Rejected From Jobs Again and Again? 20 Job Seeker Questions Answered
At a glance
- Most rejections come from one CV sent everywhere, skills without proof and poor interview preparation.
- Tailor your CV to each job, keep proof of your work (a portfolio) and keep your LinkedIn profile up to date.
- Find the reason behind each rejection and fix one weakness at a time; results change within a few months.
Hundreds of applications, a few interviews, then silence again. Getting rejected from jobs again and again is a daily experience for hundreds of thousands of young people in Bangladesh. Sultan Muhammad Rashed collected the questions he hears most from job seekers worn out by job portals and organised them into 20 questions. This guide answers all 20 in practical terms: why you are being rejected, what to change in your CV and interviews, how much networking and LinkedIn matter and how to move forward in your career.
The real picture: how tough is the competition?
According to reports on the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Labour Force Survey (2024 data, released in September 2025), the country has about 26.24 lakh unemployed people, of whom 8.85 lakh are university graduates. In other words, roughly 1 in 3 unemployed people is a graduate. A single vacancy therefore attracts hundreds of applications. In this race a degree alone rarely makes you stand out; preparation does.
Questions 1-3: why you're rejected and what the market looks like
1. So many people apply, so why does almost everyone get rejected? Most applications are filtered out at the first stage because the CV doesn't match the role. Many people apply without reading the requirements (experience, skills, location). Rejection at the second stage usually means poor interview preparation, and at the final stage a lack of proof of work or communication skills.
2. What are the main challenges of Bangladesh's job market? There are far more candidates than vacancies, and a gap between what people study and what the market needs (a skills mismatch). Employers want people who can contribute from day one, yet many graduates have no hands-on work experience.
3. What gaps do fresh graduates have, and what mistakes do they make?
- Weak basics: computer skills, Excel and writing professional emails.
- Little practice speaking or writing clearly in English and Bangla.
- No internship, volunteering or projects during their studies.
- Looking for "any job" without a clear target.
Questions 4-6: CV, cover letter and salary
4. What are the most important CV and cover letter tips? Adjust your CV for each job: make the skills the advert asks for clearly visible. As a fresher, one page is enough. Write achievements, not a list of duties, with numbers where possible, for example "managed 300 participants at a club event". A cover letter needs three parts: why this company, why you fit and what you will contribute.
5. What are the most common CV mistakes?
| Mistake | What to do |
|---|---|
| One CV for every job | Tailor it to each role's requirements |
| Full of irrelevant personal details | Keep only what matters; skills and achievements first |
| Spelling and grammar errors | Have someone else read it before you send it |
| Empty words like "hardworking, honest" | Prove them with examples |
| Unprofessional email address or photo | An email based on your name and a clean photo |
| Wrong or switched-off phone number | Always give a number that works |
6. How do you negotiate salary? First find out what the same role pays in the market; contacts, LinkedIn and job portal adverts give you an idea. Give your expectation as a reasonable range rather than one fixed number. For a first job, count learning opportunities, training, bonuses and benefits such as transport as part of the package. Don't close other options until you have the offer in writing.
Questions 7-10: interviews, networking and LinkedIn
7. How can freshers stay alert to the job market? Turn on job alerts for your target roles on job portals, follow the career pages and LinkedIn pages of the companies you want to join, and check official notices for government jobs. Beware of fake adverts: anyone who asks for money before giving you a job is almost certainly a scammer.
8. How do you stand out in an interview? What do recruiters look for? Recruiters usually look for three things: can you do the job, are you eager to learn, and will you fit in with the team. So:
- Learn about the company's products, customers and recent news.
- Prepare a 1-minute answer to "tell me about yourself".
- For each skill, give a real example: the situation, what you did, the result.
- End with 1-2 thoughtful questions about the work and the team.
9. Is it really impossible to get a job without connections? No. Many private-sector employers hire on skills and proof of work. Still, a professional network matters: many roles are filled through contacts before they are ever advertised. Build honest connections, not influence: stay in touch with classmates, teachers and people you meet at seminars and in online communities.
10. How important are LinkedIn and social profiles? Many recruiters now check a candidate's LinkedIn profile before an interview. Use a professional photo, a clear headline (for example "Junior Accountant | Excel, Tally") and describe your skills and projects. On Facebook, don't keep anything public that would embarrass you if an employer saw it.
Questions 11-15: skills, trends, job portals and manners
11. What skills do people already in jobs need for promotion? Deep skill in their own work plus communication, problem solving, working with data (at least Excel), team leadership and a habit of taking responsibility. Learn at least one new skill every year and put it to use.
12. How do you spot future job market demand? Read the adverts in your field on job portals regularly and list the skills that come up again and again. Skills such as AI tools, data analysis, digital marketing and customer service now appear in many adverts.
13. How should you use job portals properly? Complete your profile 100 percent, search by specific role and location, and apply only where you meet most of the requirements. Don't apply for many roles at the same company at once. Record the date and status of each application in a sheet.
14. What basic manners should job seekers have? Arrive on time, dress neatly, introduce yourself politely on the phone, write a subject line in emails and send a short thank-you note after an interview. These small habits often decide between two equally qualified candidates.
15. What should you do before starting your career? Choose 1-2 target fields based on your interests and abilities, learn the skills those fields need, gain hands-on experience through internships or small projects, and keep a professional CV and LinkedIn profile ready.
Questions 16-20: certificates vs skills, changing careers and handling rejection
16. Academic certificates or practical skills: which matters more? Both. Certificates open the door to many jobs, and skills help you stay once you're through it. Finish your degree, but learn at least one market-ready skill alongside it.
17. What advice is there for people who want to change careers? Don't quit suddenly. Learn the new field's skills alongside your current job, build proof through small projects or freelance work, and highlight in your CV which parts of your past experience carry over (such as handling customers or accounts). Save a few months of expenses before you make the switch.
18. How do you build a personal brand and network alongside your job? Share what you learn and experience in your field regularly on LinkedIn, join professional groups and events, and help others. For deeper guidance on personal branding, the writing and advice of Sultan Muhammad Rashed can help.
19. How should people who keep getting rejected prepare themselves? A rejection isn't failure; it's information. After every application and interview, note where you got stuck:
- If your CV never gets a call, fix the CV.
- If you fail interviews, practise with mock interviews and, if possible, record and listen to your own answers.
- If you fall at the final stage, add proof of skill (portfolio, certificates, projects).
- Where possible, politely ask the employer for feedback.
- Aim to fix one weakness each week, and keep a regular routine to protect your morale.
20. Do job fairs actually help? They do if you prepare. Find out which companies are attending, bring a few copies of a CV matched to their roles and practise introducing yourself in 30 seconds. Even if you don't get a job that day, you gain contacts with recruiters and information about the market.
Final word
Getting rejected from jobs again and again hurts, but most of the causes can be fixed. Tailor your CV to each role, build proof of your skills, prepare properly for interviews and grow an honest professional network. Today, look at your last 10 applications and find the stage where you keep getting stuck; that is where the change begins.
FAQ
What are the main reasons for repeated job rejections?
The usual reasons are sending the same CV to every job, applying without meeting the stated requirements, having no proof of skills, going into interviews without researching the company and weak communication. Keep a record of every application and interview to see which applies to you.
How long should a fresher's CV be?
One page is enough with little experience, and two pages at most with more. Recruiters skim a CV very quickly at first, so put your skills, projects and achievements near the top.
Is it impossible to get a job without connections?
No. Influence matters in some places, but many private-sector employers hire on skills and proof of work. A professional network of classmates, teachers, former colleagues and LinkedIn contacts does genuinely improve your chances; that is networking, not string-pulling.
Can you negotiate salary for your first job?
Yes, politely and with information. Find out what the same role pays in the market, give your expectation as a reasonable range, and weigh learning opportunities, training and other benefits alongside the salary.
Are job fairs actually useful?
Yes, if you prepare. Find out which companies are coming, bring a few copies of a CV tailored to them and practise introducing yourself in 30 seconds. Even without an instant job, you gain contacts and market information.