No Thanks! How to Avoid Interview Rejections

Cover It

If your resume is getting in the door, but you aren't, your cover letter may be to blame. The work you do before the interview can be just as important as the interview itself. As a hiring manager I would not review resumes that didn't include a cover letter outlining why the candidate wanted to work for my company, and why he or she was right for the specific position. Boiler plate cover letters won't get you noticed. If you want to stand out in the pile of resumes, use your cover letter to tell the recruiter why you are worth their time.

Match Your Resume

If your resume is landing you a first interview, but you are not being asked back for a second, there could be a disconnect between the facts on your resume and how you present yourself. Think about whether your resume is overstating your experience, or whether you are just not explaining those experiences well in person. Be sure you can back up all successes highlighted in your resume with concise explanations of how they were accomplished.

Plan Ahead

Interviewers want to hear about more than just what is on your resume. Walk into each job interview with a list of results oriented experiences that you can share. Build this list by focusing on challenges you have faced during your career. When you share these examples be sure to include the specific results achieved. Project X increased our market share by 3 percent. Plan Y opened two new distribution channels that lead to a 10 percent jump in revenue. This list will also be useful in answering those generic interview questions like what has been the biggest challenge you have faced.

Act it Out

I will admit that I dread role playing. But role playing with a friend that you respect professionally can be a great way to brush up on your interview skills. Since your friends are familiar with your achievements, they may be able to help you build your story by pointing out details you are missing, or have forgotten.

Want It

They say that the most successful sales people are the ones that remember to ask for the sale. Seems too easy, right? But did you ask for the job during the interview? I once went through a long series of interviews with a company that had reached out to me. After my final interview with the CEO, I was told they would be giving the job to another candidate. After meeting with me, the CEO didn't think I wanted the job. A job interview is not much different from a sales pitch. Did you ask for the job?

Don't Take it Personally

There are a whole host of reasons why a job candidate doesn't get an offer. Sometimes that decision has nothing to do with the applicant. Positions get cut before they are filled. They are given to internal candidates per a company policy. Occasionally, they get put on-hold indefinitely. The bottom line is that sometimes you can do everything right in the interview process, and still not get the job. What is important is that you keep trying.