Always be sure to send a thank-you letter. This practice not only demonstrates good social etiquette but it also helps to keep you and your skills fresh in the mind of the interviewer. On some occasions an interviewer already has an idea by the time the interviews are completed who they will be calling to offer the job; however on many more occasions they still remain unsure who will be awarded that coveted slot. Sometimes they want a little time to ’sleep’ on the decision or they may need to consult supervisors or others within their organization regarding the hiring decision. If a decision has not already been reached in the mind of the employer when all of the interviews have been completed, taking the time to send a thank-you letter can go a long way toward making sure you don’t get lost in the shuffle.

While it’s a good idea to send a polite thank you note to the person who interviewed you it is not a good idea to pester that person to no end. The only result you are likely to achieve through this strategy is alienating yourself from them and assuring that you won’t get the job. Although ‘don’t take no for an answer’ is a strategy that many aggressive job coaches recommend; it is still always best to observe polite social standards.

That is not to say that you should sit by the phone and allow several weeks to elapse, waiting, while you hear nothing and do nothing. Ideally, your thank you letter should have gone out the same day as the interview, no later than the following day. This means that the interviewer should receive it within one to two days following the initial interview.

Keep track of when the employer indicated a decision would be made and if that time has come and gone, it is perfectly permissible to go ahead and phone them. However; when you do make the call, be polite. State your name, the date you interviewed and the position for which you interviewed. You may say that you are following up to inquire as to whether a decision has been made.

At this point, the conversation can go a number of ways. The employer may indicate that a decision has been made and all candidates who were not selected will be receiving a letter in the mail. If this is the response you receive, it is your cue that you were not hired. Had you been, you would have received a phone call from the employer by now.

Thank them for their times, ask them to keep you in mind for any future vacancies and get off the line. Don’t burn any bridges. It could be that there was simply a better qualified candidate for that particular position, but they might consider you for a different, future position.

On the other hand, the employer may state that they are still reviewing resume, conducting interviews, etc, etc. This type of response could mean a couple of different things. It could mean that they really have made a decision and the person just doesn’t feel comfortable telling you on the phone that you weren’t selected or it could simply be taken at face value.

Perhaps something came up and their initial timeline has been forced to be extended somewhat. In either case, always remain polite and thank them for their time. After you end the call, make a note of the date on your planner and set a tickler to remind yourself to call back in a week if you still haven’t heard anything. Call back once a week, every week until a decision is made. Once a week is persistent; a trait which is to be admired. Once a day is pesky; a trait that should be avoided at all costs.

While it can be difficult to wait around after the interview, the most important two things that you should do is not blow the opportunity by annoying the employer with numerous pesky phone calls and by all means do not show up announced at their office door asking if they have arrived at a decision. Finally, make sure that you don’t pin all your hopes on one job. Yes, it may have been your first choice and your ideal dream job; however; this is probably also true for someone else as well. Use the time while you are waiting to hear back from the employer to line up your ‘B’ plan. Continue job searching, scheduling interviews and most importantly, reminding yourself that you can do this.

About the Author

Roger Clark is senior editor at Top Career Resumes who provide free information to job seekers on all aspects of finding a new job and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

Winning a job interview is the first part of the battle. Performing well in the interview is the second part of the battle. Now comes the third part of the battle: The follow-up contact.

But, “wait a minute,” you say, “won’t I look desperate if I follow up?” Well, yes, if your follow-up is a phone call saying, “oh please, oh please, oh please hire me. I will die if I don’t have this job!” That would be desperate. A simple thank-you note is showing interest and keeps your name alive.

by Shari Hearn

Here are a few tips on what to do after your job interview which can help increase your chances of getting hired:

• Send a thank you note right after the interview, ideally after a couple of days. This is a way of getting the prospective employer to hear from you again. Will it ensure you get the job you interviewed for? No. But, if you don’t get hired for that particular job, this might impress the company enough to keep your information on file for future consideration.
• Be accurate in getting the contact information of perspective employers. Double check and triple check your thank-you note so that their information is correct and there are no typographical errors contained in the note. In this day and age of e-mail and instant messages, some may think that there are fewer stigmas placed on spelling errors and typos. Remember, this is the business world you’re dealing with. Spelling errors and typos are indications of sloppiness, and no one wants to hire someone who will be sloppy in the work environment.
• If you have left character references with the prospective employer, do alert those references that they can expect a call from the company. It doesn’t look good if the prospective employer calls a reference who is caught unaware. Also, it’s not very considerate to your reference.
• Make sure that you leave all of your contact information, including your cell and landline phone numbers, e-mail address and home address. With regard to your outgoing messages on your cell and home phone answer machines and voicemail, make sure there’s no cute outgoing message which might turn off a prospective employer. Cute’s great for your friends, but might turn off a future employer. Don’t give anyone a reason to dislike you.
• Always be on the positive side. Should you not get hired for a particular position, do thank the company for the consideration, and ask they keep you in mind for future hiring.

While these tips can’t guarantee that you’ll receive the job for which you interviewed, they can at least help tip the scales in your favor, if not for the current position, but for future positions within the company.

About the Author

Shari Hearn is a writer and creator of Training for a Different Career, where you can learn all about At Home Career Training

Q: Should one follow up after sending a resume?

A: Job seekers who follow up with hiring managers after submitting their resume give themselves an advantage over other, less pro-active candidates. Employers value professionals who possess initiative and enthusiasm, and thoughtful communication after submitting a resume highlights these traits in candidates.

If the employer doesn’t have an opportunity to reply to a follow-up after you have submitted a resume, don’t become discouraged. Many hiring managers receive a high volume of resumes and it can be difficult, if not impossible, to reply to every resume follow-up message.

That said, sending a follow-up message is still a great way for candidates to distinguish themselves by showing motivation and enthusiasm. But don’t just ask if the hiring manager received your resume. When following up, make sure to reinforce the value you can bring to the organization.

Q: Should one follow up after having an interview?

A: Absolutely. Send a thank-you not to each person who interviews you. Job-seekers who skip this step may lose out to savvy candidates who extend this simple courtesy.

In your correspondence, emphasize why you are a solid fit for the role and what specific ways you will contribute if hired. Don’t just show you want a job; show why you want this job.

Q: How long should one wait to follow up?

A: In regards to follow-up on resumes, 82 percent of executives polled said job seekers should contact hiring managers within two weeks of submitting application materials.

For follow-up after an interview, candidates should contact those with whom they interviewed within 24 hours.

Q: What method is best: phone; snail mail; e-mail; carrier pigeon; singing telegram? That’s said only half in jest. Does trying to stand out from the pack help or hurt?

A: Candidates are feeling increasing pressure to distinguish themselves because the employment market is still very competitive. While nontraditional methods can help candidates get noticed, job seekers should remain professional at all times and carefully tailor their approach to the individual company or industry.

When asked about the best way for a job seeker to communicate with a hiring manager after submitting a resume, 38 percent of executives polled during our recent survey said via e-mail. Thirty-three percent said a phone call was the best option; 23 percent preferred a handwritten note.

But the way an employer is contacted after a resume is submitted is not as important as the communication itself. Whether writing an e-mail or speaking on the phone, job- seekers should demonstrate their familiarity with the company and, at the same time, reinforce their interest in the opportunity and why they are the best person for the position.

In reality, a resume must capture the recruiter’s attention in the first five seconds.   Candidates can greatly improve their chance of catching the recruiter’s attention by following these simple rules.

by Deborah Walker CCMC

1.   Correct resume format

Recruiters do not have time or patience to figure out the complexities of a poor resume .   To recruiters, time is money.   Recruiters are trained from the start to pick up on any possible “red flags” that identify the job seeker as an undesirable candidate.

2.   Quantifiable accomplishment statements

You will only capture a headhunter’s attention when he sees you in terms of commission potential.   A professional resume with accomplishment statements that prove bottom-line results will give the recruiter selling points to market you to their clients and put you in front of employers faster.

3.   Use of resume keywords

At any given time a recruiter may have 10 to 100 positions to fill.   Recruiters categorize those positions using keywords.   The recruiter may be so tuned into finding those words that he is oblivious to anything else.    Candidate-tracking databases also sort on keywords.   Your resume should be filled with those industry-specific keywords.

4.  Email your information to recruiters

Recruiters spend 80% of their time proactively calling prospective candidates and employers. They do not appreciate spending phone time with unsolicited callers.   Once a recruiter has your resume he will call you if he is interested.   Calling to ask if he has received your resume can risk ticking him off permanently.

5.   Use the correct attachment format

 When emailing your resume to recruiters, it is best to send it as both a Word attachment (to send to clients) and as a plain text attachment (to add to the database) in the body of the email.   This allows the recruiter to access your information in the fastest manner and contact you sooner.

Recruiters and headhunters can be a tremendous resource in your job search.   Designing your resume with recruiters in mind is an important first step toward building relationships with influential recruiters who have the power to introduce you to your next boss.

About the Author

Deborah Walker, CCMC

Certified Career Management Coach

Deborah Walker, President of Alpha Advantage, Inc., is a nationally respected career coach with extensive experience as a former headhunter and corporate recruiter. Her clients include top executives at Pepsi, Ford, Motorola, Target, Sun Microsystems and AT&T.

Her resume and career advice is featured on more than 3,000 websites and published in professional association newsletters nationwide, including the American Marketing Association, APICS, National Black MBA, and Women in Technology International.