Rejection hurts for everyone. Submitting application after application and being rejected, or worse, ghosted, has become a universal experience for folks searching for jobs. Navigating this rapidly evolving job market is extremely challenging, and facing frequent rejection doesn’t make it any easier. I hope that students will take comfort in knowing that they are not alone in this uphill battle for employment, and that job rejections are not indicative of your worth or future potential.
Though I know that there are external forces in every job application process and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, I’d like to offer some feedback and resume tips based on my own recent hiring experience:
- Always put your full name on the resume file that you upload. When a hiring manager is trying to find your resume in a batch of 70+ resumes and it is named resume.pdf, then you might be making it harder for them to find your information and giving them work to rename your file. Try not to give them any reason, no matter how small it may seem, to dismiss you.
- Spend some time making your GitHub account look good and include the url link in your resume. Double check the link, making sure you don’t link to GitHub.com, or to a specific repo, rather than your profile or personal page. As a hiring manager, I always look at GitHub accounts and check for activity, creativity, and to see if you have contributed to other projects.
- Be careful relying on AI for your free responses, especially if you want to stand out. I am sympathetic to how time consuming it is to answer questions for all of the jobs you may apply to. However, AI has a way of normalizing your responses so they all sound the same. Words like ‘intersection,’ ‘deeply,’ ‘delve’ etc. are often overused by AI generated responses, ringing alarm bells for hiring managers. For example, the phrase, “I’m interested in this position because it sits at the intersection of three areas I am focused on,” or something similar was used in almost half of the applications I reviewed for a recent job opportunity. It’s important to note that using obvious AI responses isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, but it might not help your cause. The most critical part of free response questions is to give specific examples and details that are unique to you and relevant to why you would be a good fit for the position.
- Networking really does make a difference. In an environment where everyone is hustling and fighting for job opportunities, it’s important to distinguish yourself and make positive impressions. You never know who might have the magical connection to help you reach your goals. The GW OSPO definitely notices and boosts candidates that have applied for or won OSPO awards, participated in OSPO activities, and/or volunteered at our events. Networking also encourages you to build people skills that will continue to serve you throughout your career.
Applying for job opportunities is exhausting, especially when you’re competing against so many other capable people. Enter AI generated resumes or resume reviewers and it feels nearly impossible. Don’t equate your job search with your abilities or personal worth; your opportunity and the path that follows will come.
I encourage you to consider reaching out to GW’s Career Services for more insights, workshops, and resume bolstering opportunities. I also welcome you to connect with the GW OSPO to discuss the job market, opportunities, and your specific talents and interests.