Why do I keep getting rejected?

Question

I have been looking for a new job for around four months and have had little success. One job rejected me after the final interview. But most jobs have either not replied to my application or I've been rejected a week or so after submitting my resume.My current role is a mix of business development and product management. It's hard to describe on a resume or give measurable achievements. I've been looking at product management roles as well as general business development opportunities.I don't know if I am being passed over due to my resume (it's three pages) or if I am not seen as qualified for certain roles or a mixture of both. Or if it's something else altogether like roles not really being available.Any tips? Is my long(ish) resume the problem?

travisjungroth · Accepted Answer

> My current role is a mix of business development and product management. It's hard to describe on a resume or give measurable achievements.
The achievements for these roles should be easily measurable. Effectively and concisely communicating impact is also a core skill for both of them. Bluntly, if I saw a resume with this background that wasn't doing that, I would believe they weren't good at their role then or they weren't good at it now.
These sentences are highlighting some serious sticking point. I would focus on them, deeply questioning your beliefs about some situations.

powerslacker · Answer

> It's hard to describe on a resume or give measurable achievements
You absolutely must give measurable achievements. Team size, number of documents authored, anything! Prove that you worked somewhere and didn't just take a paycheck for breathing.
> my resume (it's three pages)
Cut that down to one page.
> But most jobs have either not replied to my application or I've been rejected a week or so after submitting my resume.
You are still in the phase of your career where you are applying for jobs so rejection will be common. Apply for at least 3 jobs/day if you can find openings. Expect to put in hundreds of applications.

hunglee2 · Answer

BD + PM are quite different roles, other than solo founders, rarely would those two functions be performed by the same person. Being neither one nor the other might be a significant factor in high rejection rate.
Gonna need more information:
post up your resume or LinkedIn in a comment, happy to take a look (I work in recruiting)

grldd · Answer

My guess is you are better than the people doing the hiring. I have done a lot of interviews and the people in charge are out of their depth.When someone with a three page resume comes in it makes them feel inadequate.

1autodev · Answer

Do you have the following?- A github / gitlab profile with small to medium size open source projects- A linkedin profile with 500+ connections- A web portfolio featuring descriptions & visuals of at least 3 past projects, as well as a summary of your skills, professional experience, academic background, and personal hobbiesthat is to ask: are you marketing yourself?

Jensson · Answer

Couldn't this just be the current economic climate? Business people tend to have a harder time getting jobs than programmers, and when you remove jobs in an already very tight market you will have many people who don't get any jobs at all.

muzani · Answer

Budgets have been extremely tight this year and layoffs have been higher than usual. 2021 (aka The Great Resignation) was actually the sweet spot to find a job.

hollowpython · Answer

3 pages? Is that common in your profession? If it's not, why don't you trim your resume?