- Should I follow up?
- How?
- When?
- Which is better? A letter or a phone call?
- If it's a letter, what should it say?
- How often should I call back?
- How can I be sure I'm not being a pest?
- It looked like the job was mine. How can I find out what went wrong?
- How Can You Insure a Happy Ending?
Don't Drop the Ball
Job seekers often make very good impressions initially. Then they drop the ball. Whether the culprit is lack of confidence, poor organizational skills, or sheer laziness, the result is the same. Someone else picks up the ball and runs with it.
Develop an Effective Strategy Use an active three-pronged approach:
- Continuing persuasion
- Evaluating this opportunity
- Active job hunting with other potential employers
Prong two is ongoing information-gathering and assessment about the company, the opportunity, and the people you would be working with. You're evaluating them so you can decide whether or not to accept their offer when it comes.
The third prong is active job searching. Pinning all your hopes on one possible job is dangerous. Despite your excellent qualifications and follow-up, it might not work out. If you've been focused on only this possibility, you're apt to get awfully discouraged. Getting geared up to start again from the bottom of the mountain is terribly difficult. So, your best insurance is to keep lots of balls in the air-keep contacting and meeting decision makers while you're actively following up.
Immediate Follow-Up
Post-Meeting Self Evaluation
Immediately after your meeting with the decision maker, analyze it. Review it thoroughly while the experience is still fresh in your mind. The notes you took at the meeting are probably very sketchy, so now's the time to fill in the blanks. (Another option is to tape your thoughts about the meeting.) You could do that right in your car, if that's convenient, or as soon as you get back to your desk.
Take a piece of paper and answer the questions on the Interview. I will help you organize your ideas so you can do an even better job next time.
Thank-You Letter
Whatever the outcome of your meeting, a brief thank-you note to the hiring authority is a must. Check the spelling and titles of everyone you write to. Mistakes here could be disastrous. Who could blame the prospective employer for thinking: If he misspells my name before he's hired, what will he mess up later?
This kind of warning should not be necessary, but misspelled and misdirected thank-you letters from applicants, including college graduates, are all too frequent.
Should it be handwritten or typed? Handwritten notes may appear warmer, more personal, and more memorable. That's a plus. But most job seekers prefer typing their letters. Once you have a core letter on your computer, you can personalize it appropriately for individual recipients.
When should you send it? It should be in the mail within 24 hours. If the employer has requested-something which is not immediately available, write the thank-you note, explaining that the requested material will be forwarded ASAP. Then, follow through on that.
What should it say? Basically, your letter includes three messages
- Thank them for their time and consideration
- Emphasize your interest in the job:
- your desire for it
- your confidence that you can do it
- the benefits you would bring
- Retain the initiative for further contact, stating that you are looking forward to meeting them again.
- If a meeting has been set, refer to that specific date.
- If a meeting has not been set, write that you will call at a specific time. Then do it! If you have written that you will call next Tuesday, make a note in your tickler file for Tuesday.
- And call.
The decision maker's colleagues should also receive your thank-you letters. Since few applicants even think of writing to various other people they met during their visit, this little courtesy is a chance to set yourself apart. Thanking people cannot hurt and could even be decisive in a close contest.
