Why Some Job Postings Get You Nowhere

Applying to positions through job postings can be an incredibly frustrating process.  On large job boards and aggregators, many of the postings are stale or have been filled already.  Candidates frequently feel as though they are submitting a resume into a black hole – never hearing back from employers. Sometimes the job description is unrealistically specific or way too vague. Here are some reasons that job postings lead to dead ends:

1.       Companies often want to be perceived as equal opportunity employers, but in reality, they have already identified the person they want to hire for an open position.  As a result, employers post jobs with descriptions that precisely match that person’s qualifications.  In doing so, they can justify that they have hired the right person, without giving others real consideration.


2.       Sometimes companies that have had to cut back have expectations that are too high for the employees they need to hire.   They consider and extend offers to over-qualified candidates, only to have those candidates decline their offers.

3.       Hiring managers can be rewarded for saving money.  If a manager has yet to fill some opportunities, but the department or company is functioning without filling them, they will hold off hiring even if they are advertising the open positions.

To avoid wasting your time, steer clear of postings with overly-specific requirements.  When possible, call up the Human Resources department to make sure that the position is still open.  And look out for postings with fast approaching deadlines; they can mean that the employer doesn’t really want to hire someone from the posting.  Most importantly, take advantage of other resources in your job search, such as precise career management and networking tools.