At some point or another, we've all been there. You find out about a job that sounds great. Just reading the job description gets your heart beating faster. The more you read, the more convinced you are that you have found the perfect job.

But what happens?

You apply. And you wait. And wait.

Nothing. No response.  Excruciating silence. A confusing range of thoughts and questions cross your mind.

"Maybe they didn't get the email."

"Should I call and follow up? ... No, wait, it said, 'No phone calls.' I'll just give it a few more days."

"Oh, no... was there a typo on my letter? Did I get eliminated for some stupid, avoidable mistake?"

"WHY AREN'T THEY CALLING ME????"

If you have had this happen, you know what it feels like to be frustrated and disappointed.  The situation takes a toll on your happiness and confidence. You might even begin to question just how marketable you really are.

Meanwhile, your mind spins in an endless loop. One minute you are hopeful, waiting for the phone to ring or an email to show up in your inbox. The next, you are confused, angry, and upset no one is contacting you.

     "Don't they get it? Can't they see what a perfect fit this is?"

If only you could somehow show tell them what a great job you'd do and what they are missing. Then they'd call. How could they not?

As the frustration builds, you find yourself having desperate thoughts. In your darkest hours, one thought continually creeps into your mind:

     "I know I'd be great...IF ONLY SOMEONE WOULD GIVE ME A CHANCE."

It doesn't have to be this way.

I know exactly what this feels like because I have lived it. More times than I care to think about.  I've also helped clients at all levels and across a wide range of industries who have struggled with the same issues.

When I started the job search, my dream was to work for Chicago-based advertising giant, Leo Burnett. I didn't know it when I first interviewed, but the company, at the time, received 10,000 unsolicited résumés and actively recruited on 40 campuses to fill about 30 open positions, half of which went to MBAs. Competition was stiff.  

To prepare, I read everything I could get my hands on, but nothing seemed to make any difference. There wasn't a single book that saved me from the mistakes I made along the way.  I eagerly applied to Leo Burnett, but was rejected after a full day of interviews.

Undaunted, I continued to pursue a career in advertising account management. Over the next 12 months, I endured 80 interviews in Chicago, New York, and Minneapolis. Along the way, I learned some incredibly valuable lessons that no books ever mentioned--or even hinted at.  By taking the time to learn what my mistakes were (something few job hunters ever do), I figured out how to correct them.

Armed with this knowledge, I reapplied to Leo Burnett the following year. After a grueling 14 more interviews at Burnett, I achieved my dream and earned a position at the company that had rejected me just 12 months earlier.

What I did differently

For almost a year, the phrase, "I know I'd be great if only someone would give me a chance", was constantly on my mind. I knew in my heart I could do a great job. Unfortunately, that wasn't good enough. All the confidence in the world couldn't make up for the fact that no one else was convinced.

When it comes to hiring, there is one simple truth you need to know: No matter what industry you are pursuing, EMPLOYERS DON'T TAKE CHANCES. 

 Employers need to be absolutely convinced of two things:

• The position is the Next Logical Step for you.

• They aren't taking a risk in hiring you.

In other words, you have to tell a compelling story. Simply put, people have to understand WHY what you want to do is the Next Logical Step and WHAT you have done to demonstrate potential.

This may sound simple, but most people never do this. It is also the reason so many people spend their lives in unfulfilling jobs.

 Let me also be clear that your ability to tell a compelling story goes WAY BEYOND your ability to interview. What I am talking about impacts every aspect of your search and presentation: 

• Résumés

• Cover letters

• Networking

• Interviewing

• Negotiating

Fortunately, it is easier than you might think. And knowing how to do it can change your life.

In order to tell a compelling story, you have to provide evidence that what you want to do makes perfect sense and is the Next Logical Step in your development. This evidence must be apparent in your cover letters, résumés, and every other communication between you and the potential employer. Unfortunately, this requires a level of self-awareness and introspection that few job hunters ever achieve. Most never even come close.

How do I know? In addition to the 17 years I spent coaching job hunters,  I worked as a headhunter for several years at a retained executive search firm. I have seen tens of thousands of résumés and interviewed thousands of candidates. Most people simply do not present themselves well in writing or in person.

The Mistake Most Job Hunters Make
Without Realizing It

Strangely enough, the experiences that employers would find most compelling are ALMOST NEVER included in the résumé. Worse yet, these experiences are rarely mentioned in the interview. When, by some miracle, the experiences are included, they are usually camouflaged behind a completely ineffective presentation. While the specifics differ from person to person, the absence of the information is practically a given.

The philosopher Aldous Huxley once said, "Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted." I would take this one step further:

Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking THEMSELVES for granted.

To avoid this mistake, it is absolutely imperative that you complete a thorough self assessment. This involves, among other things, creating an inventory of your accomplishments across the areas that are of interest to particular employers. This includes general skills (leadership, management, problem solving, etc.) as well as skills specific to the job. Depending on the position, this might include categories like:  accounting, mergers & acquisitions, event planning, software design, computer programming, or office management. A good place to look for these categories is in the job descriptions themselves.

I am not going to lie to you. This process takes time.

But the good news is that I am about to make the process a lot easier. Why? Because I remember what it feels like to be exactly where you are right now. And I know that what I am about to share can change your life.

The fact that you are reading this is strong evidence that you are someone who has earned some much needed assistance. That's why I am going to give you FREE, a EBook called:  "Selling Yourself Without Bragging: A Simple, 4-Part Process For Quantifying Your Accomplishments--Even When You Think You Can't".

In this EBook, which takes the information in my book Getting Your Foot in the Door When You Don't Have a Leg To Stand On to another level, you will learn...

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