1. ADDRESS LINE The full company name, full address (no abbreviations); full name of the interviewer, and his or her full title. These make you look thorough and professional.
2. SUBJECT LINE "Re: Interview for the Position of (title) on (date)." This zeroes in on the contents and dresses up the letter.
3. GREETING "Dear Mr./Ms. (last name):" "Miss or "Mrs." should not be used unless you know the interviewer does so. First names are out of the question even if they were used during the interview.
4. OPENING
a. "It was a pleasure meeting with you last (day) to discuss the opening in (department) with Company X."
b. "I appreciated meeting with (name) and yourself in your office on (day) to discuss the (title) position with Company X."
c. Thanks again for taking the time to see me regarding the opening in (department). Again, comment on or add to something discussed during your interview in the body of the letter. Choose a topic that allows you to emphasize directly or implicitly your qualifications. This will keep your follow-up from being just another routine thank-you.
5. BODY
a. "From our discussion, and the fine reputation of your organization, it appears that the (title) position would enable me to fully use my background in_____.
b. "I was particularly impressed with the professional ism evident throughout my visit. Company X appears to have the kind of environment I have been seeking."
c. "The atmosphere at Company X seems to strongly favor individual involvement, and I would undoubtedly be able to contribute significantly to its goals,"
6. CLOSING
a. "While I have been considering other situations, I have deferred a decision until I hear from you. There fore, your prompt reply would be greatly appreciated."
b. "It's an exciting opportunity, and I look forward to hearing your decision very soon."
c. "The [title] position and Company X are exactly what I have been seeking, and I hope to hear from you within the next week."
7. SALUTATION "Sincerely," "Very truly yours," "Best regards,"??
Get that letter in the mail now. It should arrive no later than three days after your interview. If you interviewed on a Monday or Tuesday, have it there by Wednesday or Thursday. Since Fridays and Mondays are overload times, letters that follow Wednesday or Thursday interviews can be timed for arrival the following Tuesday.
Fast follow-up avoids the effect of the "fiddle theory." It was developed by Robert Ringer in his bestseller, Winning Through Intimidation:
The longer a person fiddles around with something, the greater the odds that the result will be negative____the case of Nero, Rome burned; in the case of a sale, the longer it takes to get to a point of closing, the greater the odds that it will never close.
As a general rule, you should assume that time is always against you when you try to make a deal-any kind of deal. There's an old saying about "striking while the iron's hot," and my experience has taught me that it certainly is a profound statement in that circumstances always seem to have a way of changing.'?
Take a deep breath-and call the interviewer.
In the second book of this series, Jeff Allen's Best: Get the Interview, I discussed the deep breath phone call, quoting Michael Korda from Power! How to Get It, How to Use It:
"The person who receives a telephone call is always in an inferior position of power to the person who placed it."'?
Knowing that, if you haven't received a response to your follow-up letter within a week, pick up the phone, take a deep breath, smile, and call the interviewer. If you've been interviewed by a department supervisor or other decision maker rather than a Personnel, the technique is a little different. I discussed the approach to use in How to Turn an Interview into a fob:
... [E]nlist the executive's secretary or assistant as your ally, not your adversary. A courteous, firm tone of voice works wonders. Don't play guessing games to get around the front desk; an executive calling an executive always states his name. Only nobodies have no names. And don't ask nosy questions about the boss's schedule, hoping to catch him unguarded. A good secretary simply will not tell you. In any case, if you call very early (before 9:00 a.m.) or late (after 5:00 p.m.) you can often get [through] directly.
If you speak to the secretary;
Secretary: Good morning. Mr. (last name)'s office. You: This is (first name) (last name) calling. May I speak to him, please?
Secretary: I'm sorry, he's stepped away from his desk/on another line/in a meeting. May I take a message?
You: Mr. (last name) and I met last week regarding the (title) position.
Secretary: One minute, please.
The boss might very well have stepped away from his desk, be on another line, or in a meeting. But more than likely the secretary is checking to see if he wants to take the call or not. If not:
You: When would be a good time to call back? or I'll hold, please.
Since you have been direct and helpful, the secretary is very likely to return the courtesy. Also be polite and stubborn: you'll get the decision maker and a decision before long.'"
It's your livelihood on the line. So don't let anyone keep you hanging.
In The Perfect fob Reference, I taught jobseekers how to use targeted reference cover letters to get an interview. It pointed out that once you've been through an interview, the interviewer will probably be calling your references to verify your credentials and ask for more information.
