As a 482 Visa Job candidate, you’re probably experiencing some frustration at this point. You have polished your resume to perfection, sent dozens of resumes, and followed up with every employer. So why haven’t you been called in for an interview?

With the “Great Resignation” still underway and job openings at a record high, you might have been optimistic about your chances of landing a job here in Australia. Hence, it’s natural to wonder why you haven’t gotten any interviews yet. Of course, you’re feeling confused and frustrated. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

There are a few potential explanations. You may not have sufficient experience, need to update your resume, or maybe you’ve just been unlucky and will soon get the call-back you’re waiting for.

Some things you can’t change but some things you can! We reveal the things you can change, the top 3 reasons why your resume may not get any responses to your job applications and what you can do about it.

You’re focusing on the wrong results.

Your resume could have tons of numbers and accomplishments that make you proud, but if those bullets aren’t necessary for the job, hiring managers and recruiters might read your resume and think you’re fantastic. Still, they won’t know why they should interview you for the job opening they’re looking to fill.

The most important thing to remember about resume bullets is that they should be relevant to the job you’re applying for. Don’t just throw in every accomplishment you can think of; instead, focus on the skills and qualities that will make you an excellent fit for this position.

Make sure your bullets speak directly to the needs of the company you are targeting. If you’re not sure if you have the wrong results on your resume, take a moment to read a job description for one of your desired roles. Then, read your resume to see if it speaks to the specific relevant needs of that type of role. If it doesn’t, then you’ll know where to start to land more job interviews.

You’re underselling your contributions.

You might be making this mistake if you leave things off your resume, such as relevant skills or accomplishments, because it wasn’t a part of your official job title. If you’re leaving stuff off your resume because it was a team effort, and you don’t want to appear as though you’re taking credit for it, this could also be a mistake.

While you might mean well by leaving these things off your resume, underselling yourself and not telling the whole story makes recruiters and hiring managers assume you don’t have the experience needed for the roles you want.

When updating your resume, look at each bullet point and ask yourself: “What’s the story behind this?” If the story behind the bullet is more compelling than the actual bullet, update the bullet to illustrate the true story by adding relevant details to showcase your expertise.

For example, if you have an entry-level job that says “created and implemented new sales strategy”, then the story behind it is probably something like this:

“I was tasked with creating a new sales strategy for ABC Corp because our old one wasn’t working anymore. I looked at trends in their industry and other industries and found a shift towards more digital marketing. So instead of just selling them media placements on television or radio, I suggested we create a new campaign incorporating digital media and traditional media to reach this audience better than any other company could.”

Do you see all the cool stuff you did when creating this strategy? Don’t forget to call it out.

So instead of the simple bullet

“Created and implemented a new sales strategy”

We could have

“Creating a new sales strategy to improve engagement for a ABC Corp’s largest client. Identified trends in their industry highlighting a shift towards digital media. Executed a new campaign to reach this audience resulting in a significant uplift in client sales.”

Underselling your contributions as a recent graduate

If you’re a recent graduate or have been out of school for several years, leaving all of your experiences on your resume can be especially important. You may still have little or no job experience, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have anything relevant to put on your resume. Think about what skills you learned in classes and how those could be applied in the workplace.

Your resume is full of unnecessary information.

There’s one thing that can distract from your expertise, even if you have the right experience for the job. That thing is jargon. Jargon is any word or phrase that would be difficult for others outside your company or industry to understand.

This mistake can make recruiters or hiring managers think you’re better off staying where you are – even when you know you have the necessary experience to do the job. The solution is to avoid jargon and use clear and concise language.

Use plain language. You don’t have to be boring, but you do need to make sure that your resume is easy for a recruiter or hiring manager to understand. Hiring managers aren’t looking for an insider vocabulary that only other experts or people working for your existing company would understand. They want someone who can communicate clearly with clients and colleagues, regardless of industry or expertise.

To learn if you’re using jargon on your resume, look at job descriptions for the position you want and see if you’re describing your experience the same way. Then, remove any terms from your resume that don’t align with the work.

Another option, if you are not sure, is to ask a friend or family member for their opinion. It’s amazing what a fresh pair of eyes will highlight sometimes.

Do you have any questions or tips to add?

Did you do anything else not listed above that helped you secure more interviews, or do you have any questions we can help you with? Please post them in our comments below.