Jan 302017
 
Make an impression without being a nuisance.

Use a company event as a networking opportunity to meet people in your field.

If you know anything about sports, you know that follow through is key to success. No good golfer stops the swing as the club hits the ball, no baseball batter freezes at the split second when the bat hits the ball, and the lesson carries through in sport after sport.

[See: How to Follow Up on a Job Application Without Being Annoying.]

Similarly, in your job search it is important to follow up at every stage if you expect to be the stellar candidate who gets the job offer. Here are some key things you need to do to keep your job search up to date and moving forward.

  1. Networking Events. You’ve likely heard it said that it isn’t as much “what you know” as “who you know” that’s important. Plain and simple, networking is about getting to know more people and building new relationships. It’s not about going to people and begging them to help you, or even expecting that they will help you just because you know them. Everything will flow out of your new relationships, and this is the easiest time of year to enrich existing relationships and build new ones. Company holiday parties, industry gatherings, get-togethers with friends and neighbors are all perfect opportunities.

Make sure to bring some of your business cards with you, and make a point of getting the contact information of people you meet for the first time. Don’t monopolize their time when it is clear that they, too, want to interact with others, but try to ask if you can call to set a time to take them for lunch or coffee. Keep your cards in your left pocket and offer one when you shake hands, and then place all your new cards in your right pocket to keep them separated.

[See: 8 Things That Are More Productive Than Staring at a Job Board.]

Following up: When you get home be sure to follow up by adding the person and their information into your contacts lists, with a note or two about when you met and key things about them that you learned.

The next day, write a short note to your new acquaintance with these key elements:

  • Remind them about your meeting.
  • Mention something that you have in common, or another reason to continue your conversation other than what the person can do for you.
  • Invite the person to contact you whenever you can be of help.
  • Suggest a follow-up meeting, with a couple of times that would work for you or ask when it would be convenient for the other person.
  • Conclude with appreciation for your (brief) conversation and hopes of continuing it in the near future.
  1. Informational Interviews. It is particularly important before you enter a new field, or as you are integrating yourself in a new locale, to speak with people who are already in the field you want to join. There are many articles that describe the intricacies of the informational interview, but your key objective is to leave with the names and contact information of two or three other people with whom you should speak to learn more, to broaden your network and to possibly assist you with relevant suggestions for your job hunt.

[See: 10 Things New Grads Can Do Right Now to Get a Job.]

Following up: Of course, the first thing you should do is to write a brief thank-you note to the person with whom you interacted. Express your appreciation for his or her time, suggestions, offers of help and specific contacts. Indicate that you are following up on the contacts provided, and, of course, promise to keep in touch as time goes on (and hold true to your promise)!

Then, reach out to the new contacts which you received. Remember to say something great about your mutual friend, ask if they would be willing to meet you and offer to conform to their schedule. Offer to provide them with a copy of your resume, and when you do meet, exchange business cards (as described above). Tell something about yourself and ask informed, intelligent questions that demonstrate you know what you are doing and why you should be taken seriously.

  1. Job Interview. It should go without saying that every time you meet someone for a job interview, he or she expects and should receive a thank-you email either the same day, or certainly within 24 hours. If you meet multiple people at a group interview, each of them should receive their own, individualized thank-you note.

Following up: If they’ve taken time from their busy schedules, the least you can do is to express your appreciation for that, and try to follow up with one point that came up in the interview. It’s a perfect time to refine or change the answer you gave, demonstrate that you’ve already done research on something they suggested would be helpful or something of the sort.

A well-crafted thank-you note can grab victory from the jaws of defeat, and demonstrate your abilities and value without over-the-top self-praise.

Happy hunting!

Reprinted from: US News – http://money.usnews.com – 11.29.16

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