Whether you’re a highly experienced worker or an entry level candidate, the job hunting process can be seriously depressing at times. Despite all your efforts and countless applications, receiving rejection after refection can be really disheartening.

But with a few tweaks and changes, you may find that you’re a far more desirable candidate than you think. So let’s take a look at five things you can do to improve your job prospects.

1. Get some qualifications

Recruiters on average only take a few seconds to look at resumes before deciding whether or not to reject or shortlist them. If you have direct experience, chances are you will be shortlisted but if you are an entry level candidate, you at least need to have the right qualifications for the role.

Whether it’s a Certificate III in Business Administration or a construction induction White Card, having the right qualifications on paper could drastically improve your chances. And many of these don’t take years at university to achieve, some of them can be completed online in a few hours or days. So if you’re serious about finding a job, make sure you get the qualifications you need to succeed.

2. Ask for feedback

If you’re struggling to find work, then you’ve probably already had your fair share of rejections. Whether it’s failing at interview stage or struggling to get your CV into the shortlist pile, rejection is a fantastic opportunity for improvement.

Perhaps there are basic spelling errors in your resume that you haven’t noticed, or maybe you need to restructure the whole things to better showcase your strengths. Maybe you need some specific experience or qualifications for the role you want or perhaps you’re coming across poorly at interview stage. Whatever it is, asking for feedback from those who have rejected you is the perfect way to find out how you can improve your chances at success.

3. Get some help

Job hunting is tough but there’s no reason you have to go through it alone. There are plenty of organisations out there who specialise in helping people from all walks of life to find work. These organisations can help with everything from skills training in Australia to interview coaching and connecting you to potential employers. So if you’re struggling to find employment, reaching out to a specialist organisation could really help you to turn things around.

4. Get some experience

We’ve already established that the recruitment process can be quite shallow at first. Employers want people with the right experience for the role so that they can hit the ground running. Of course, you need to be hired in the first place in order to get this experience so it can feel like a bit of a vicious circle.

With that in mind, why not volunteer or work as an intern to get some of the experience you need? Of course, many people can’t afford to work unpaid for weeks on end but don’t let that stop you. Make some enquiries and see if you can volunteer for one afternoon per week. When it comes to experience, every little helps.

5. Practice your interview technique

Interviewing is a fine art all itself. You could be the most qualified, fabulous and knowledge worker on the planet, but if you fail to come across well at interview, chances are you won’t be successful. So if you find yourself struggling to get past the interview stage, perhaps you need to practice. Whether it’s asking friends to role play interview scenarios with you or seeking the assistance of a professional agency who can coach you through it, practicing your interview skills could make all the difference.

Conclusion

Job hunting can be a tough process, especially if you experience nothing but rejection. But whilst rejection can be disheartening, it’s also an opportunity to learn and improve. So if you’ve been struggling to find work for a while, take a step back and look at areas you can improve. Whether it’s getting the right qualifications and experience or simply reformatting your resume, making a few adjustments to your application could just help you land the job of your dreams.