"How to Save a Bad Job Interview"

"How to Save a Bad Job Interview"

You got the interview. You went to the interview. You blew the interview

Sound familiar?

Lots of folks beat themselves up after coming up short in a job interview.

But there's hope.

Because you can still get a job offer, even if you interviewed poorly. How? By using your thank-you letter as an opportunity to recover and re-sell your skills.

Here's the story of how one client of mine did that brilliantly. She was offered a position at higher pay just a few weeks ago, despite the intense competition for jobs in this recession.

"I interviewed for a job I really wanted. But I was angry with myself afterwards because I realized I didn't sell myself as well as I should have," says Shelly, a high-tech sales rep from Minneapolis.

So Shelly wrote the following "recovery letter" and emailed it to all three of the hiring managers she had interviewed with. She did that on a Friday. The following Tuesday, she got a job offer.

-=-=-=-

Dear Mr. Snodgrass,

Thank you for taking the time on Friday to interview me for the sales position.

I am very impressed with XYZ Corp., from both a business and cultural standpoint. It is obvious to me that XYZ has an exceptionally bright future and I would like to be an integral part of it.

You mentioned in our interview that a fast start is essential for the person you hire. Since history typically repeats itself, I have noted a few of my accomplishments at former employers below.

There is no question I can/will do the same for you.

-=-=-=-

Shelly then went on to list her top 2-3 achievements for each of her previous three employers, focusing on what she accomplished in the first few weeks on the job.

Examples from her letter are below:

-=-=-=-

ACE Electronics
* In my first year in the position, I ranked #1 in the country. My quota was $6.2 million; I ended the year selling $9.3 million.

DEF Consulting
* In my first 30 days, I won a 6-month contract for 5 consultants that resulted in $360,000 in business.

GHI Group
* In my first 90 days, I produced a Web project for $25,000 that turned into a $35,000 project and an additional proposal in the pipeline for a supply chain project proposed at $65,000.

-=-=-=-

Here's how she closed her letter - short and sweet:

I hope the above information is helpful and I look forward to taking the next step.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx

Best regards,

Shelly Job Seeker

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

So, don't despair if you don't knock their socks off in your next job interview. Instead, take a deep breath and feel good about yourself. After all, they thought enough of you to call you for an interview, right?

Then, go home and prove they were right - and that you deserve the job - by writing a "recovery" letter that resells your skills and proves you can do the job. That's what Shelly did. You can, too!

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Copyright © 2003 by Kevin Donlin

Kevin Donlin is Managing Editor of 1 Day Resumes. The 1DR writers provide same-day, one-on-one resume writing assistance. He is also author of "Resume and Cover Letter Secrets Revealed," a do-it-yourself manual that will help you find a job in 30 days ... or your money back. For more information, please visit Guaranteed Resumes

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