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.
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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:
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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.
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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
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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!
Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes. Since 1996, he and his team have provided resumes, cover letters and job search assistance to clients in all 50 states. Author of “51 Ways to Find a Job Fast — Guaranteed,” Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and many others. As a reader of this publication, you can get a Free Job Search Kit ($25.00 value) at the Guaranteed Resumes Web site – http://www.gresumes.com
