NYTimes: Where Has Your Job Application Gone?

You find a job listing on the Internet, and apply for the position immediately with your cover letter and resume. It's been over a week, and you still do not hear back from a recruiter. Do you ever wonder what happened to your job application? The New York Times has an article about why the job hunting process has become more difficult for job seekers AND hiring managers.

First, the Internet has made it absurdly easy to apply for jobs. This means that unqualified people are clogging the system with their wing-and-a-prayer applications.

Then add rising numbers of unemployed people. More job seekers — qualified, unqualified and desperate — are hitting the send button. Acknowledgments are going by the wayside as recruiters confront hundreds of applications for a single job.

The best way to get your foot in the door is networking, networking, networking. Get a contact from the company you wish to work. Use online sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook to find professional contacts. Attend professional association meetings and conferences.

Do whatever to make yourself stand out from the crowd.