8. FOLLOW UP

Very few applicants will make one contact with a company and be hired the next day. Businesses often gauge applicants’ interest by what they do to follow up on a contact or interview. Depending on the circumstances, you can follow up by telephone, by letter, or in person. Whichever method you use, do the following:

• Refer to previous interactions.
• Restate your interest in becoming a part of the organization.
• Reemphasize how your skills can help the organization (using a power statement).
• Resolve any perceived shortcomings.
• Don’t pressure the addressee into hiring you; remember that thank-you letters and other forms of follow-up are a courtesy.
• Set up another meeting or contact.

THANK-YOU LETTERS

You should always write thank-you letters, even if you are not interested in working for the company or if the company has hired someone else, because this will help your network grow, and it could help the company remember you when other opportunities come up. Review the sample thank-you letters in appendix C (pages< 68–70), and evaluate them using the criteria above.

Which of the three letters would you select as the best?

Letter 1

Letter 2

Letter 3

Why did you select this one?

What makes the other two less effective?

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