As the job market continues to swell with applicants, employers are less likely to acknowledge they received a resume or even send a thank you note.  If you sent out a resume and the employer hasn’t gotten back to you yet, below are the most likely reasons why:

They’re Overwhelmed

Many employers receive hundreds of resumes for each job they post. Sifting through those resumes takes time causing some employers to experience delays of three or more weeks. If you applied for a job, and haven’t heard back yet, don’t start to worry too much until a month passes.

You Didn’t Make The Cut

Even if you fit the bill perfectly, the employer may have found other job candidates who not only fit their needs perfectly but had bonus characteristics. Because of high unemployment numbers some employers are able to snag exactly what they’re looking for, plus a little extra.

You Did It Wrong

Failing to follow directions is a huge pet peeve of employers.  If an employer asks that job candidates attach text only resumes and you copy and paste, then your email might be deleted. The same applies to job candidates who apply to jobs for which they are overqualified or underqualified, or who send out mass generic resumes to employers – they simply are not considered.  If you made this mistake, then you won’t hear back from the employer.

You Made A Bad Impression

If you feel that you were a perfect match for the employer and followed instructions; but still haven’t heard back from them, review your resume and cover letter for errors.  Simple typos and formatting errors could land your resume in the trash bin.