Why Is It So Hard to Find a Job?

According to a 2020 article by Alison Dyle on The Balance, the average person changes jobs 12 times during his or her lifetime. In addition, The Balance says that the average job search is about 54 days.

Do you know what that means?

It means you are going to spend an average of 647 days, or 1.8 years of your life job searching.

Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to get a job? Below, we are going to explain how job boards, companies, recruiters, and even you play a factor in the difficulty of your job search.

Job searching hasn’t always been like it is today. It used to be simple!

You used to write a resume, print it out, check the newspaper for jobs, and call to schedule an interview. If the interview went well, you got the job!

Sadly, that’s not how it works anymore. We live in the information age where the world is getting smaller every single day. Your friends aren’t just the people you went to school with, they are scattered all over the globe. While this is great news, it might be the reason you are having a hard time finding a job.

It’s the same with hiring managers.

They aren’t just hiring the local boys or girls. They are finding the best talent from all over the world. Thanks to sites like Indeed.com, ZipRecruiter.com, and Monster.com, it has never been easier for companies to receive hundreds of qualified candidates at the click of a button.

Have you ever wondered how job boards make their money?

If you search for a job on Indeed, you might notice that they never charge you a penny. Instead, they charge the hiring companies for sponsored job postings. It might seem like job boards have your best interest, but do they really?

Not at all.

Job boards cater to companies! After all, if it wasn’t for these companies paying for sponsored jobs, you wouldn’t have a job board to apply on. Companies are able to get more applicants to their jobs in a shorter period of time using job boards. Companies now have the luxury of being extremely picky regarding who they hire. But how does all of this affect you as a job seeker?

The more applicants there are for a position, the lower your chances of landing an interview and the more likely you will have a hard time finding a job. Ere.net says, on average:

• 1,000 individuals will see a job post
• 200 will begin the application process
• 100 will complete the application
• 75 of those 100 will be screened out by an ATS or recruiter
• 25 resumes will be seen by the hiring manager
• 5 will be invited for an interview
• 2 of them will be invited back for final interviews
• 1 will be offered that job.

With such a large number of applicants, it’s no surprise you are having a hard time finding a job. Companies have needed to increase their use of recruiters, staffing agencies, and other related professionals.

“Hey, what about recruiters!? There are more recruiters than ever. That should definitely help with the job search process, right?”

Wrong.

Recruiters are more overwhelmed than ever. Rather than having the time to carefully review each and every resume, recruiters have no choice but to skim through them. According to Time.com recruiters spend an average of only six seconds reviewing an individual resume. Six seconds!? No wonder it is so hard to find a job.

Not only is time an issue for the overwhelmed recruiter, more often than not, but they are also lacking the necessary training. Many recruiters begin their careers right out of college. They are not experts in any particular field. They are just looking for a job!

How can one expect a recent college grad to recruit for jobs they have never even heard of? Or search for skills they have never used? Or interview professionals from unknown industries? They can’t. At least not very well.

Next time you ask yourself, “Why is it so hard to get a job?” you might want to take a look in the mirror.

While it is easy to point the finger at hiring companies, recruiters, job boards and applicant tracking systems; job seekers are also responsible for the difficulties of the job search.

We can’t tell you how many times we have seen job seekers apply blindly to random “quick apply” or “easy apply” jobs just because they are quick and easy.

These quick apply features make applying to jobs extremely convenient for everyone…including your competition. What was once a great idea to save you time, has now turned into a job seeker lottery system making it hard to find a job.

Everybody agrees, it is hard to find a job. So, how can we make it easier?

Improving the overall job search will have to be a group effort. Job boards, hiring managers, companies, recruiters, and job seekers all need to take action in order to improve this inefficient process.

Below are some of our job search process recommendations:

Job Boards

Do a better job of regulating postings. Remove old jobs. Improve spam filters. Improve job search filters.

Hiring Managers

Post more detailed job descriptions. Use realistic job titles. Stop being so vague. Disclose salaries. Provide as much information as possible!

Companies & Staffing Agencies

Stop hiring young and inexperienced professionals to screen senior-level professionals. At least provide sufficient training to support your recruiter staff.

Recruiters

Don’t be like other recruiters. Care for job seekers. Take time on resumes. Be different. Be a good recruiter.

Job Seekers

Stop spamming your resume on job boards and LinkedIn. Apply to only relevant positions. If you apply for a position that is a stretch for your experience, don’t expect much.

If you are completely fed up with your job search, we have another option.

Find My Profession’s Reverse Recruiting service was created to offer busy professionals a solution to job searching on their own.

Our professional Reverse Recruiters will be responsible for searching for jobs on your behalf, applying to the jobs you approve, and networking with key decision-makers to land you interviews. They are also available for 1-on-1 strategy calls, interview preparation, and more.

Let us know how we can make your job search easier!