Expand Your Network by Sending Thank You Letters

Expand Your Network by Sending Thank You Letters

Sending a thank you or follow-up letter within 24 hours of an interview is not a new idea, but it is still a good idea. A key reason to send a thank you letter is to nurture new and existing relationships. Plan to send a thank you letter to all the people that assist in your job search.
This group includes the people that you meet during an interview; your existing contacts that provide written recommendations, and any friend (or friends of friends) that offer career related leads or information.

Thank you is a good place to start relationships that will greatly contribute to your ability to secure the right job in record time! Unless you have a good reason for sending a card or a handwritten letter to your target reader, plan to send an e-mail that is easy to produce. Use the subject line to note "thank you for the interview". This action demonstrates a respect for their busy schedule and an understanding that they may want to read this e-mail after they have read all their urgent e-mails.

Start every thank you letter by expressing your appreciation for the interest and time that people have invested in your career. Then, when you highlight that you are still interested in securing a new challenge, take this opportunity to feature your most relevant skills. Forexample, "My interest in working for (the name of the company or organization) is stronger than ever, and based on your description of the position, I know that my previous experience in (specify) provides the expertise required to make immediate contributions to your team."

End your letter using the "opening the door" technique.
Your closing paragraph for a thank you letter related to an interview should clearly state when you will call to schedule a meeting time. For example, "I would like to meet with you again to discuss this position. If I do not hear from you within the next five days, I will call you to schedule a convenient time to meet. In the meantime, I will be happy to provide any other information you may need to assist in your decision."

When you are writing to someone that has already provided information, your "opening the door" approach will reflect an appreciation for the assistance provided. In this situation, focus on advising your contact that you will provide an update on the progress of your job search. Your update should detail how the information they provided contributed to your success.

SELF-PROMOTE USING A POWERFUL PITCH

SELF-PROMOTE USING A POWERFUL PITCH

You meet important job search contacts every day. The people you meet when you complete routine tasks, such as shopping or taking your children to the local ball field, may know the person you want to meet or they may have friends or family working in the industry you are targeting. Plan to use the first 30 seconds of every initial face to face meeting to deliver a brief “infomercial”. Start with a smile and make eye contact before you deliver the introduction you have prepared.

Don’t worry about looking too pushy. People generally like to talk about their jobs and most are more than willing to provide assistance to folks looking for opportunities in their field. In addition, since employers tend to hire qualified people that are recommended by their employees, by using this opportunity to advance your career, you have also provided an occasion for the person you are meeting to gain recognition in their workplace.

Prepare a 15-30 second sound bite that highlights your uniqueness in a pleasant, but persuasive, manner. You will grab the attention of more listeners when you prepare your introduction based on the question “What’s In It for me?” from the perspective of potential employers. For example, what have you done to improve revenues, increase production, or reduce costs at your present or past jobs, or through your association with any volunteer or leisure-related organizations?

Be concise, but make the first minute count by offering information that you have determined will interest the person you are meeting. Think of the benefits you offer your clients, customers, co-workers, and supervisor. If you are not sure, ask them, you will discover that they rightfully value actions that you take for granted.

A script is an extremely helpful tool to use when you are making calls, meeting peers at an industry tradeshow, or preparing for an interview. Verbal profile statements should communicate three key pieces of information: your name, your area of expertise and related accomplishments. For example,

I am OCCUPATION NAME OR JOB TITLE who is interested in finding employment with companies that specialize in SPECIFY. Having worked (or studied) for COMPANY OR SCHOOL NAME the past NUMBER of years, I have expertise in TWO OR THREE KEY AREAS.

Cold calling can be effective, but taking time to contact the people in your existing network may be less intimidating and can bring about the same results. Practice your speech with friends and family, or record it on your answering machine, and listen to it.

Plan to practice your introduction the next time you meet a new contact. Then, plan to tweak sections that you found too chatty or sentences that did not flow. In time, you will find using your power introduction effortless and the associated rewards beneficial as you manage your career advancement.