By now, you’re feeling like there’s no hope. Especially when you think you’re just as qualified as your colleagues who are getting jobs, you don’t understand why your job search efforts are failing you.
Even if you think you’ve done everything to get a job, there are important elements of your job search you’re probably overlooking.

Here are four reasons why your colleagues could be getting jobs and you aren’t:

1. Your colleagues are networking, and you could care less.
Networking, networking, networking.

By now, this concept should sound like a broken record to you. If it doesn’t, chances are you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to land a job. In case you didn’t know, four in 10 people say they’ve found their best job through a personal connection.

If you’ve blown off networking opportunities over the last few months, this is a good indicator of why you’re struggling to find a job.

The Solution:
Even for people who don’t enjoy networking, there are some things you can do to make valuable connections. First and foremost, social media is probably the most useful networking tool for Millennial job seekers. According to Jobvite, 76 percent of job seekers found their current position through Facebook.
For job seekers who are uncomfortable at networking events, social media is a good alternative.

Reach out to professionals in your industry on LinkedIn and Twitter. Ask them questions about their career paths and seek advice about succeeding in your industry. The more connections you create and relationships you maintain, the larger network you’ll have to use to your advantage when applying for jobs.

If you want to do some networking in person, grab one of your colleagues and seek out networking events. In addition, don’t hesitate to ask the people you connect with on Twitter or LinkedIn to meet up for coffee if you’re in the same area. These face-to-face connections are valuable for your job search.

2. Your colleagues care about their personal brand, and you don’t care:
When it comes to getting a job, you have to care about your reputation -- offline and online.
Take a look at your colleagues who’ve got a job. Are they on LinkedIn? Do they have a professional online portfolio? Do they watch what the tweet or post on Facebook? If they’re doing these things, you can bet their strong online brand has helped them land a job.

Research shows that, while 96 percent of recruiters are active on LinkedIn, only 36 percent of job seekers are. Job seekers who have stronger personal brands and an online presence are more likely to get noticed by recruiters and employers.

The Solution:
There isn’t a secret formula for building your personal brand; however, there are some things you can do to boost it up. The first step to building your personal brand is to create a LinkedIn account and clean up your other social media accounts using tools such as RepNup. This way, you’re able to catch anything negative said about you online before a recruiter sees it.

Another thing you can do to build your personal brand is start a professional blog or build an online portfolio. These are great ways to showcase your skills and position yourself as an expert in your field.

3. Your colleagues are consistent in following up with employers, but you’ve never sent a thank you note.
If you’ve been scoring interviews but not getting jobs, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to make a lasting impression with employers. Details are everything when it comes to landing jobs, which is why you need to be consistent in following up with hiring managers and recruiters. If you haven’t sent a single thank you note, this could be the reason why you didn’t get chosen for the job.

The Solution:
According to a survey by Every Day Connect, 81 percent of employed adults say a thank you email is an appropriate way to show appreciation. Whether you’ve talked with a recruiter over the phone or you just had a video interview, it’s essential for you to follow up with an email or thank you note.
For example, after talking with a recruiter on the phone, follow up with an email thanking them for their time and mentioning some of the things you learned about their company. This extra effort will help you make a lasting impression on the recruiter.

4. Your colleagues continue searching and applying for job until they’re hired, and you don’t.
A huge mistake job seekers make is they stop searching and applying for jobs when they secure an interview. However, job seekers who are successful continue searching and applying for jobs until they’ve accepted an offer.

The Solution:
Even if you’ve had a few job interviews, don’t turn off your job search radar. In the initial stages of the interview process, there’s no guarantee you’ll get hired. As you focus on interviews, keep search and applying for new job openings and networking opportunities. This way, you won’t get distracted by job interviews and you’ll be able to keep up with your job search.