Steve was graduating in engineering from a private university. He applied to several companies, but his first choice was Silar Corporation. His resume, cover letter, and application for employment got him an interview. He thought the interview was successful because he felt comfortable with the interviewer and solidly demonstrated how his qualifications fit the needs at Silar. He was encouraged by the positive feedback he received from the interviewer.

Steve was shocked when he received a cordial letter of rejection a week later. The letter emphasized that his 3.2 grade point average didn't meet that of the competition. Many applicants would have accepted the rejection as final proof that this particular job wasn't within their reach. Not so with Steve. He discussed the subject with his professors and other members of his support network and decided a follow-up telephone call would be appropriate.

Steve had not made it clear during his interview that he had worked full-time while earning his university degree. In addition, his performance was below average in the first year while he clarified his degree objective and learned to develop good study habits. This is typical of many students. Because his grades were excellent the last three years, Steve thought an appeal to Silar based on his demonstrated improvement and achievement was in order.

Steve called the department manager with whom he interviewed at Silar Corporation. He said that he had received the rejection letter but believed additional circumstances should be considered. He explained that he had worked full-time during his four years in college and that he didn't clearly identify his degree or career objectives until the latter part of his first year. After the first year, with clear goals in mind, his academic performance was excellent, including a 3.8 grade point average in his engineering major.

Three days later, Steve received a call from the department manager offering him a job! The manager explained that Steve's initiative and belief in his qualifications convinced him and his colleagues that Steve had the qualities they were seeking.

What did Steve do wrong? (List more than one thing.) Which success strategy or strategies in Chapter 1 could Steve have used to avert the problem of his lower overall GPA?