Finding a new job can be easy – or incredibly difficult. If you’re one of those people who has always been able to find a new job quickly but are finding it to be difficult now, you might feel like you’re doing something wrong. Or maybe you’ve changed.

Or maybe it has nothing to do with you or your approach to job hunting. There are many external factors beyond your ability that impact whether or not you get the job.

First, the economy plays a big part of your job search experience. When the economy is strong, interviews move faster and smoother. Companies don’t have the luxury of stringing candidates along or finding their “unicorn.”

When the economy is down, companies receive many more applications for each job. Companies are able to pick and choose which candidates to move forward. And they often intentionally slow their hiring process in order to save money.

Similarly, where you live can have a big impact on your job search. Those who live in a big city with many employers can often be much easier to find something new. There are simply more options than in smaller towns, where you may have to wait for something to come open.

Companies will relocate the right person, but they always prefer a local candidate if they can find one.

It can also matter if you have connections within the company where you’re applying. Applying online means competing with hundreds of other applicants, reducing the chances that someone will see your resume.

But you are much more likely to get a job interview if a friend offers to hand deliver your resume to the hiring manager.

The story your resume tells also makes a big difference. Companies often look at small, potentially irrelevant details when they are sorting candidates. It’s similar to filtering profiles on a dating app.

Companies start with many options and narrow them down using random criteria. They might judge you for switching jobs too frequently. They may assume your skills don’t translate if you currently work in a different industry. This can happen even if you previously worked in the industry in which you are applying.

You need an open-minded hiring manager if your work history is varied. You need someone who understands transferrable skills and who can see you as the whole and talented person you are.

But this doesn’t happen every time. It takes many applications to find a boss who understands the value you bring.

Let me leave you with this. All of these things can impact your job search. None of them concern your potential or performance.

Keep looking and you will find your fit.

Angela Copeland, a leadership and career expert, can be reached at www.angelacopeland.com.