Following-up means staying in touch with them. It is not to see if they can do anything for you, and not to see if they have done anything for you.
It means staying in touch to see how they are, to inquire about how their family is, or how their organization's sales or services are coming along, and perhaps to thank them for anything they might have done for you or for any advice they may have given along the way.
If what they have done is to provide support for you, to be "thinking positively for you toward the possibility of getting the job and the opportunity you want," then the purpose for your call or note is to acknowledge them for that support.
Your contact with them might take other forms. Try one or more of these in your stay-in-touch-with-your network plan:
- Send a magazine article which interests you and which would definitely interest them.
- Send an article which interests them, but which holds no interest for you.
- Send a cartoon or a few cartoons or jokes (in good taste, please!) which are likely to produce a smile or a laugh from them.
- Call with some new information which you have uncovered about a topic which interests him or her, or which interests both of you.
What you want... is for the recipient to think, if only for few seconds, or moments, about you... to think about what a nice person you are... and about the possibility that they might be able to help or respond to you in some way.
Following Up And Staying In Control
During your job hunt, you should remain in control.
Most job hunters think they have no control. They think "circumstances" have control... that "employers" are in control... that "the organizations" have the power and the control.
But organizations exist only because people are in them and because often people need to be served by them. And you, friend, are those "people." So you have the control.
In the job hunt, you must not give up all control.
One of the major mistakes is to expect employers to call you, rather than your calling them. Most cover letters conclude with "My number is 000-0000, and I may be reached between X a.m. and X p.m."
The moment they are requested to be calling you, rather than your calling them, you've lost control.
Waiting for the telephone to ring is not part of your job hunt campaign. It puts you out of control. It prevents you from being pro-active and requires you to be re-active.
In your letter, say that you will call. In the interview, thank them for offering to call, but ask if you might call them instead.
When you call, you may not get through. Call again. Continue to call until you get through. Leave your name, but never leave your number.
When you leave your number, you've lost control.
After several unsuccessful attempts to talk to the person you want to reach, you might consider asking, "When is a good time to reach her for a one-minute phone conversation? I've tried different times and haven't had much luck?"
Following Up By Creating the Environment
When you call back, as opposed to someone else calling you, you have an opportunity to create the environment for your call.
If they call you, your kids may be screaming. Or you may be testing the loudness control on your stereo. Or your dog may be barking. Even worse, you may be in an argument with someone and be in a mood which you would prefer others not to know about.
When you call them, create a quiet environment. Focus on them, on what you will say, on being alert and pleasant, and on eliminating possibilities for a negative environment:
- Send the kids outside.
- Turn off the radio and the stereo.
- Turn off the TV!
- Have paper and pen handy.
- Be in sight of the door, so that you can see and be warned about approaching visitors.
- Don't be eating, drinking or chewing gum.
- Have a glass of water handy, in case you need it.
- Be clear about the purposes of your call-use notes written down about what you will say, what questions you want answered.
- Ask if the person you reach "has a minute or two to talk right now?"
- Always give your name slowly, clearly, distinctly. Remind them of who you are, what you were in their office for, and do it all slowly!
- Smile! Keep both your physical and your mental selves happy
- When you conclude, stay in control. If someone tells you, "we'll call you if we get anything," ask if you might call them again sometime, "because I'm gone quite a bit." Then call again or write again, to stay in touch and to find out about them, not about what is coming up for you.
In the course of following up and following through, you'll be rejected. You won't get through. You won't be acknowledged for the wonderful person you are.
Whatever happens, keep smiling!
Whatever your problems may be, don't talk about them. Remember: they're not particularly interested in yours. They're interested in their own.
So focus on them. And sound happy, enthusiastic, and pleasant. Not eager, not pushy, not needing or wanting ... just happy and competent.
So S-M-I-L-E and you'll come across the way you want to come across.
