Sometimes you do have to reinvent the wheel!

If you are wedged into a job hunt rut, then it may be time to re-evaluate what you are doing or not doing to find a position.   From your résumé to the interview, you should assess and re-assess as you receive, or don’t receive, those all-important calls for an interview.  And, if you aren’t receiving calls, then your deductive skills should tell you that cover letter and/or résumé are the culprit.  If you are getting interviews and not receiving a call back, then it is time to re-assess your interview style as the malefactor. 

If there were an ultimate job getting résumé or cover letter, then anyone and everyone who applied for a job would use it.  And, if there were a set if perfect interview techniques, everyone who used them would get hired.   However, the employment universe is faulty and finding answers to a static unemployment status requires as much research as a dissertation for a PhD.  And, like the requirements for a thesis, every résumé and interview should be distinct within the dynamics of the employment universe.

To get the wheels turning again in your employment search, follow a few simple basics.

1.    Don’t use a template to create your résumé and cover letter.

2.    Adjust and change your résumé and cover letter as needed to fit positions you apply for - adding in information about you and your work history or training that matches what the employer asks for in the job announcement.

3.    Check your spelling often and always have someone else proof your résumé and cover letter before you send it to any employer.

4.    Use terminology and words in your résumé and cover letter that you personally know and understand, and not words you have copied from other people's résumé, or from some other source, to avoid embarrassment during an interview.

5.    Practice, practice, practice interviewing and view each interview as another practice.

6.    Most importantly, don’t lose your focus or drive to get to the finish line and into a career.

© Copyright Vet2Work/Naturallysilver 2010-11. This is an excerpt from "Successful Career Moves" by C.A. Stapleton. About the author:  C.A. Stapleton, A.S., B.S., M.B.A., is an experienced, published professional career consultant, mentor, and résumé/ biographical writer.