The Power of a Thank You Note

I got a note today from an acquaintance that I had run into a couple weeks ago and hadn't seen in a long time. She put her card in and suggested we get together for lunch. It was a really nice gesture that she took the time to write a handwritten note, put a stamp on it and walk it to the mailbox. I was "wowed". Of course, she is one of the top producers in her organization. Wonder why...maybe cause she goes the extra mile?

It reminded me that a client called a couple days ago and said out of the five or six sales reps he had interviewed, only one or two sent a thank you note and it was via e-mail. A handwritten thank you only takes a couple of minutes but it leaves a lasting impression. Recently a client called me and said, "your daughter stopped by my booth at a job fair inquiring about an internship. I put her thank you note in my file. Would you have her call me?"

Thank you notes do not have to be timeless pieces of literature. If you don't know what to say, keep it simple and sincere.

Thank you so much for your time and I really enjoyed hearing about your organization and the potential opportuntity. I appreciate your consideration and look forward to the next step. Thank you again!

Pink Slip Networking.Com

On Tuesday, June 23rd, there will be a networking group for people looking for work. I am planning to go so I can visit with prospective candidates and if you are looking for a job, it might be worth your while to check it out.

Des Moines Pink Slip Networking Presents:

How to Be the 1 In a Million STAND OUT (Rather Than Having a 1 In a Million Shot)
Unique, effective and doable approaches to finding your next job. Whether you are emailing or interviewing with a prospective employer, YOU need to STAND OUT from all the other applicants. Learn real-world tactics on how to be the one in a million standout rather than just other candidate.

Click here for more information about the panel and registration information.

http://www.pinkslipnetworking.com/rsvp-des.php

Cutting Off Your Nose To Spite Your Face

In the old days (pre e-mail), when you were upset with someone you were supposed to write them a letter, stick it in a drawer, and then two or three days later destroy it. This form of "venting" made you feel better, gave you a couple days to cool off, and because the letter was never mailed, caused no harm.

Unfortunately with the advent of e-mail, some candidates feel it is incumbent upon them to blast the interview process, me as a recruiter, the company as "stupid, incompetent, etc" because the process isn't going as quick as they would like it too, etc. etc. etc. Some candidates think that sending an e-mail to vent is appropriate. It's not. Just like a handwritten letter, you should put it in your draft file and destroy it later. Of course, it's very easy to send it inadvertently so I'd be careful.

If the interview process offends you then here is what you say...."thanks Katie for this opportunity but after thinking it over I don't think it is a good fit for me. Please keep me in mind for other opportunities". And if you are smart, you will add: "Thanks so much for all your efforts in trying to find me a job."

If you "vent", here is what happens....you go into my "problem child, prima dona, or drama queen/king" file and you will not be considered by us again. If you need to get something off your chest, call me. I understand and we can talk through it.

E-mail is permanent. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

Abseentism

Abseentism is the number one reason why temps get let go on a job. In record high unemployment, if you can't make it to the job, there are hundreds of people who want work and will make the effort.

On the news yesterday, an add for a school janitor netted 300 resumes. There are people out there who want to work.

Employers don't want to hear your excuses about transportation, child care, the fight with your family member, your cold, allergies or migraine, your sick cat (honest to God, someone told us that), daylight savings time, boyfriend hid your your keys, or how every family member you have has suddenly died (please come up with something more creative!).

Suck it up and get to work or they will find someone who will.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes...

And you smell like an ashtry. The great thing about the human nose is it will get acclimated to smells. What first is offensive to your nose it will eventually get used to. This is why most smokers (not all) don't realize that they reek of cigarette smoke. If you smoke in your car or your home, your clothes will pick up the smell. The smoker gets used to it. Non-smokers don't.

We can smell most smokers when they walk in the front door of our office. We will not send them out on a job interview because it is an immediate turn-off.

If you smoke you need to make sure you do not smell like an ashtray when you walk into an interview. There are few interviewers who won't pick up on it and since smoking is banned almost everywhere now (except casinos), you are hurting your job hunt.

The Power of Persistence

One of the first rules I learned in selling was to be pleasantly persistent without being overly obnoxious. Undoubtedly I crossed over the line occassionally, but sales people typically give up after three calls so I figured even if I did irritate someone, it was better to keep in touch.

The same is true of looking for a job. The best way I can illustrate this is an example from when my son was in high school. He contacted a large supermarket in town that typically hires HUNDREDS of high school kids. He applied in person, called once to make sure they got the application, and then waited for a call. Now again, remember this is an organization that hires HUNDREDS of high school and part-timers. He called again. He called a fourth time. He thought he was becoming a pest. I said, "call after hours and leave a voice mail". Here is what you say, "Hi! This is Luke Roth, I am still very interested. My number is..." He called a fifth time. He night have even called a sixth time. Remember, this organization hires hundreds of part-timers. Finally, he got a call back and they hired him.

Now you would think that an organization that hires hundreds of high school kids would fall all over a high school kid who has called REPEATEDLY but you would be wrong. HR people have other things on their plate and in that industry, they are constantly putting out fires.

It just takes persistence!

Resume Renovation

This blog is courtesy of our intern from Drake University, Alyssa Wise. Thank you Alyssa!

The first impression is a lasting one. In this day and age, though, your first impression with a potential employer doesn’t usually involve face-to-face or even verbal interaction. An employer’s first impression of you and your potential is gathered from your resume.

You probably already have a resume stashed away on your virtual or physical desktop to send at a moment’s notice when an opportunity arises. It probably includes your name and contact information, your experience, education and skills. If you’ve gotten this far, you are in good shape, but there are a few strategies that can help your resume stand out and make a positive, lasting first impression.

First of all, no matter how much you vamp up the content of your resume, if there are grammar and spelling errors, your experience and qualifications will not be convincing. Read and reread your resume. Have your family and friends read and reread it. Sometimes reading it aloud can help catch sentence structure errors and typos that spell check doesn’t notice.

Next, your resume should not be the same today as it was a year ago. Your resume is a dynamic document and should be updated upon acquisition of new skills or experiences. Out-of-date, irrelevant information should be deleted on a regular basis.

Also, your resume should not be the same for every perspective position. Many employers scan resumes (or have a computer program that does) for key words. If your resume contains none that are applicable to the position, it gets tossed. To find these “buzz” words, read the job description carefully. Also, search online for descriptions of jobs similar to the one for which you are applying. For example, if you are applying for a tax accounting position and you have had tax accounting experience or have taken a tax accounting course, convey that, in detail, on your resume. They key word search may be “tax,” so if you have “accounting experience” listed, your potential employer may never be aware of your qualification.

Finally, if you would prefer not to talk in depth about an experience, do not highlight it in depth on your resume. Your interviewer will look at the top of your list of experiences and ask you about the first few. The same principle goes with your list of skills. If you are experienced at something that you would not like to do again, put it at the bottom of your list. If you are skilled at a task that you despise doing, and it isn’t relevant to your current job search, leave it off completely.

Remember, the first impression isn’t the only lasting one. Continue the pattern of professionalism during phone and email correspondence and, of course, the interview.

Try to use some of these strategies to renovate your resume. Bring your resume into PorticoHR and we will perform a FREE resume review for you!