Are you still looking? Joyce’s Career Tip of the Week

Are you someone who has been diligently applying for internships or jobs without any positive results? If so, let’s step back and see if we can identify and solve the problem.

Situation #1
You are sending out tons of résumés and applying online – and getting no responses.

Is your résumé customized so that the bullets describing your skills and experience directly align with the requirements of the position? Sending a general résumé to 100+ companies just doesn’t work. The reader should get the sense that the résumé was written specifically for each position.

Situation #2
You are being selected for interviews but are not making it beyond the first round.

In this case, I would recommend making an appointment with a staff member at the Fulton Schools Career Center to determine what needs to change. From my conversations with students who have been interviewed, I’ve discovered that the problem can be one of several possibilities:

• A lack of knowledge about the company and the position
• Did not recently review technical material
• Did not have specific examples for commonly asked questions

It is important to remember that the interview is not an oral exam where you are expected to quickly respond with the one correct answer. The interview is more of a conversation. It is an opportunity for all parties involved to get to know each other. The interviewer is assessing communication and problem-solving skills. You should explain your thought process as you are solving the problem. You are expected to ask questions because some of the necessary information might have been omitted – intentionally – to see how you would handle a situation where you needed to get more information.

Situation #3
You haven’t heard anything from the recruiter and it is now well beyond the date by which the decision should have been made.

This is the most common complaint I hear from students. By all means, follow up — politely! Call to check on the status of the hiring and let them know that you are still interested in the position. Often, hiring managers are busy with other responsibilities. Sometimes, recruiters are waiting for a follow-up to see which candidates are the most interested.

Sometimes, changing a small detail can make a big difference. Other times, an entirely new approach is needed. The most challenging part of a job search is to keep going. Remember, you do have a team to work with and do not have to do this alone. The Fulton Schools Career Center staff is here to help you!

 

Joyce Donahue is a Certified Career Counselor in the Fulton Schools Career Center.