In my previous position as Talent Manager, I was often disappointed by the lack of follow up and civility on the part of job seekers. I’m here to tell you that consistent follow up is key and civility can be the deal breaker for recruiters and decision-makers when all things are equal with candidates.
Consider these tips when following up on your job search activities……..
Follow Up To Online Job Posting: Do you go the extra step to identify the hiring manager for the position and send a follow up email summarizing how your skills meet the qualifications for the position? It often takes 30-60 minutes to complete a lengthy online application in a candidate data base so take the extra time to send an email response to capture someone’s attention. This email quickly lets the decision-maker, recruiter, or HR Manager see that there is a fit between your skills and the qualifications for the position.
Follow Up To Letter of Introduction: Do you sit and watch the clock waiting for the hiring manager to contact you after you emailed a letter of introduction? Hiring Managers are not trying to find you….you must find them. Call the hiring manager or recruiter to verify that they received your information and are willing to meet with you. If you can’t reach the individual by phone, send a follow up email to verify the status of your request.
Follow Up To Networking Meeting: What do you do with the stack of business cards collected at a networking or industry meeting? Do you take the time to reach out to each of the connections you met? Do you mention something you enjoyed about the conversation, comment on a topic discussed or the presentation you heard? Have you considered forwarding an article that may be of interest to the person or sharing a network contact that may be beneficial to the individual? A relationship is about two people and not what the contact can do for you.
Follow Up To Interview: Demonstrate your professionalism and make the interviewer remember you favorably by writing a thank you letter to every person with whom you met. A thank you should always be professional and can be hand written or email. Make the message compelling and state how you can add value to the organization. Focus on a specific need or problem of the organization and outline how you can solve this issue. Verify any follow up actions.
Follow Up With Recruiters: Make every effort to stay top of mind with recruiters without appearing to be the annoying, pesky job seeker. Space the cadence of your follow up. Be friendly and genuine. Show your appreciation for their time and interest. Leave them with a great impression of your personality, skills and talent so they will think of you when a suitable position becomes available.
Remember, one of the cardinal rules of the job search is to always “Be Yourself”. Your follow up should reflect your genuineness, personality and value and leave a lasting impression on the decision-maker.
Paula Pope – Senior Career Consultant – The Frontier Group
