7 Practical Solutions for Common Job Search Challenges

Regardless of how long you’ve been working, job hunting doesn’t quite get easier with experience; job search challenges never really disappear. The constantly shifting economic and technological landscape forces the Malaysian job market to adapt accordingly, inevitably affecting the job hunting process, employers, and jobseekers. While having more working experience adds to your professional credibility and makes you a more valuable candidate, it can also present a separate set of challenges in the job-hunting process.

What is a job search dilemma?

From the root word “dilemma,” which means a difficult situation, the job search dilemma covers the spectrum of job search challenges that can look like any of the following:

• The hiring manager never called you back.
• You’ve been going through multiple job rejections.
• Your profile never seems to be strong enough.
• Your employment gaps are too evident.
• You feel overwhelmed by the many job openings available to you. 
• Your CV doesn’t stand out among those of the many applicants for a job. 

Fret not: These job search challenges are all real and valid. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t feel daunted by these because you can overcome them. It just takes some time, patience, and research.

Job hunting mistakes you can avoid

Anyone can fall victim to mistakes or run into problems while job searching. Here are some common ones and some helpful solutions too. 

Challenge #1: A long and winding CV 

You’re often cautioned to keep your resume short and concise — ideally, not more than two pages long. Some may find this quite a challenge because of my extensive work and education history. You may think: “Won’t I be risking more by not including all the relevant information? Is it so bad if my resume is longer than two pages?”

It’s not about how much experience or how many certifications you have. Rather, it’s about the relevance of your experience and qualifications and how those achievements add value to your potential employer. 

Solution

For resume building, less is more. Focus on your most impressive and relevant accomplishments and practise economy of words to ensure you get the message across clearly and succinctly.

If writing is not your strong suit, hire a professional copywriter. As long as you’re not interviewing for a Communications or Journalism position, you won’t be guilty of misrepresentation. If the hiring manager comments on the quality of the writing, be honest and say you hired someone to write it. It shows how serious you are about your job application.

Exceeding two pages shows a lack of focus on your part. Remember, you want to catch the recruiter’s eye immediately. By keeping your CV short, you allow them to finish scanning your profile.

Challenge #2: Employment gaps 

You have several gaps in my employment history, some of which are more than six months at a time. How do you downplay them or address them in a positive way during an interview?

Solution

You can downplay employment gaps by listing your experience in years rather than months. That said, if you’re asked for more details in an interview, be upfront about it and explain the circumstances. Rather than feeling guilty or ashamed about those gaps, have confidence in your skills and experience and the value you can add to your potential employer.

Focus on what you have to offer instead of the imperfections of your resume or the gaps in your employment. 

Challenge #3: A generic and boring resume

You read articles that stress the importance of personalising one’s CV to stand out from the crowd. But, most of the how-to articles seem so complex and overwhelming. Aren’t there any simple tips you can apply easily?

Solution

You can improve your resume with some helpful tips from us. So you don’t get overwhelmed in the personalisation process, start by editing your career summary. Use keywords from the job opening, so an employer’s automated hiring system will notice your CV. 

Once you get the hang of it, updating your CV for each employer will get easier. A personalised CV will help you gain attention from the beginning and encourage the recruiter to keep reading. 

Challenge #4: Frequent job rejections

You’ve applied for countless jobs but keep getting rejected or ghosted. You feel down; your confidence is distraught. How do you keep your spirits up?

Solution

It’s highly possible that you’re simply not applying for jobs in the right companies, or you’re applying to too many jobs. Do you research a company’s work culture before you apply for a job there? Are you a fit for the job based on the requirements? 

The first step is for you to get the inside scoop on how a company operates. Check out how reviews can help you in the job search. Be more selective in the job hunting process to cross out rejection as a job search challenge. 

(Read more: Why Did I Get Rejected Despite Meeting Job Qualifications?)

Challenge #5: Lack of self-promotion

You’re not good or comfortable with talking about your achievements. You don’t want to seem obnoxious. However, you know that a certain amount of self-promotion is important, especially during interviews. How do you do it without coming across as an insufferable know-it-all?

Solution

Asian cultures don’t look favourably upon self-promotion, but you can tout your accomplishments without sounding obnoxious! It’s all about striking the right balance between confidence and staying down-to-earth. Self-promotion is instrumental in interviews. After all, you must sell yourself – that’s what the job application and interview process are about. You want your interviewer to remember you. Believe in your achievements and have confidence. You know yourself, and that’s what you want to portray when interviewing for jobs. 

Just in case you need an extra boost, why not practice answering interview questions? Check out this Interview Practice Tool and see how you fare. 

Challenge #6: Job scams

You see jobs on job search boards, but upon reading the details, you think twice. You find openings with vague job descriptions and salaries too good to be true. You might have even been asked to pay to apply for a job. There are countless job scams out there – how do you protect yourself?

Solution

If you don’t feel comfortable while reading a job description, chances are it may be a scam. Trust your gut and ignore such openings. If you can, you should report it as a scam if it’s on a job search board. If you are asked to pay to apply, do more research on the company and check the reviews to see if there are similar complaints of being asked to pay. Remember, you should never pay to apply for a job!

Challenge #7: Weighing two job offers

You have recently completed interviews and got not just one, but two job offers! Now, your job search dilemma is that you don’t know which one to choose. One is for a big multinational corporation which can be a good exposure to different cultures and global practices for your industry. Meanwhile, the other offer is with a small local company that’s aggressively growing. Taking on the latter job would mean you would be hands-on in different teams because the role is key to helping the business grow. Which one do you go with? 

Solution

When faced with the dilemma of two job offers, think about these things: risks and trade-offs. Are you willing to take a risk by going for a job that may mean less compensation but exposes you to more experience? 

By going with the local job mentioned prior, you may lose exposure to a global workforce. But the tradeoff is you are more hands-on in different tasks, and you can learn more skills along the way. You never know, these new skills might help you land your next job in another big multinational. Think about what you gain and lose for each job and the risks you’re willing to take for both. 

Job search challenges will come your way. You can overcome them if you do your research and prepare accordingly. If you want to make the most out of this process, #LetsGetToWork. Update your profile at JobStreet and find work that will bring you passion and purpose. 

For more expert tips and advice on job hunting and interviewing, check out our Career Resources Hub.