Interview Follow Up

So now you've had your interview and you nailed it. You really want this job, right? Then don't ignore the important next steps! You've made it this far and there are critical pieces of the puzzle still left to put in place: The follow up.

During your interview you got your interviewers name(s), title(s) and maybe an email address. You took notes on each of your conversations and you wrote down key aspects of the individual conversations you had. Now it's time to send each person that interviewed you a personalized note reminding them why you are the person for the job. In that note, include:

• The key areas of your skill set that speak to the job you've interviewed for (re-establish why you're perfect for the job)
• One or two personal "take-aways" from each person you met with (shows that you were paying attention and had an interest in what they were saying)
• Remind them when you're ready to start (showing them that you're serious about making the move)
• Thank them for their time (shows that you respect their time and understand the importance of this process)

If you've met with multiple people then you absolutely should send a note to each one individually - and don't send the same note!! It shows lack of thought and interest. The more work ethic and interest you show during the entire interview and follow-up process the more your potential employer will realize what a resourceful person you are, making it that much more likely that you're the one for the job.

Email or snail mail? Well, that's up to you. Depending on the company or type of job you're interviewing for a personalized hand-written thank you note might be the best option. On the other hand, a more business-casual environment might do well with an email outlining the points above. If you are interviewing in a formal environment send a well-written, well-formatted typed letter, signed and mailed to each of your interviewers.

Here's a link to a sample thank you letter: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/thankyouletters/a/blthank.htm

After you've sent your thank-you notes/letters don't forget to follow up. If you've made it this far then chances are you'll be getting a call from them! But, in the case where haven't heard anything in 1 or 2 weeks, feel free to follow up via mail or email. I would not recommend a phone call in this case, unless you have a number for the recruiting or HR person that set up the interviews. The hiring managers that interviewed you do not want to take your call. I know how that sounds - but it's true! Don't bother them with a phone call, it's the fastest way to be taken out of the running.

Throughout the entire job search process be consistent, be persistent and don't give up. Your future job is out there waiting for you. Go get it!

Questions or Comments? Please post them here or email josh@resumeguy.com. 

The Resume is NOT Dead

I read a lot about strategies people use in their job hunt, and strategies that "career counselors" push to, in my opinion, benefit themselves, and probably one of the biggest lines I see fed out there is, "the resume is no longer relevant" or something along those lines. To all those that actually believe that; I hope you'll reconsider because without a resume it just might make your job hunt tougher.

Now listen, everyone gets lucky sometimes, and everyone has a personal network, a professional network or knows someone that has a great job where there is an opening. And there are absolutely legitimate success stories out there where you will hear about people getting hired in unconventional ways, but that is not the norm.

I do believe that there are many helpful tools out there that can help you stand out and help you make connections to get warm leads into interviews, but you've got to have a strong resume to make it further than the interview. Use web 2.0, use your networks, be creative and think outside of the box about how you brand yourself. This is a marketing exercise, after all. You are your own product. But be careful of the "job coaches" out there that are trying to sell you something "new and different" by eliminating the need for a resume. You might get lucky, and they most certainly will have some valuable tools and ideas, but if they tell you "don't worry about a resume, it's not needed anymore" I hope you'll tell them, "Okay, thank you for your time." And walk out (or hang up).

I work in technology, and for a fortune 100, global organization. If any company is going to be driven by a "new way" of finding candidates, we'd be it. Guess what the single most important document our recruiters and hiring managers use to gauge interest in a candidate is? I think you've figured it out!

There may come a time when the concept of a resume is no longer relevant, but I don't think I'll see it in my lifetime. So, don't leave out an essential part of your brand messaging. Get to work on your resume!

Questions or Comments? Please post them here or email josh@resumeguy.com. 

Finally Got an Interview? Do Your Research!

Well, you've come this far. You did your homework on how to write a gripping resume and now you've landed yourself an interview with... what was that company's name again? You'd better know that - and a whole lot more!

Getting ready for an interview requires skill and due diligence if you're serious about working again. Not only is it important to help you stand out in your interview, but it's also important because you want to make sure it's the RIGHT company for you. Don't you? Getting a paycheck is important, but so is your personal happiness and well being.

Here are 5 things you can do to get ready for your next interview:

1. Research the Company
   Look at the company's website. Read about the management team. Read their profiles and accomplishments. What does that company do? How do they earn their money? Who do they compete with? How are they different? What is their position in their market? Are they public or private? What is the company's mission statement? How does any of it relate to you and your personal mission? You've said the right things in your resume, now prove that you did your homework when you sit down with the hiring manager.
   
   
2. Use Your Professional Network
   Use LinkedIn to find "ins" through your professional network. It's easy and you probably already have an account. If not, create one now! Remember the management team you read about when you were researching the company's website? Well, now's the time to search for those people on LinkedIn. If they have profiles, you'll immediately be able to see if you have any common links with those people in your own professional network. Use your network to reach out and learn more if you can.
   
   
3. Talk to Someone Who Works There
   Now a days, many people find jobs through referrals from family, friends or colleagues. If their telling you about a job opening it's because they know someone who works there (or they, themselves, works there). Get to the person who works there and ask questions about the company's culture, about the work experience, about training opportunities and career advancement. They will talk, you just need to ask.
   
   
4. Find Out Who's Interviewing You
   If you can find out the name of the hiring manager prior to going in (ask the HR person that set up the meeting with you) you may be able to find out something about them prior to the interview. Check LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google their name. Find out what groups they're affiliated with, what certifications they hold and what their professional accomplishments are! There's nothing that makes you stand out more than one or two strategically placed compliments about the hiring manager's accomplishments (just don't over-do it).
   
   
5. Be Honest About Your Accomplishments and Goals
   Don't lie. If you over-embellish on your professional accomplishments, good hiring managers will sniff you out faster than you can say, "can I get a bottled water?" You need to be confident, yes, but you also need to be humble and talk about your accomplishments honestly. Don't take all the credit, for instance, if it was really a team effort that helped grow sales to $85M in your last sales job. If you do, you better be ready to answer SPECIFICALLY how you did it. Do some soul-searching and figure out where you want to be in 2 years, 5 years, 10 years. And let that hiring manager know.

After all, it's your life and your career. You get out of it what you put into it, like anything else in life. With a little extra work, you can make sure that not only are you interviewing with companies whose goals align with yours, but that you are at the top of the hiring manager's list in a very competitive job market. 

Questions or Comments? Please post them here or email josh@resumeguy.com.