Starting your new job…

AUTHOR: David M. Young

 

IT’s time to start your new job.  What do you need to do beyond show up and wait and see what the company has in store for you.  Of course it is not that simple, but, before you shift gears from the job search/interview process, take a little bit of time and put your search process to rest appropriately.

 

What does this mean?  It means revisiting or creating a list of everyone who assisted you during your job search.  This list includes professional and personal relationships.  This list is critical, because it will form the core of your ongoing networking list that you can refer to in the hopefully unneeded event you are exploring the job market. It is also the list that should have a few names on it that you can find an opportunity to return the favor and assist them in some way,shape, or form.  Once you have this list, you should take time to be intentional and write handwritten thank you notes that you will send via regular mail.  This personal touch will show your intentionality and should include some sort of personal comment as well as letting them know the results of your search.  For those who may have spent extra time or went out of their way, meet with them in person for a thank you lunch or coffee.  This personal touch will go a long way towards deepening these relationships.

 

But, that is not all.  Now you need to turn you attention to your new position.  Remember, first impressions are very important.  Before your first day, write down your objectives for teh first 90 days.  In this list, include who you want to meet, what you want to learn, and what you will need to accomplish for it to be successful.  As you do this, remember some basic points.

• Be ready to learn (you were hired for a skill or expertise, but you don’t know everything).
• Be flexible ( organizations are constantly changing.  Your role may be slightly different than when you interviewed. )
• Look for early wins (big or small.)  Being willing to have a win, no minor how big or small, will make a good impression.
• Be willing to do one more thing than what was asked.  Dont just do the job.  This could be as small as picking up trash in the break room, or as big as staying late for a deadline that is not your but you can assist on.  These little things will make a huge impression.

If you set a positive tone early, you will go a long way with your new employer.

Job Search….References

AUTHOR: David M. Young

 

References…sometimes they are not asked for, other times they could really matter in your search and future employment.

 

NEVER put references on your resume.  I’ve seen people have a reference page that is the last page of their resume and unintentionally send it along with their resume.  References should be very important to you and you should manage who has them and when they are utilized.  Often times, a company would like a minimum of 3 references.  Generally they are seeking a past supervisor, peer (or peers), and possibly a subordinate where applicable.

 

As a general rule, I encourage people to have 5 references.  You should have the personas name, title, phone number, and email address listed on a document.  Additoinally, i encourage people to list when you worked with them as well as your professional relationship (supervisor, peer, etc…)

 

Your references should fulfill the following:

• Be professional references, not social/personal.
• Be aware that you are using them as a reference and have a current copy of your resume.
• Be someone who will be a positive reference, not just a confirmation of employment.  If in doubt, don’t use them.  Some companies do not allow their employees to give references but can only confirm dates of employment.  Don’t take this personally, just move on to another reference.
• Be aware that they will be contacted.  And as a safe practice, I’d follow up with them after they are contacted so you are aware what was asked and get their insight on the reference confirmation.
• I would prepare them.  Talk with them about your strengths, possible weaknesses, and help them feel comfortable answering in your best interest.  If you have to “coach” them very much, they may not be a strong reference for you.  They should already know you.  But you want them to feel free to be glowingly honest.  Key word here is Glowingly!
• If you have not talked with a reference in a couple of years, they should be removed from your list.  They won’t remember or could be fuzzy.  I have had references not be sure about who the person giving them as a reference was.  This is always a bad sign.
• The worst thing is a bad reference, or one who remembers an issue with you.  At some point, everyone has had some sort of disagreement professionally.  If that has occurred, you need to be the one to discus it and how you have grown.  Do not leave it to a reference to speak about.
• References can be from the overall course of your career, but if you have been working for several years, you most likely have grown in your career, and as a result, you should have individuals listed as references who can speak to your most current capabilities, not capabilities from 15 years ago.
• If you have skeletons in your closet, …. pause.  It is ok to ask the person checking references not to contact a given company from your past.  Most likely, you may not want your current employer to know you are interviewing.  If that is the case, then just ask the future employer not to contact your current employer.  The best way to provide comfort for them is to give them more references than they are asking for from a previous employer.  But…if you have only worked for a single organization throughout your career, then ask your friends who you trust to keep the reference confidential to be the ones that could be contacted.  People generally want to help others.  You may also be able to return the favor at a later time.

Be aware, invariably it is a small world.  As long as you are prepared with your references, and you have given the professional courtesy to the references that they may be contacted, you will serve to maintain your professional network and references will serve your job search well.

The interview is over, and you do not want the job….what next?

AUTHOR: David M. Young

 

You prepared, you thought you wanted to position, you met with the interviewers, and lo and behold, the conversation and interview helped you discern that you are not interested in moving forward.  So what do you do?

 

Remember, we have been discussing that you want to put your best foot forward.  Even in situations where the company may want you, but you are not interested, you still want to put your best foot forward.  You never know what tomorrow holds.  Although you don’t want this role, the company may have other roles in the future.  Your objective has been to make the company want you.  You now realize it is not a fit.  The company may also realize this.  But, they may not.

 

You want to be honest, but make sure you are not making a split decision when one is not required.  Even in cases where it is absolutely obvious, you still want to be graceful and respectful in the interview process.  Don’t tell the company you are not a fit.  At the end of the interview, if not interested, still ask for next steps.  Let the company know they have given you great insight into the position and what they are looking for, and then gracefully leave so you can sleep on it to confirm your thoughts.  Keep in mind you are still building out your professional network.  The person you are meeting with could still further your career in other ways you are not immediately thinking of.

 

Once you have left the interview, jot down your immediate thoughts.  Still have the standard courtesy to write a thank you note.  Without that interview, you might be pursuing a position that may not have worked out after 6 months.  The purpose of the interview is to find the best candidate for the job.  And from your perspective, is to find a job you can enjoy doing.

 

If the company extends an offer in the interview, ask them for time to think about it.  Do not decline on the spot.  If you are not interested based on negotiable items (salary, responsibility, travel, benefits) but are interested in the role otherwise, then wait and explore how you would want to negotiate the position.  You can always ask for salary, travel changes, benefit modifications.  And you never know what a company can change if you don’t ask.

 

But if you are not interested in a role because of a personality, the responsibility is not a fit for your career, or you don’t believe in the company.  Step away from the interview.  Wait one day and then decline.  If you are asked to come back in, gracefully respond back to the company.  I always encourage this to be a verbal conversation.  In that conversation you can let the other person know that after the interview you have had further time to review the opportunity and have decided to “withdraw your name from consideration.”  If they ask why, just let them know your personal circumstances have changed.  You do not need to provide any further details.  If they pry, just indicate you are not comfortable discussing the details but greatly appreciated their time. Yes, you can put this in an email, but the personal respect to talk directly with the company will always leave a positive and lasting impression.

 

So to summarize, wait till the interview is over and you have had a day to reflect.  After a day, contact the company (or recruiter) and let them know you are no longer interested.  Still write thank you notes.  But be brief.  “Thank you for your time, it provided great insight for me.”   If working with a recruiter, you can give them further details as it may assist the recruiter in looking on your behalf.  If you don’t give more details to a recruiter, they may scratch their head and not know what you are looking for in your search.  The recruiter may be able to guide you through your concerns.  Their objective is not to just get you the job, but they have a vested interest to make sure you stay at the job.  Recruiters have to refund a fee if the job does not work out.  They would rather find the job you like and place someone else in the position you did not like.  They are part of your team.

 

Above all else, be honest.  But being honest does not always mean telling every thought you have.  It can also mean being honest in identifying you are not interested and leaving it at that.

Types of Interviews – Other often utilized interview formats/types

AUTHOR: David M. Young

In addition to the Standard or “Personal” interview and the Behavorial interview, there are often several other forms that an interview could take. As a recruiter, over time I have seen all of these utilized, but outside of the Standard and Behavioral interview, the following are used far less often. Even though they are less common, as a candidate, having an understanding of these other types of interviews can assist you as you prepare to meet with the organization.

• Informational interview – Often occurs in more informal settings, or through personal networking. But, it is still an interview because how one performs could open other job opportunities. This interview is used to ask for advice or learn more about a particular job, field, or discipline. In addition to expanding ones network, both parties can walk away from this interview with more insight into your field or passion as well as an understanding on the current state of the market. This is a fact finding meeting that is done during the job search.
• Screening interview – Prepare for a screening interview like it is an open book exam. Have your resume, the job description, references, company information, as well as prepared questions for this interview. The interviewer is most likely fact finding and ensuring a base skill set exists that backs up a resume. This is often times performed by a Human Resources individual, or could be the initial meeting with a recruiter. For recruiters, this is a third primary type of interview, but for organizations, I see this far less often. You don’t win a job during a screening interview, but you can quickly lose the position if you stumble, misrepresent yourself, or are completely disinterested.
• Panel interview (or called a small group or committee interview) – This is a meeting with several decision makers in a single setting. If not prepared, this can be intimidating. Normally, it is not intended to create tension, but every now and then it could intentionally create stress to see how the candidate responds. Multiple indivuals will ask questions and when complete, feedback is collected and standardized towards a hiring decision. As the interviewee, relax and handle it as you would a one on one interview. In this case, create eye contact with each interviewer no matter who asked the question, develop some sort of personal rapport if possible, and try and find out the names and titles of the participants. In larger organizations, there may be others attending via conference call. In this case, speak to them, but make eye contact with those in the room.
• The “Second” interview – You may be asked back for a second interview. They liked you enough that you made the first round of cuts, but they want to know more about you as well as very likely will wrap in others you may not have met. Second interviews often times are much longer. They could last a half day or more, so confirm and plan accordingly so that you are not in a rush. Often times this is the last step before an offer, so be ready to discuss your needs including salary and benefits, but don’t bring this up unless asked or if given an offer. More on salary negotiations will be discussed in depth, for now, be ready if that occurs in a follow up interview.
• The “Case” interview (or presentation, test, or task challenge interview) – As an individual who grew up in the Information Technology discipline, testing was more common place than other disciplines. As part of an interview process, you may be asked to take an online test, have a phone screen that is technical such that you are asked details about technology to assess your true depth of understanding, or you could be given a problem and asked to create or develop a technical solution. In consulting, sales and leadership type of positions, I have seen an organization ask someone to present on a specific item. In this instance, the position may require presenting on a regular basis and they want to gauge your comfort in front of an audience. If you have never presented, let them know, don’t “fake it” because they will figure out very quickly you are not a presenter. As a candidate, I don’t recommend you cram for a testing type of interview. Yes, brush up on terminology that may not be universal, and possibly brush up on rusty skills, but the last thing you want to do is represent expertise in something you may not be an expert and as a result, falsely set expectations before starting a job. It is best to truthfully represent your skills so that you can shine when you take a new position.

Contract Positions – The exception to interviewing can occur if you are engaging in a short term contract (6 months or less). In this case, personality fit is much less of a concern as opposed to the ability to deliver the specific project or effort. But even for these positions, you are adding experience to your resume. Make sure you are comfortable with the opportunity and can deliver accordingly. It is always tough when someone takes a job they don’t like, and in a couple of weeks “it does not work out”. As a result, you do not have good references, and you have to decide how to document that experience on a resume. Save yourself, and make sure even a short term engagement is going to be a positive one.

Organizations will have other types of interviews they may use, but invariably, they are some combination of these mentioned. The overriding rule as you interview is to be yourself. No matter the format, you are also assessing the organization and want to learn as much about them as they are learning about you.   When presented with an offer, you should hopefully have an idea of what the future holds for you with that organization.

Types of Interviews – Behavioral and Standard interviews

AUTHOR: David M. Young

For those who might be control freaks, or want to “anticipate” what an interview will be like, there is only so much you can do. Even though you have invested so much into preparing for the interview before you walk through the door, I have found that organizations rarely train the interviewers. As a result, most of the time, you don’t know what to expect. Invariably, people will interview others in a manner in which they were interviewed. They learn by what they experience. All though there are several different types of interviews, I have found that most interviews focus on either a “behavioral” interview or a “Standard” interview.

Before I discuss these 2 base types of interviews, keep in mind, there are several other types of interviews. These include:

• Informational interview
• Screening interview
• Panel interview (or called a small group or committee interview)
• The “Second” interview
• The “Case” interview (or presentation, test, or task challenge interview)

Stay tuned and we will cover these in much more detail.

The most common interview is the “Standard” or “Personal” interview. This is most common because the interviewer is rarely trained or the meeting is not generally planned in advance. It is a “one-on-one” interview in the organizations offices that will last 30 minutes to an hour. The interviewer meets with the prospect, and based on how the conversation proceeds, makes a decision on moving forward or hiring. In this interview, standard questions include

• “ Tell me about yourself” (or walk me through your background). The interviewer is looking for how you compare to the open position and if you have a history that indicates you can perform as expected for the open position.
• “Where do you see yourself in 5 years”.
• “Why did you leave” employer x.
• “ How do you get along with people”
• Tell me about XXX skillset, or “How did you use XXXX in your last job”.
• “What are you looking for?”

If a 30 minute interview, you will want to be concise and have a high impact with your answers. If 45 minutes to an hour or hour and a half, you will want to go into much more depth and use specific examples to support your generalizations.

As a recruiter, this type of interview is not something that can be measured. At the end of the interview, it ends up being a gut call on the interviewer.

The other often used interview is the “Behavioral” interview. Formally, this is called “Critical Behavior Interviewing” (CBI). The theory behind this type of interview is that past performance in a similar situation is the best predictor of future performance. The interview will probe much deeper than traditional interviewing techniques, and most of the time, the interviewer has been trained on how to interview as well has prepared questions specific to the position that is open. To prepare for this interview, you should think of specific examples that demonstrate your competencies in core behaviors such as communication, conflict, flexibility, teamwork, organizational management, and problem solving skills. Most of the time your examples do not have to be limited to a professional environment, but could be personal. You will want to tell your story. Make sure you answer with the task or problem at hand, what you did or your action taken, and the result or outcome. The more directly you can tie this to the position you are interviewing for, the better you will present yourself. As a candidate, the tough part of this interview is that unless you ask questions, they will learn everything possible about you, but you will gain very little insight on the open position. Make sure you are prepared with questions for the interviewer that will allow you to gain further understanding about the role.

Keep in mind, the best preparation for an interview is real life. Your experiences, your desires, your aspirations, and your skills that you have gained over time professionally. When you interview, you want to put your best foot forward. Your goal when you walk out the door is to get an offer. If that is your focus, you will shine. And in those rare situations where you know the position is not a fit, the last thing you want to do is cut off the interview and burn a bridge. If you have prepared, you will at a minimum, add someone knew to your professional network.

 

 

Interview preparation – Last minute thoughts before you walk into the interview

AUTHOR: David M. Young

What you wear matters as discussed in the previous post. But that is not the only item you should think about before the interview occurs. As you prepare to walk into the interview, you want to present a professional and business minded mentality that will carry over into how you present yourself. Some last minute guidelines to keep in mind as you walk into the interview.

• Don’t park next to the front door. (You don’t want someone seeing you adjust your clothing, throw on your coat, or begin evaluating you by the car your in or how fast you drive. But don’t park so far away that you build up a sweat walking into the interview. You can park in visitor parking near the front if guided to do so, but be ready to exit the car, don’t sit in it and wait.
• Turn off your cell phone (or leave it in your car). If you have an important phone call, text, or message you are expecting, it can wait. If it can’t, then you will appear distracted.
• Bring a portfolio with 3 or 4 copies of your resume, pen, and paper.
• Don’t pass out a current business card. Your contact information is on your resume. (Sales positions sometimes disagree with this…but if in doubt, don’t build business for your existing employer.)
• Sit and observe if you have to wait in the lobby. Don’t “look busy”. Relax, take deep breaths,
• Have good eye contact and maintain it…if the person has some distraction in their eyes, then focus on their nose.   Either way, don’t look off as you talk. This is a sign of someone not telling the truth. Hard core interviewers may feel like you were not crisp.
• Have a firm handshake. Not so firm that you hurt someone, but confident and firm.
• Smile (to everyone, the receptionist, the parking attendant, the assistant, bottom line, present a pleasant image, others will respond in kind). Many times I have asked the receptionist if they liked the person. You would be amazed at what people will tell the receptionist purely because they do not feel like this is part of the interview.
• Sit upright during your interview. (not slouched or so relaxed you seem disinterested.)
• Be energetic and thoughtful.
• Listen (don’t interrupt the interviewer, more on this in a later post)
• Be conscious of your hands (don’t have them on your face, some feel like this is a sign of a lack of honesty….more on this as well in a later post). If nervous, just fold them in your lap. Use them naturally as you talk, but don’t let nervousness come out in body language.
• If meeting in a conference room, and you are the first one with the option of picking a seat, pick a seat with the least distractions. Human nature is to put your back against a wall so you can see the room. In an interview situation, you may put your back to the door, or to the window. You don’t want to allow a distraction catch your eye such that the interviewer thinks you are distracted. Let them be the distracted one.
• Use the restroom before your interview. And when done, make sure everything is in order. I once had a candidate not realize they had not “closed up shop” after using the restroom. They proceeded to cross their legs and did not realize they were sharing more than they would have desired. Don’t be that person….

There are many items on this list….just keep them in mind. The most important thing is to be yourself and relax. But in so doing, make sure you show that you are not only ready for the job you are interviewing for, but that you will be a good representative of the organization for future roles as well.

Resume is written, what comes next in the “recruiting process”?

AUTHOR: David M. Young
Over the last several weeks, we have discussed networking, email, and have touched on many facets of preparing your resume. So what comes next in the job search?
At this point, you should be actively engaged in building your network as well as learning and exploring the job market and potential job opportunities. Over the next several weeks we will continue to expand out on the job search process. Let me encourage you to do a little research and begin to mentally prepare yourself for what comes next. As you do this, focus around the following components of the search as these are the items that I will dive deeper with you on as you step through this journey (could be short, could be long, but regardless…be prepared).
These next steps include:
– Interviewing
– Follow up
– The rejection
– The offer
– The counter offer
– Acceptance
– Resigning
– Starting the new position
– It’s not over…what next
Stay Tuned!!!!!

Should there be a difference between my LinkedIn profile and my “Hard Copy” resume

AUTHOR: David M. Young

Should there be a difference between your LinkedIn profile and your resume? I get this question from candidates on a regular basis. More commonly this is asked by more experienced candidates who have not grown up professionally in the digital/social media age, but rather social media is catching up to them.

To determine this, you need to decide what the purpose of LinkedIn is for you and your career? For many it is a necessary evil in today’s day and age. If this is you, you must change your mentality. For others, LinkedIn is an online page that they feel is their electronic resume. But for others, it is a professional networking and social media forum.

So yes, I believe there should be a difference between your profile and your resume.

On LinkedIn, at a minimum, you should post a summary of your professional background in the “Experience” section. You can post as little as the company, dates of employment and title. If you choose to post more, be careful. I’ll explain shortly. When you are in the job search, you want your LinkedIn profile to gain exposure to others who might be searching for someone like you. If that is the case, you should also write a short and precise summary. In the summary, you want to include power words to increase the chance of your profile matching what someone is searching for based on the simple word match. To make LinkedIn “like” you (or to rank you higher), you should also include a professional picture, education, and professional organizations. Google LinkedIn tips and tricks for more details on how to raise your “value” on LinkedIn.  For this discussion, and for the job search, this could be where you stop.

BE CAREFUL: why be careful on what you put in your LinkedIn profile.   I have seen people develop their LinkedIn Profile on the fly. When they do this, they may leave out employers, possibly “guess” at dates of employment, or even “Elevate”, “Sterilize” or just plain ole LIE on titles. I have also seen people put more details on their LinkedIn profile than they do on their resume. DON’T do any of these things. Make sure your dates match up. Make sure the titles match up.

If your LinkedIn profile is longer than your hard copy resume, an employer may wonder why you are “hiding” some details from the formal resume. If what you do have in both the resume and LinkedIn do not match up, you might be eliminated from a job selection process because they perceive you are not being truthful in one place or the other. My guidance is to make LinkedIn your billboard that is shorter and more precise than your resume. On your resume, include the detailed job responsibilities and your organizational impact, but don’t do this in LinkedIn. On your resume, you can include a link to your LinkedIn profile so you can expand your network through the connections.  If you read back through the resume tips, you will find that often times you might include job specifics that are appropriate on a resume, but not as appropriate on a social media sit.

Once you have made sure all things line up between your profile and your resume, then you can ensure you are not creating questions for an employer but rather answering their questions. LinkedIn is a professional social media site. If worked appropriately, you will be able to follow discussion groups, professional contacts, as well as search for open positions. If you present yourself clearly and concisely, you will increase the possibility a recruiter or company may see you and reach out to you for their job search. If this occurs, then you can feel confident you are setup on LinkedIn appropriately. If this happens, they will ask for your resume, and you want to be able to provide something that gives them further details beyond what they see on LinkedIn.

My encouragement to you…spend time on your LinkedIn profile, but be intentional. Don’t just throw it out there for the world to see.

So should there be a difference between your LinkedIn profile and your resume…..ABSOLUTELY.

I’m looking for a job….WHAT NEXT?

Author:  David M. Young

You have decided to look for your next position. It may be you are being forced to look due to layoff, termination, company shutting down/bankruptcy, or life has brought so much change that you need a career change as well. Or, you may be perfectly fine in your current role, but you have decided it is time to see what else is “out there”.  So what do you do next?

I firmly believe if you are really going to be effective as you explore for your next position, you must be intentional, process minded, and diligent. If you just wait for the position to come to you, you may or may not ever find that great role you are seeking.

So, let’s explore the basics of the job search process. In the coming months, this blog will expand on these individual components of the job search in much greater detail. Let’s first layout the “roadmap” that you need to follow at a summary level and then we can expand as we move forward:

Email – Yes, email is a standard, common, and easy to use form of communication in the job search. But all too often, it is not used correctly, over or underused, or confused for actual job search efforts. Email makes you feel like to talked with someone, but you never know what happens on the other end or the impression made with your email. So what are good email tips? Should you use email? Come back and we will explore this in more detail.

Networking – Whether in the job search or not, the most effective individuals in the professional world have some sort of network. It may be as simple as a technical expert who is recognized online in various forums as the answer guy. Or you may have a handful of past and present associates that you keep in touch with. Many folks go to work and go home. We will dive in more detail on making sure that your professional reach is much greater than just those you see regularly. The most effective people in their job search have at least 10 people that are not only aware they are open to another opportunity, but invariably, these people in your network are where you will find your next position.

Resume – In today’s day and time, you must have a resume. It may be as simple as a linked-in profile, or as standard as a hard copy resume. But regardless, your resume should not just be a history of where you have worked. A well written and targeted resume makes the difference between you and the next person. Check back in the coming weeks as we discuss resumes, tips and tricks, as well as provide some sample suggestions on how to have a power resume.

Actively and Passively searching – More to come on this, some say they are not really looking, but open to new opportunities, others are in an all intensive search. Regardless, we’ll give some insight on how to pursue the market regardless of where you are in the job search.

Applying/submitting – Should you submit your resume blindly on line? Should you trust your friend who “knows” someone? Good questions and there are definitely some keys to making sure your resume is seen by the decision makers.

Interviewing – It is both an art and a science. Some are not versed on either, while others feel that once they are in front of the hiring manager, they will get the job. Well, in today’s economy, we are seeing that this is no longer holding true. How can you make sure you get a job offer when you walk out of the interview? Future blogging Insight will give you the keys to getting that offer.

Offer Negotiation – You have the offer, but the job search is not over. How to negotiate, and make it a win/win for all involved. Too many times you try to negotiate and it only ends up as a lose / lose.

Acceptance and Pre-start – You’ve accepted the job, w is the time you impress and differentiate yourself to your new boss.

Resigning your old position – Are you ready for a counter offer? Are you ready to be escorted out? Are you ready to give two weeks but be asked to stay on to complete the project? Don’t burn bridges and be ready to resign professionally.

Starting – The job search process is not over. You have a start date, but the shining stars continue to want the job even after they have it. We will blog with some further thoughts on how to be the best employee the organization has. Become irreplaceable so that you will always be paid well, happy with your responsibilities, and never need to look for a job again.

After the start, what next? – is the job search over? We’ll address this,

The above parts of the job search process will be surgically explored. Come back to https://davidyoungdy.wordpress.com and we will provide more insight for you in the job search.

 

Networking 101 – Follow up

Author: David M. Young

In a previous blog, we discussed how to identify your professional network, expand your professional network, and options on how to approach your network during your job search. Leaders not only have a strong professional network, but they know how to make strong impressions. Many know how to make a great impression when talking with or meeting with someone, but often that is where they stop. What you do after meeting with someone can make or break you and often times we don’t realize this.

Once you have met with someone (either via phone or in person) here are some tips that will ensure they won’t forget you.

• Send a thank you within 24 hours of your meeting. This can be via email or a hand written note. In today’s electronic age, an email can be appropriate, but maintain a professional letter mentality. Informality, even when you have a strong bond with the other individual, can tarnish the professional image the other party may have of you. (And you never know who they may forward your note to)
• Make sure they see your name 6 times – Don’t stop with one thank you. You may have heard that the human brain can remember something once you have seen it 5 or 6 times. This applies to you in your job search. Meeting with someone is the start of a relationship. If your conversation turned towards who they may know that could assist you or a potential job, you want that person to continue to think of you as they meet their friends and network. The best manner to do that is to be fresh on their mind. You do this by staying in front of them via email and letters. Remember to always have your contact phone and email within the body of every note you send. Suggested contact points are:
• Send a thank you after meeting with them.
• Send a brief note once you have made contact with their referral
• Send another note after meeting with their referral.
• 3 – 4 weeks after your initial meeting with them, send another note. This may be an update on your status, a follow up thank you with a request to let you know of any follow up thoughts, or a revised and updated resume.
• When you accomplish your goal from that meeting ( take a new job), let your network know. If possible, take the time to send handwritten and personalized notes.
• If after 60 days you still have not closed on a job, send another email and possibly request a follow up meeting. Then start the process again.
• Be personal and don’t send form letters. These notes require a little bit of time. If you send a form letter, or seem disinterested, you will not distinguish yourself from anyone else. If you are just going through the motions, then your network contact will only be going through the motions as well.
• Do this for everyone. It could be the friend of your spouse, it could be the coach of your child who points you to someone, it could be a recruiter, or it could be that person that gives you a name in passing. They will be impressed if you took the time to touch base with them when they did not feel like they may have done much. At that point, human nature will kick in and they will do more.

When you invest time in the people who assist you in your job search, they will invest time in you.