Friday, July 30, 2010

Sending Thank You Letters

By: Keisha White - Antonelli College Cincinnati/West Chester Career Services

When you're not sure how to send a thank you note or who to thank when you're job searching, just think about how you send personal thank you notes to show your appreciation. It's basically the same procedure. People like to be thanked, and that includes the acquaintances who have helped with your job search, as well as hiring managers. A personal thank you note is a great way to remind the interviewer who are. You can send a written thank you note or a thank you email message. Consider timing when deciding which to use. Sending a thank you letter to the person you interviewed with is a good way to reiterate your interest in the job and to remind the interviewer why you are the best applicant. It’s also imperative to take the time to thank everyone who assisted with your job search.


Writing a thank you note after an employment interview can be the solution to getting a job offer. These days of electronic communication has made it appropriate to send thank you letters by email. You can get your thank you letter out instantaneously, rather than have to wait for the postal service to distribute it. If the employer is making a speedy hiring decision, time is of the essence. If there is no sense of urgency, you may still want to send a quick email thank you, along with a traditional letter or note. You'll be restating your interest in the opportunity sooner rather than later.


What Should I Include In My Email Thank You Message?

In addition to thanking the person you talked with, the thank you note highlights the fact that you want the position. Use your letter to attend to any issues and concerns that came up during the interview. You can also view the thank you as a follow-up "sales" letter. In other words, reaffirm why you want the job, what your qualifications are, how you might make momentous contributions, and so on. This letter is also the perfect opportunity to discuss anything of importance that your interviewer neglected to ask or that you neglected to answer as thoroughly or as well as you would have liked. Keep in mind that the thank you note should be succinct and to the point. A couple of brief paragraphs are sufficient.


What Should I Include In Group Thank You Letters?

If you interviewed with a number of people send individual messages to each person you interviewed with. Alter your message to each interviewer so each thank you letter is unique. Ask for a business card at the conclusion of each interview, that way you'll have the contact information for you thank you letters.


Tips For Writing Thank You Letters:


1. Thank Everyone Who Helped You Job Search - It's always important to say thank you after a job interview. It's also important to thank everyone you interviewed with and everyone who assisted with your job search.

2. Don't Wait to Send a Thank You Letter - After you have a job interview, it's important to follow-up right away.

3. Use Your Thank You Letter to Sell Your Candidacy - Consider your thank you letters as follow-up "sales" letters. This is an opportunity to say why you want the job, what your qualifications are, and how you would contribute to the company. Your thank you letter is also the perfect opportunity to discuss anything of importance that your interviewer didn't ask or that you didn't answer as well as you could have.

4. Send a Handwritten Thank You Note - It takes some time to write and send a handwritten thank you note. If you have time, mailing a thank you note to your interviewers will be well worth the effort.

5. Send an Email Thank You Message - Even though handwritten thank you notes make a really good impression, when time is of the essence and the employer is making a quick hiring decision, send an email thank you message immediately, rather than have to wait for the postal service to deliver it.

6. Review Thank You Letter Samples - Review thank you letter samples applicable to a variety of employment-related situations, then take some time to edit and customize the thank you letter you choose, so it reflects your personality and your interest in the new job.

7. Choose a Professional Thank You Card - When you're shopping for thank you cards, don't choose cards that are cute or too funny. The thank you cards you send should be both simple and professional. A plain card that says "thank you" will create a good impression.

Have questions in regards to sending thank you letters? Pease contact Keisha White at keisha.white@antonellicollege.edu

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Networking to Get a New Job

By: Keisha White
Antonelli College Cincinnati
Career Services


Career professionals approximate that the immense majority of job openings are never advertised or publicly announced, but filled through word-of-mouth or networking. This is also known as the "hidden job market." The probability of a job opening not being advertised at all increases with the level of the job. Needless to say, most job seekers fail to fully utilize networking to its full potential.

Networking means developing a broad list of contacts which are people you've met through various social and business functions and using them to your advantage when looking for a job. People in your network may be able to give you job leads, offer you advice and information about a particular company or industry, and/or introduce you to others so that you can continue to expand your network.

The best place to start developing your network is with your family, friends, and neighbors and with their family, friends, and neighbors. Talk to co-workers, colleagues in your industry, and those you meet at industry gatherings, such as trade shows and conferences. Talk with former co-workers, bosses, teachers etc.

The key to successful networking is deciding to put in the energy needed to make it work. First, you need to get organized (for example, keeping a business card file or computer database). Second, you need to stay in contact (for example, through regular phone calls or emails). Third, you need to set goals for yourself (such as 5 new contacts per week).

Steps to Successful Networking:

1. Conduct a self-assessment. An honest review of your strengths and weaknesses is vital. You should make some decision relating to the types of jobs you want and the types of companies and industries that interest you.

2. Prepare a strong resume. If you don't already have a resume, now is the time to develop one. You should ideally develop resumes according to what job/s you are interested in.

3. Decide how to organize your network. This step is crucial to your success. If you have ongoing access to a computer, the best method is a spreadsheet where you can enter key information, such as names, titles, company names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses, and dates of communication. Keeping an organized collection of business cards, where you can write notes and comments about your network, is another alternative.

4. Communicate with your network. It is exceedingly important to stay in touch with your network, which you can easily do by phone, mail, or email. Don't be afraid to ask for their help. Most people like helping others, and you must communicate your current needs with your network in order for them to be able to help you.

5. Initiate informational interviews. One of the best ways to gain more information about an occupation or industry and to build a network of contacts in that field is to talk with people who are currently working in the field. The purpose of the informational interview is to gain information, not to get a job.

6. Follow up with your network. The key is keeping your network informed of your situation and thanking them for their efforts. Never take your network for granted. Sending thank you notes is very important as this shows your network your appreciation.

Have questions regarding networking? Please contact Keisha White at keisha.white@antonellicollege.edu