Sometimes, it's painfully easy to figure out why you didn't land the interview. Case in point: The 1991 cover letter I wrote to one Mr. Wooward instead of the correctly spelled Mr. Woodward. He sent it back to me with a circle around my fatal mistake.
Most of the time, though, it's much more difficult to pinpoint why you're not getting called for interviews. But if it keeps happening, you've got some detective work to do. Here are three key suspects you'll want to investigate, either on your own or with the help of a counselor at your school's career center:
Your Resume and Cover Letter
Maybe your resume and cover letter aren't laced with mistakes, but if employers find even one or two errors, you're toast.
And maybe your resume and cover letter are grammatically perfect, but they won't get you anywhere if they're not persuasive. Examples and specifics are crucial, as are an eye-pleasing design and details regarding your key skills and accomplishments.
Finally, if you've been sending out the same resume and cover letter to every employer, you might as well stop wasting your time. In many cases, employers will quickly toss one-size-fits-all documents.
The Jobs You're Applying For
There is such a thing as aiming too high. If you don't have the skills, experience and credibility a particular job requires, you'll be dismissed from consideration -- quickly.
For example, if you're 22 years old and just finishing your bachelor's degree in journalism, you're not going to land an interview for the head writing job at a major daily newspaper. (You guessed it: I foolishly attempted this in 1991.)...
Click here to read the rest of the article at YoungMoney.com.
