didn’t get a job offer or invitation to a second interview:

• You were late or rushing in the door just on time.
• You were dressed inappropriately and did not convey a professional image (either too casual, sloppy, wrinkled, thought you were going to a nightclub, etc).
• You lacked grooming and/or hygiene.
• You couldn’t maintain eye contact.
• You had no questions that showed true interest.
• You acted disinterested or distracted.
• You were not polite and/or courteous or lacked in some other social skill.
• You had weak answers (or none at all).
• You rambled on painfully when asked a question.
• You couldn’t stick to the topic of the question, lacked focus and when asked about “A” you ended up talking about “Z”.
• You acted inappropriately or weird.
• You performed poorly on the assessment testing.
• You conned the person who did the phone interview about your skills but couldn’t do it in person.
• You lied on your application or resume and the background check picked it up.

Now, go through the reasons I listed again and see if you can find an area in which you can improve upon. Self assessment isn’t easy but it is critical to your success.

Feel free to chime in and list other things that can be job search stoppers…

When facing a stack of job applications, it can be tempting to craft one résumé and cover letter and send them to out to multiple recruiters/hiring managers to save time. They won’t know the difference, right? Wrong.

Recruiters and hiring managers can spot a letter sent to multiple recipients from a mile away. Generalized sentences or lack of a personalized greeting are dead giveaways that can instantly turn a recruiter/hiring manager away from your application, no matter how qualified you are for the job. Why should a s/he take interest in you when you haven’t even taken the time to show true interest in their company?

If you don’t personalize each and every résumé and cover letter you submit, you run the risk of seeming:

• Disrespectful: Mass messaging shows a lack of consideration for the recipient. Not showing care and attention now can suggest that you might be that way on the job, as well.
• Unknowledgeable: By not even taking the time to research the company you are applying for, it appears you may not be aware of everything your desired position may demand of you.
• Lazy: This is probably one of the worst traits to you can exhibit as a potential new hire. Customizing your résumé and cover letter may be time consuming, but doing so shows you have a true dedication to the job.
• Unoriginal: Recruiters and hiring managers receive countless résumés and cover letters each day. If you don’t use your application tools to present how unique you are for each position you apply for, you are missing a huge opportunity to show your worth.

Remember, cover letters and résumés are your first impression with a recruiter/hiring manager. They can make-or-break your chances of advancing in the hiring process. Getting the job you want takes time, diligence and definitely doesn’t start with the phrase, “To Whom it May Concern.”

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. She is also the national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com.