M Prembroke:
To answer your question more directly on what you can do to generate more interviews:
1. Have a good cover letter. Your cover letter should "sell" your self. Do not put in any negatives. Do not explain why you left your last job - no one cares. Put in your positive aspects. For entry level, list some points that tell how you are "goal oriented", "a self starter", "learn rapidly/fast"
2. Your cover letter should not be a rehash of the resume.
3. Your cover letter should be 3 paragraphs. And it should be personallized. I usually change the first paragraph around and leave the other two alone.
4. These resume folks all say to do research on companies you are applying to. Sure it helps, but do you really have time to do the research on 10-20 of the companies you are going to send resume's to that week. Better yet, in our industry
alot of the leads are through head hunters - and you don't know the comapny.
Basically, I address the cover letter to whomever. Include title/etc. I also say where I saw the advertisement or whatever the case may be.
5. If sending a us-mail - sign in blue ink. I don't know why - but blue ink gets you responses. Probably because it stands out better.
6. The new theory in sending out resume/cover letter via mail is that you should use standard white paper. I say no way kids.
You should use good stock (100% cotton - about $8.00/50 sheets) white or light grey paper. Do not get the "flecked" kind with little ticks on it. It looks nice - but does not copy well. I think they call this style "dark granite" or something.
7. The theory about stamps used to be to use commemorative stamps. I say go with the standard US Postage ones. Never, ever use a postage meter. Always type up the envelope with return address.
Never use labels on envelope.
Never use those Easter Seals doodads to seal lid of envelope.
Never use self adhesive return addresses.
8. None of the issues in item #7 will kill you - but you are trying to get past the minimum wage secretary. Who would love nothing more than to throw the whole pile in the trash. After all, you are interrupting her game of computer solitaire.
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9. If you can, follow-up with a phone call. Tough with a lot of them. But try.
10. Apply to everyone-everything-anything. Go to job fairs, resume workshops (the free ones). Subscribe to the free trade magazines - most are useless but once in awhile they have a good article.
Example: I was interviewing with General Electric Locomotive in Erie, PA. Saw they were going to put satellite dishes on the locomotives - but the heat from the radiators was melting the dishes. So I learned the locomotive model numbers (C40-9W) and the horsepower (5000 HP) and the proposed horsepower (6000 HP). Also read that Conrail had bought the competitors locomotives (General Motors - EMD SD80MAC).
At the interview - I said that it was a shame that Conrail didn't buy any of GE's new Dash-9's. Would have loved to seen the paint job on that one. Of course the guy damned near peed himself.
I was offered the job. But no, I decided to go work for our friends at Lucent instead.
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11. Be professional on the phone. If you live with mum/dad - do not tell the interviewer/person making the initial phone contact.
Change the answering machine (perfectly legal to do so and a must in today's business world) to your voice only. Tell mum/dad to NOT to answer the phone - explain why.
I know, it's one of those American things. But I feel recruiters question someone still living at home with parents.
I had to do this when my lease ran out at Pitt - and I moved back in with parents for 2 months.
And yes, I got the lecture from the old man about how I should be loyal to the same company for 40 years. You know, the old man has been retired for like 5 years now and he still has the company license plate "MAYTAG" on his mini-van. Yes, there is a generation gap in our house. My dad is a salesman - and he knows how to dish it out.
12. MOST IMPORTANT!!!
HAVE FUN. IT'S A GAME.
13. This number is bad luck - so left blank.
14. If you do this job search right - it will be a full time job after about two weeks. You want to stay SO busy that the rejections (AND YES THEY DO HAPPEN) just get flung over your shoulder and you move onto the next one.
Johnny
(jpcoxey@aol.com)