It's never nice to receive a letter telling you that you've been unsuccessful in gaining an interview for a job you really wanted. The first thing you should do is call them back and ask for some feedback on your application. Most employers are more than happy to talk to you about it and for those who aren't, don't worry they probably wouldn't be nice to work for anyway.

The best place to start is by calling the person you addressed the application to. Remind them who you are and what position you applied for. Here are some questions that may help you get the feedback that you are after:

• Were the answers to my Selection Criteria relevant?
• Was my application easy to understand?
• How was my application in relation to the others?
• How far did I get in the Short Listing process?

Write down the feedback that you receive and then measure it against your application. If you believe the feedback is valid, then use it. It will increase your chances of getting an interview next time.

If you don't receive any news about getting an interview at all and it has been at least a week since the closing date for applications, give them a call. Again, ask for the person you addressed the application to and let them know that you haven't received any news from them to date. Tell them that you are looking for feedback on your application and if they can help you with your questions. They are either going to say yes or no. Use the same questions written above to get the information that you need.

Remember, if you don't ask for feedback on your applications when they are unsuccessful, your ability in writing job applications won't improve and that will reduce your chances of gaining that job that you really want. Persistence is the key to getting a job. If it doesn't work the first, second or fifteenth time, keep trying and before you know it, you've got that interview and the job.

Following up Unsuccessful Interviews

Waiting around to hear back from an interview can be a nerve-racking experience. Most people go through it many times during their working life. At the end of an interview, most employers will give a date by which you should hear from them. If you don't hear from the employer by that date, call them the following day. Let them know the "hear by" date has passed and you are looking for feedback on your interview process. Even if you do hear back from the employer and the news isn't good, ask how your interview went.

All the feedback that you can get from the employer is going to help you the next time in an interview situation. Here are some questions that might help you to get started:

• How well did my personality come across?
• Did I rank similarly with the other interviewees?
• Was my presentation professional?
• Have you any suggestions how I can improve my interview skills?

All this feedback is crucial to improving your interview technique. Listen to it, evaluate it and use it. Thank the employer for their valuable comments and wish them good luck with their new employee.