AFSNews Careers Column August 1996

Careers

Many job seekers overlook an important step toward securing employment: following up. For example, the majority of candidates fail to send thank-you letters after having job interviews. Aside from showing your familiarity with the rules of courtesy, which some people might consider to be old fashioned, why should you bother?

First of all, the thank-you note puts your name in front of the employer one more time and restates your interest in the position. Interviewers tend to remember the first and last candidates they meet with; the rest become a blur. A thank-you note can help you stand out.

Second, you can mention in the note an additional skill or advantage that you can bring to the job--something that you did not cover in the interview. A statement of this sort can further strengthen your candidacy.

Third, when faced with a choice between two or more relatively equally qualified candidates, an employer is more likely to hire the one who sent a thank-you note rather than the ones who did not. In fact, some employers will not hire candidates who do not send thank-you notes.

Send a note to each person who interviewed you. Mail your notes within a day or two of the interview. Conclude your note with your next follow-up step. For example, you might close by saying, "I will contact you the week of August 12 to check on the status of my application." Then be sure to do just that.

Another step that you can consider as part of your follow up is contacting employers who have declined the opportunity of hiring you. Granted, this process is much more difficult than sending thank-you notes, but it can be just as beneficial. Many employers will refuse to discuss their decisions with you, but a few will be willing to give you advice about how you can strengthen your applications and presentations in the future. It is worth a shot.

If you have suggestions for future columns, please contact me at Career Services, Lucina Hall, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306 (tel: 765/285-2430; fax: 765/285-3757; e-mail: 00jpgoodwin@bsuvc.bsu.edu).

Joseph P. Goodwin Ball State University