Ahmed AlDhraif

Why you’re not getting hired?

(And what HR won’t tell you?)

Some people apply to hundreds of jobs and get nothing.
Others land offers with just a few applications.

What’s the difference?

→ It’s not just “luck.“
→ It’s not just your resume.
→ It’s not just your experience.

⤷ It’s how you position yourself.

HR doesn’t hire the “most qualified” candidate.
They hire the one who knows how to stand out.

Why do most job seekers get ignored?

→ Applying without a clear strategy
→ Thinking a cover letter will do the magic
→ Failing to build connections before applying
→ Writing a resume that blends in, not stands out

What gets you hired faster?

⤷ Use the “insider“ job search strategy HR actually respects
⤷ Position your LinkedIn like a recruiter magnet
⤷ Showcase results, not just responsibilities
⤷ Network BEFORE you need a job

Your skills are valuable.
Your experience matters.

But if no one notices you, it doesn’t count.
Fix how you position yourself, and doors will open.

You don’t need more applications.
You need the right approach.

Agree? Share this with someone who’s job hunting.

♻️ Repost to help others.
✅ Follow Ahmed AlDhraif for more job search insights.

Shortlists don’t fail from lack of talent.

(And this one thing's silence costs you hires.)

They fail from lack of feedback.

You shortlist 12 candidates.
You interview 6.
A week later,chaos.
No consensus. No notes. No decision.

Why this happens?
→ Reviewers assume someone else left comments.
→ Feedback lands in Slack, not the shortlist.
→ No one recorded why they rejected.
→ Bias creeps in without calibrated rubrics.

The fix is simple. Repeatable. Cheap.

Make these rules non-negotiable:

→ Require a one-line reason for every tag.
(“Too junior, lacks X.”)

→ Use a shared scorecard.
Same 4-6 criteria for every candidate.

→ Set a 48-hour feedback window.
Make silence visible (and uncomfortable).

→ Assign an owner for each role.
One person closes the loop.

→ Capture evidence, not opinion.
Ask reviewers for examples, not feelings.

→ Close the loop with candidates.
Respect improves employer brand.

Small changes. Big results:

→ Faster decisions.
→ Cleaner audit trails.
→ Less bias, more fairness.
→ Better candidate experience.

If your shortlist feels messy, start here:
Make feedback mandatory. Make it simple.

How does your team record interview feedback?

Hiring managers have problems.

And you're ignoring them.

That’s why resumes get passed over.

Here’s the blunt truth:
If your application doesn’t answer
their immediate pain,
you’re invisible.

Want to stop being ignored?
Do this instead, a simple 5-step approach:

1/ Read the job like a doctor.
Scan for symptoms, words that repeat.
“Scale,” “churn,” “acquisition,” “efficiency.”
Those are pain signals.

2/ Translate pain into a one-line opener.
Your subject line or first CV line must speak to that pain.
Example:
“Reduced churn 22% in 6 months, ready to lower yours.”

3/ Show one result that matters.
Don’t list duties. Show an outcome.
“Saved $120K by automating X process.”
Numbers beat adjectives.

4/ Offer a 30–60 second idea.
Not a plan, a promise.
“Quick idea: a 2-week audit that finds 3 low-hanging wins.”
This turns you from applicant → problem-solver.

5/ Follow up with value.
If you don’t hear back, add one useful insight.
Share a short finding about their product or team.
Small value invites replies.

Example message to use:
“Hi [Name], I noticed X in your JD, many teams see Y. I reduced Y by 22% using Z. I’d love to share a 60-second idea on how we could do the same here.”

Why this works:
Hiring managers are drowning in noise.
They open the ones that sound like fixes.
You become memorable. Not just qualified.

Try it on your next application.
Open with their pain.
Close with your solution.

What are you going to try first?

You said “I’m flexible” in an interview.

They passed. Here’s why.

Saying you’re flexible sounds safe.

But to hiring teams it signals two things:
→ No priorities.
→ No boundaries.

If you don’t have priorities,
they assume you’ll bend on scope,
deadlines, or compensation.

Recruiters prefer clarity over niceness.
Clear people reduce hiring risk.

Try this instead, be specific:
→ “My target salary range is 14–16k.”
→ “I can start after my 30-day notice.”
→ “I work best with two remote days.”
→ “I specialise in X, Y, and Z.”

Two short scripts you can use:

Interview (role fit):
“Thanks, I’m excited about A and B.
I deliver most value by focusing on X.
I’d love to own Y in this role.”

Negotiation (salary/time):
“My expected range is 14-16k,
based on market comps and impact.
If that aligns, I’m very interested.”

Why this wins?
→ You look confident, not desperate.
→ Hiring managers see fit, not guesswork.
→ You reduce back-and-forth and speed decisions.

Small test to run today:
Open three recent applications.
Replace “flexible” with one specific line.
Notice how your message lands.

What specific line will you use next?

I stopped saying yes for a month.

And what happened next was so shocking to me that I couldn't believe.

I used to be the default “yes” person.
Every meeting. Every ask. Every quick favour.

It was me drained at the end of each day.

But something clicked and I tried one experiment.

I paused one recurring thing for 30 days.
Just one meeting. One report. One habit.

What happened next surprised me!

I finished the project I’d stalled.
I had two calm afternoons a week.
My team started solving problems without me.

The real lesson?
Being busy isn’t the same as being productive.

One rule I use now:
If it won’t move a metric in 30 days, pause it.

Start simple.
Pick one recurring thing.
Pause it for seven days.
See what fills that time.

What one thing you’ll pause this week?

5 things your weekend isn't for:


→ Rehearsing Monday in your head
→ Answering “just one more” email
→ Using rest to catch up on work
→ Trying to earn your downtime
→ Saying yes to every invite

You don't need to earn rest.
You don't need to prove productivity.

You're allowed to pause.
Log off without guilt.
Do nothing and still be enough.

This weekend:

→ Be still.
→ Go outside.
→ Move slowly.
→ Sleep longer.
→ Breathe deeply.

Balance isn't a reward.
It's the baseline.

How are you going to enjoy your weekend?

They’re not luckier.

The real reason is quieter than you think.

I used to watch them wonder.
Now I study what they do.

They don’t hustle louder.
Instead they build small systems.

They protect focus like anything.
1 deep hour beats 10 scattered.

They trade noise for clarity.
They spend time with builders.

How to copy them?

1/ Protect one uninterrupted hour daily.
Turn off notifications. Close tabs. Ship.

2/ Show up where builders gather.
Comment, help, and connect people.

3/ Be quietly useful every week.
Share a template or a fix.

4/ Practice one skill, publicly.
Small repetition beats random courses.

5/ Measure outcomes, not hours.
Did the work move the needle?

Why the circle matters:
Habits spread faster than skills.
Confidence is contagious by proximity.

If your peers keep winning, don’t resent them.
Study them. Join them. Become them.

Try this week, ask 1 colleague for coffee.
Take notes. Apply one insight.
And see the result yourself.

What will you try this week?

Most candidates treat hiring managers like gatekeepers, then wonder why nothing moves.


→ You send the same application and wait.
→ You miss the faster path into real conversations.
→ You never learn what teams actually need.

This issue shows a different approach, one that gets you invited, not ignored.

Tap the issue below to read. 👇