Recruitment season means many students are likely writing and sending out numerous resumes and cover letters in hopes of being selected for interviews and, ultimately, internships or full time opportunities.  Tailored application materials are much more likely to get you noticed than generic ones, but there is still fierce competition in the job market.  So what do you do after you’ve submitted an application?  And how do you stay on an employer’s radar after an interview? By following up!

Following up with employers is essential in the job search.  However, there’s an important distinction between touching base and being a pest.  The CareerSpots video, Follow up with Employers, offers guidelines from an employer perspective to help you know when to call or email after submitting your application and what to do after an interview.

Although all employers are different, one thing remains certain – you MUST make time to follow up!  Doing so will help you stand out and demonstrate genuine interest while remaining actively engaged in your job search.

You’ve worked up the courage to contact someone for networking reasons or to further your job or internship search.  You’ve attended career fairs and events to interact with people in your industry of interest.  The preparation involved with all of these activities may seem like the most difficult part, right? So once the initial meeting is over, how do you keep the conversation going?

The immediate step is to send a note of appreciation!  Saying “thank you” allows you to remind the individual of your previous conversation by expressing gratitude for their time, reiterating your interest and skills, and conveying enthusiasm for continued communication.  Whether you send it through snail mail or email, make sure your note is timely, genuine, and professional.  Don’t mistake this as an optional step – sending thank you notes should be a priority within 24-48 hours after your meeting!

For employer advice of what to include, check out The Art of Saying Thank You CareerSpots video, as well as a previous blog posting – Expressing Gratitude – that lays out additional tips and examples. 

A job seeker was among five finalists for a highly desirable job. Of the five, she was the only one that sent a thank you note following the interview. She got the job.  (Source: The Art of Saying Thank You by Connie Leas)

It seems like a no-brainer to craft a meaningful expression of appreciation for the time and energy someone invested in you.  But the truth is, as many employers will attest, receiving thank-you notes is more rare than you might think. Although I cannot guarantee every note of thanks you send will yield a reward like the one this job candidate received, I can confidently say that an expression of thanks rarely goes unnoticed. “They’re a counterbalance to the inevitable complaints...,” says Dr. Karl Singer who saves expressions of thanks in a special file.  He is not alone.

Thoughtfulness, good manners, and classiness never go out of style and you display these characteristics every time you pause to make others feel appreciated.

Writing a thank-you letter following a job interview gives you another chance to market yourself, make a positive impression on the interviewer, and keep your name if front of decision-makers. Your letter (typed or hand-written) should be sincere and warm, as well as businesslike. Several of the points Connie Leas mentions in her book about the note’s content and how/when to send it include:

• Highlight enthusiasm for the company and your fitness for the job; briefly restate your qualifications
• Make statements of appreciation for the interview/company/job and what you liked about each
• Address any questions or issues that were not fully answered during the interview
• Include a statement that anticipates the next step in the process
• Send your note to the primary contact person and decision-maker; consider sending a different note to everyone that interviewed you
• Make sure the note is error-free
• Send thank you notes immediately; the day after is best
• Use your judgment as to which form (handwritten note, typed letter, e-mail) of communication will make the best impression

There are lots of thank you note examples you can refer to when constructing your own.  Never, however, copy one of them and use as your own.  To see a sample, CLICK HERE!