Hey job seekers, we in the Human Resources community need to level with you.  Yes, the job market is pretty cutthroat, and it can be hard for even the most qualified workers to change positions.  But if you’re being consistently passed over for jobs, it could be that the job market isn’t to blame.  There could be a problem with the way you’re presenting yourself during the hiring process, if only because you don’t know as much about the process as you think you do.

It turns out there’s a huge disconnect between job seekers and hiring managers.  According to the Career Advisory Board’s 2013 Job Preparedness Indicator, 72 percent of job seekers are confident they know how to present their skills and experience to an interviewer.  Almost as impressive, 56 percent of job seekers are confident they know what qualities employers are looking for.  Here’s the disconnect: just 15 percent of hiring managers say that nearly all or even most of their candidates have the skills and traits their companies are looking for.  Yikes!  To make matters worse for job seekers, two-thirds of hiring managers don’t feel like they have to settle for a candidate who doesn’t perfectly nail all the qualifications for a position.  The message: Look at how you can change your approach to applications and interviews to make yourself a more desirable candidate.

To really stand out as a candidate, revise your résumé and polish your soft skills.  You want to put your best foot forward from the start of the process to the very end.  Also make sure you’re not exhibiting any of these traits that are universally off-putting to hiring managers:

1. Serial job hopping.  Remember that recruiting and training a new hire costs a company time and money, so that company wants a good return on its investment.  If your résumé shows a lot of jobs in a short time, or that you tend to move on after only a few months, that is a huge red flag to hiring managers.  This can create a tough situation, so you’ll need to work hard to counter that perception.  Of course you should never lie on your résumé, but you should honestly explain your job-hopping history (think: cover letter) and assure that things have changed and you’re ready to settle down.  Be sure to cite examples of your stunning dependability.
2. Nonexistent or negative social media presence.  These days, employers value your knowledge of social media—not just that you know how it works, but that you can successfully use it yourself.  And let’s be honest, hiring managers are likely to Google you and to peek in on your LinkedIn account, if not Facebook and Twitter.  So show that you’re engaged in your industry and that you’re in the technological “know” by maintaining a current, professional, and positive social media profile.  And if you’re searching for a job, consider changing all your social media profile pictures to something professional, such as a headshot.
3. Lack of preparation.  Too often, job seekers don’t research a company before they shoot off a résumé.  This is a mistake, and a lost opportunity to tailor the application materials to fit what the company is looking for.  Similarly, if you show up to an interview without knowing anything about the company—or worse, the position—it’s going to show.  Hiring managers are experienced at picking out which candidates have done their homework and which haven’t.  Failure to research the company shows lack of interest and commitment, can make for an awkward interview, and will definitely not get you hired.
4. Lackluster attitude.  Hiring managers are looking for positive additions to the workplace, not just in skills but in energy and enthusiasm.  Just as a lack of preparation will show up in an interview, so will a lack of enthusiasm about the company or the position.  Hiring managers tend to equate a positive, enthusiastic attitude with interest and drive—both qualities they’re looking for in the ideal candidate.  So make sure your enthusiasm shines through at every step from your cover letter to your final interview.

Yes, the job market is tough, but you always want to make sure you’re hitting the right marks during the hiring process.  If you find you’re guilty of one or more of these traits that are keeping you from getting hired, take heart.  Once you identify those pesky “hidden” reasons that have been keeping you from getting hired, it’s easy to fix them and to make yourself a more desirable candidate to hiring managers.  That may be all that stands between you and landing that next great job!