JobsDB.com - Interactive Recruitment NetworkJob search, talent recruit & career resources for Singapore job market
 
New User? Register

Are you even getting interviews?

If you're following up but still not getting interviews, the problem could lie with your resume or cover letter. You may want to get a professional to review them. A good source is your college career-services office. Even if you're long out of school, these offices often serve alumni, sometimes for a fee. Or consult a professional resume writer.
 
How are your interview skills?

If you're following up but still not getting interviews, the problem could lie with your resume or cover letter. You may want to get a professional to review them. A good source is your college career-services office. Even if you're long out of school, these offices often serve alumni, sometimes for a fee. Or consult a professional resume writer.

 
Do you send thank-you notes after interviews?

It's just common courtesy. Though a thank-you note won't make or break your job search, it might. Let's say the hiring decision is between equally qualified candidates. One sent a thank-you note, and the other didn't. Odds favour the candidate who thanked the employer for his or her time.
 

Do you follow up after the interview and
thank-you note?


If you've sent a thank-you note and haven't heard anything by the time the employer said the hiring decision would be made, by all means call. Be polite but persistent. This kind of follow-up shows your interest in the job.

 
Have you asked what you're doing wrong?

After you receive a rejection from an employer, do you ask what you did wrong or what you could have done better? Granted, most employers won't give you a straight answer; they're afraid of getting sued. But occasionally you'll find a sympathetic person with whom you may have had good rapport in the interview. If only one person reveals something that can give you a more effective approach to your job search, it will have been well worth asking. If you are rejected, also be sure to let the employer know you're still interested in working for the company. That technique has paid off for many a job-seeker when the person the company hired didn't work out.
 
About the Author
Katharine Hansen is a former speechwriter and college instructor who provides content for Quintessential Careers, edits QuintZine, an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and prepares job-search correspondence as chief writer for Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters.

She is author of Dynamic Cover Letter for New Graduates; A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market; and, with Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters and Write Your Way to a Higher GPA, all published by Ten Speed Press. She can be reached by e-mail at kathy@quintcareers.com.