For instance, suppose your interviewer says he's looking for someone with more experience in XYZ. Strengthen your position by spotlighting in your letter how you coordinated several key XYZ-type projects, which gave you more experience than you originally mentioned.
Suppose your problem is the opposite-you're perceived as being overqualified. In this case, explain that you're willing to accept a lesser position because you believe it offers intriguing challenges or because you're tired of burning your candle at both ends and want a less stressful job that requires fewer hours.
Other issues to address may include your background and adaptability for tackling a different industry, product, company size or culture; the discrepancy between your current compensation and what the potential position offers; your willingness to relocate (especially overseas); the possible philosophical clashes between your manager's style and your own. In short, a thank-you note is a useful vehicle for resolving any problems because it allows you to put your argument on paper and make strategic use of the sandwich approach. The following "overcoming-potential-employer-or-client-concerns" thank-you notes are from real people.
Do you think they succeeded in overcoming their interviewers' objections?
CLAYTON COLLINS
2815 Perry Court
Manassas, VA 24501
804-596-5376
August 30, 199X
Mr. Clint Roster
lontech, Inc.
1434 Green Drive, Suite 5005
Lassiter, VA 22101
Dear Clint:
I enjoyed our visit this afternoon and want to thank you for your time and interest. At this time, I believe it would be beneficial for both of us to address your reservations concerning my joining your team at lontech.
As I understand, there are two main issues you are pondering about my ability to help lontech enter its new market niche. First, have my selling skills eroded during the years I served as the president of Candor Group? Second, will I be satisfied with a position as a "SALES MAN?" or more to the point, will I put forth the effort required to succeed in this endeavor?
On the first point, let me assure you, the main responsibility of a leader of a small technology company is selling. As lontech introduces its new family of integrated application development products, it will be confronted with many of the same challenges that I have already faced, such as how to convince prospective customers that this new technology will help them address real business problems with cost-justifiable solutions, or how to recruit strategic partners who can provide profitable distribution channels for lontech in the partners' unique niches.
While I acknowledge your concern about my desire for a position as a "SALESMAN" for lontech, I do not share the view that the position is just a salesman. As we discussed in your office, I am evaluating possible positions using the following four criteria (order not significant);
- Its potential for compensation.
- Its geographic location.
- Its product(s) and/or service(s).
- Its responsibilities/positions.
Clint, I am excited about your company's technology, its market, which I believe is the next major growth segment for the software industry, and the chance to be associated again with a clear leader in this arena. I trust that this letter will successfully address your concerns. I look forward to the appropriate next steps with you and your immediate supervisor.
Sincerely,
Clay Collins
Lawrence G. Frantz
6535 Northpoint Drive
Dallas, Texas 75248
February 3, 199X
Mr. J. Ward Smith
President and Chief Executive Officer
Biomed Control, Inc.
9200 Webb Chapel Road, Suite 500
Dallas, TX 75220
Dear Ward:
Thank you for the opportunity to make a proposal to you for my assistance with your investor relations. I know from my experience, and from discussions with other investor relations people this program will work to broaden your coverage by analysts.
You and A, J. expressed some concern over whether there are enough potential analysts to make Phase II of my program viable. A check with a directory shows there are133 buy-and-sell-side firms that follow health care. Because of multiple health-care analysts in the same firm and the exclusion of smaller firms from this particular directory (but available in others), I would estimate there are 300 health-care analysts. While I recognize not all of those analysts would be interested in Biomed Control, the advantage of Phase II of my proposal is it would cost you nothing for those analysts who are not interested in talking to me about your company. I feel my proposal is reasonable in estimating 90 analysts or 30 percent of the total population would be interested in hearing about your company.
I look forward to talking with you about your trip to New York.
Sincerely,
Larry Frantz
The Acceptance Letter
Without a doubt the most enjoyable job-search letter is the one at the end of the process: the acceptance letter. Yet most people are so relieved to finally land a new position, they neglect to compose the landmark document that acknowledges their search is over and a new phase of their career is beginning.
Like thank-you notes, acceptance letters can be formulaic and full of bland platitudes, or they can specifically describe your understanding of the responsibilities and rewards of your new position. While the thought of an employment contract makes many managers fear a potential lawsuit, your written acceptance can serve the same purpose as this legal document without creating the accompanying paranoia. Indeed, before our society became so litigious, the main purpose of an employment contract was simply to outline the mutual expectations of the involved parties so that everyone clearly understood the basis for the relationship. Your acceptance letter can still do this without the nasty baggage associated with a contract.
Advantages of a Letter of Acceptance
It feels soon good to write.
It clarifies you and your employer's understanding of exactly what you've agreed to. Perhaps you've noticed how no two people seem to re call events or conversations the same way. Or their recollections of an event may be correct, but their interpretation of it differs. Filtered perceptions and misinterpretations often occur in interviews when both parties are trying to impress one another and encourage a budding relationship. Although neither person means to misrepresent himself, misunderstandings may occur nonetheless.
If you write an acceptance letter stating your understanding of your job responsibilities, compensation, reporting relationship, and anticipated (but not assured) future, you give both yourself and your manager a "constitution" for starting your new venture. If your employer reads it and finds your perceptions differ from his, you and he can set the record straight before the original miscommunication snowballs, possibly destroying your relationship.
A letter of acceptance is a benchmark for describing where you began your career at the company. As your career progresses, you can use it before or during performance appraisals, raises or promotions to illustrate how your responsibilities have increased. Or if your career seems stymied, it can serve as a gentle reminder of the first time you and your manager discussed your future.
While this letter isn't an official contract, it will probably go into a permanent employment file that human resources keep under lock and key. If a disagreement over your responsibilities arises, you have a historical document to back you up. (Unfortunately, if your relationship with your manager deteriorates enough to need the letter, it's probably too late to salvage your job.)
A Word of Warning
Because so many companies have been sued for breaking implicit contracts, your manager may get nervous when he sees your letter. If you detect such a concern, reassure him about your motives and offer to destroy it. But keep in mind that his paranoia about being sued may stem from actual events, not just horror stories in the business media.
A good manager is a good communicator who'll appreciate your efforts to assure a good start. He doesn't need to worry about litigious misunderstandings because he's able to resolve misperceptions before they become problems. Good supervisors rarely land in court.
