You’re getting called for initial phone screens and first interviews, but are you getting call-backs or job offers? If you seem to be hitting a bottleneck after first or second round interviews, you owe it to yourself to objectively take a step back and be open to constructive criticism, change, and improvement. As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but if it is broke, what are you waiting for?

True story –

When I was interviewing on campus for investment banking positions as a college senior, I was lucky to have secured three call-backs to go to New York for a full-day of second rounds (dubbed “Super Saturdays.”) I did not get offers from the first two banks who brought me up to interview. I had one last Super Saturday scheduled with my third and final bank. If I wanted to secure a position through on-campus recruiting, I had to ace this interview. At the suggestion of one of the university career center consultants, I called the interviewers from the first two banks I interviewed with to ask for constructive criticism, explaining that I had one more bank to meet with and wanted to improve my interviewing skills. Everyone I spoke with was more than happy to help out and offer suggestions.

I received consistent feedback that I was not conveying my enthusiasm, and I wasn’t coming across as “wanting it” as much as some others. This was the farthest from the truth, but this was what my body language was conveying. In my mind, I had been acting mature and professional, but it was coming across as cool and uninterested.

My strategy changed for my third and final day of interviews. I went in excited. I leaned forward in my seat, I was animated in my answers, and conveyed to the interviewers (in as many words) that I wanted to work there, that I was excited about their program. And guess what? I got an offer! The only one from that investment banking program to my class, in fact.

The moral of the story –

Had I not called for constructive criticism, I would have interviewed the same way as I did the first two times, and that offer may have gone to someone else.

Fast forward to the present day… as a job search coach, I know how important role playing and mock interviews are and would also recommend taking my own advice. If it’s not working for you, don’t keep doing it. Ask for help and learn what you need to change. Success is waiting for you!