Throughout a job search, you learn important lessons – some spiritual, some emotional, but some just scream, “DUH!” And then comes the “kick yourself” moment. I’d like to share with you one of my own, “DUH” moments. I received a phone call to schedule a phone interview for a position I had already been rejected from. The job is with a large corporation. I received a rejection from their online application process about 24 hours after applying. However, I’d also sent my resume and cover letter to some friends and colleagues who had contacts at the company. Little did I know, even though I was “rejected”, those connections were still working for me, and low and behold, I got a phone interview.
Immediately after receiving the phone call, though, something dawned on me. I didn’t have the job description! And of course, they’re in interview mode, so it’s not posted on their website anymore. No good, friends. No good. Luckily I was able to find the description cached on a job search site. But it taught me an important lesson.
From here on out, I will PDF every single job description I apply for and save it in the folder with my cover letter. You don’t always know whether or not you’ll be able to get the description by the time you interview. Cover all your bases and ensure you have it saved. For me, crisis averted, and you bet I’m going back and saving all the job descriptions of jobs I’ve applied for in the last month if I can find them!
About the Author: Marcy Twete
Marcy Twete is the Founder and CEO of Career Girl Network and the author of the book “You Know Everybody! A Career Girl’s Guide to Building a Network That Works.” At Career Girl Network, Marcy provides women with information, resources, and networking to empower them in their careers and to advance the work of women in business as a whole. Prior to launching Career Girl Network, Marcy worked in numerous nonprofit organizations and as a consultant in the field of nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and community relations. Marcy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a native of rural North Dakota. She is the Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Directors for Step Up Women’s Network in Chicago and a member of the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run Twin Cities, and is dedicated to advancing the work of organizations that move the needle for women and girls worldwide.
I am calling my daughter right now and telling her to read your blog. You have a lot of common sense. That means a lot coming from me because to tell you the truth I just can't stand anyone anymore.