Why Aren't You Getting to the Interview Stage?

You've applied for dozens and dozens of jobs. You've sent your resume and a cover letter to hiring managers in numerous companies, but no one will follow up with you. You just can't get to the interview stage! Does this scenario sound familar?

I was quoted in a recent article by Peter Vogt with MonsterTRAK.
Read the article to see a few things that prevent some job seekers from securing a job interview.

www.jobbound.com

How Do You Explain Getting Fired From Your Last Job?

A customer recently asked a sticky question, "In an interview, how do you explain why you were fired from your last job?"

That's a tough one. If you were let go due to a downsizing or layoff, it's a bit easier. You simply say the company went through a reorganization and your job was eliminated.

If you were fired for cause, then it's a bit trickier. You certainly don't want to lie and say you quit, but at the same time, you don't want to belabor the point or bad mouth your former employer. I'd just say things didn't work out with your former employer, and it was decided that it was best if you parted ways. I'd just leave it at that.

www.jobbound.com

Thank You Note

Delivery options
These days companies make their candidate decisions fairly quickly. It’s perfectly legitimate to send a thank you note as an email. Try to do it the evening of your interview or the day after - the sooner the better.

It’s also okay to send a hand-written card or typed note – as long as you know they are not deciding on your status immediately. Again, get it in the mail the next day, or drop it off at the office if that happens to be convenient.

A nice touch
Often, there may be a person whom you deal with extensively in the interview process, but who doesn’t actually interview you - maybe a junior employee, receptionist, coordinator, or administrative assistant.

Sending them a thank you note is a great way to “get in good” with the company as well. Those gestures often get noticed even more!

www.jobbound.com

The Thank You Note

Often the last impression you leave is the most important. Don’t forget a thank you note after a job interview!

The key to a good thank you note is to make it personal. Just like the cover letter though, there’s a fine line between clever and stupid.

Thank you notes should be short and they should mention things you talked about in the interview. As soon as you have a chance to jot down notes from an interview, do it - especially if you’ve interviewed with more than one person that day.

You do want to write a different thank you note to each person you interview with. There’s a chance that they will share them among the team.

Obviously, it’s critical to make sure there are no typos, that names are correct, and that you spell the name of the company right.

Here’s a sample thank you note:


Dear Ms. Bellin,

It was great meeting with you today. I have to say, it was amazing to finally see Accenture after all I had read about it.

Our discussion of what makes companies successful really intrigued me. I’ve spent more time thinking about it, and I continue to feel that strong management and great ideas are what set the best companies apart.

As for me, I couldn’t have been more excited to meet the team. From how welcome I felt to the great discussions we shared, I loved every second of it.

I’m looking forward to hearing back from you and hope that I can be part of your team.

Thank you so much for your time.

Regards,

Tracy Marhula


Next time, I'll give my recommendations for delivery of the thank you note.

www.jobbound.com