The Resuscitator
You've had a very promising interview. You are one of the finalists for the position. You anxiously await the decision. Then it arrives... close, but no cigar. They have selected another candidate. What do you do? Curl up in a corner and cry?
That's what other job seekers might do, but not you. You really wanted that job. Didn't you? Now is not the time to take "no" for an answer. You know what the sales pros say? "The selling doesn't really begin until you receive a 'No.'"
There are two means of trying to breathe new life into an apparently dead job search: phone or write to the employer. Or, better yet, both. My recommendation? Pick up the phone and call the employer.
Now, pause and listen closely to her feedback. Take brief notes. Ask for clarification or suggestions for improvement. But, for goodness sake, don't get into an argument with her. Try to be objective and open-minded. If you don't agree with her perspective let it go.
The resuscitator provides a wonderful opportunity to improve your job search skills. How else can you discover how employers may be viewing your candidacy? There are a few more reasons, besides self-improvement, for soliciting this vital information.
When you use the resuscitator:
- You show the employer that you are ready, willing, and able to improve yourself. Definitely a nice trait for any potential employee to possess.
- You don't just disappear into the sunset. You make a sudden unexpected appearance. You're no quitter; another nice trait for a potential employee to possess.
- You show that you really did appreciate the time the employer spent with you. And, although you're a runner-up, you are a true class act. Yet another nice trait for a potential employee to possess.
The resuscitator is yet another form of written communication that is virtually unused by job seekers. You can really stand out when you write such a letter.
The Broadcast Letter
The broadcast letter is a perfect example of the "shotgun" versus the "rifle" approach. It's mailed out, along with your resume, to as many prospective employers as possible. Then you sit back and hope, by virtue of sheer volume, to receive a response.
Typically, broadcast-letter senders address the reader with such endearing salutations as "Dear Sir or Madam" and the equally endearing "To Whom It May Concern." Obviously, this is not the ideal greeting!
If you decide to try the numbers game and send out broad cast letters, at least try to mail them to specific people or titles.
Notice that because the writer did not have a specific name to direct her letter to, she eliminated the salutation altogether and launched right into the letter itself. What's the point of starting with, "Dear Sir or Madam" or "To Whom It May Concern"? The reader will just skim over it anyway.
Broadcast letters are notoriously ineffective. Expect little more than a three to four percent response, with half of these being polite "thank you, but no thanks" form letters. However, even a response this minimal beats waiting around the house hoping to win the lottery. If you should land your new job via this medium be proud. You'll have entered the ranks of the very few who did.
Job seekers in some occupations can use a little more creativity when seeking work than most of us can. This is evidenced by the broadcast letter on the previous page. It was written by a marketing executive. Did it work? Well, he must have done something right; his new position pays $25,000 more than the one he lost.
Recruiters
Writing to a recruiter is practically the same as writing to an employer. Naturally you want to strut your best stuff, but you also have to be careful. You don't want to give the recruiter a reason for rejecting you. The usual reason for rejection is the salary you might be making. All too often, it is too high or too low. My advice: don't state your salary needs. If he or she is interested, you'll receive a call.
If the number of people you supervised or the dollars you controlled are important to the level of the position you are seeking, by all means state them. However, once again, if these numbers may be too large or too small, don't give them, simply wait to be asked... after he or she is interested. It's much better to communicate by voice, by phone or in person, than by mail. You have the opportunity to overcome rejections or explain circumstances. On the next page is just the body of a letter to a recruiter.
Thank-You Notes
Always, after every interview, send a thank-you note. Immediately upon returning home write the interviewer a note thanking him or her for the interview. Keep it short and sweet. Say you appreciated being granted time in a busy day.
A thank-you note is one of the easiest and nicest things you can do when looking for work. It can pay big dividends!
If you have ever interviewed people, you know how easy it is, after several candidates, to get them mixed up in your mind. Unless you take extensive notes it is difficult to remember who said what and which name belonged to which face.
You could be sitting there a day or two after the interviews, trying to put the pieces together, when comes in a thank you note from one of the candidates. If this person is one of the favorites you are trying to sort out in your mind, it could be all it takes to turn the tide in his or her favor.
But a thank-you note is more than a way of showing your appreciation. To be truly effective it must also be a sales note, another opportunity to sell yourself. Always remember, you are first and foremost a salesperson. There is nothing you say or do in your job search that is not aimed at selling you.
Finally, a thank-you note can often create goodwill like an unexpected complimentary dessert after a good meal.
Thank-You Note Stationery/Cards
You can use your letterhead for your thank-you note. Or (and this is a personal preference), you can buy some nice preprinted thank-you note cards at your local stationery or gift shop. Don't buy something cutesy or flowery. Get something simple and elegant.
I buy my "tent style" cards at a local card shop. They are light gray, about 3'' x 5" with "Thank You" embossed in silver script on the front.
Thank-you cards, especially the tent style, are much smaller than letterhead, so you don't have to worry about how you are ever going to find enough impressive things to say to fill a conventional page of stationery. Also, it is quite permissible to print or hand write your "thank you" on a small formal card. The usual letter-size for mat calls for typing a response.
Another possibility? Monarch-size stationery. It's a little smaller than the usual size stationery, but quite a bit larger than a card. But remember, whatever you write, don't forget to sell yourself once again.
Here are two examples of sales-oriented thank-you notes writ ten on the tent style cards I recommend using. The first note is in response to a possible job opening following an information interview. The second note is in response to a "regular" interview.
