From the mailbag: resumes, interviews and thank you notes
From the mailbag: resumes, interviews and thank you notes
Thank you for your e-mails and phone calls asking all kinds of great questions. Let’s begin with those pesky thank you letters.Q: I can’t understand why I should write a thank you note to a company representative who is getting paid to do his job when he interviews me to do a job for him.A: You’re right. You should write something more than a thank you note. You should, immediately after the interview, write a follow-up letter that begins, as common courtesy, with thanking the individual/individuals for taking their respective time to meet with you about the opportunity for which you interviewed. Follow that opening with the one or two ways that you can make an immediate difference for the company, and conclude with a statement of intent and call to action: "Mr. Jones, this is a job that I can do and I want to do. I want to work for the XYZ Company. I look forward to hearing from you and moving forward on the objectives you’ve described as key to the success of the business." Q: I’m in a standoff with my wife about the subject of writing thank you notes following interviews. She insists that I handwrite them, in ink, on formal notepaper. I think that’s over the top. If I’m going to write one, I think it should be in the form of a business letter. What’s the answer on this one?A: Not that I want to get in the line of fire, but I’m with you: business format, letterhead stationery, typed and sent by regular mail.Q: I understand that employers prefer to receive resumes written in reverse chronological style. If they were to see how many gaps I have in mine, they’d throw it in the trash. Shouldn’t I use a functional resume that allows me to disguise my track record?A: If you know it’s a disguise, Batman, then they do, too. Functional resumes send off red flags that typically result in the outcome you’re trying to avoid. Your best bet is to personally network your way into an interview, without a resume, so that you have an opportunity to present yourself, make your case and highlight your skills, strengths and abilities.Q: I’m never quite sure what issues I should cover on an interview and what to leave alone. For example, should I emphasize my earlier work years, when I advanced quickly, or my more recent experiences, which have been less exciting but more substantive? Should I talk about the times I was fired, or the times I was promoted? A: Ask good questions and go where the interviewer leads. For example, ask the employer why the position is open and her expectations of the person in that role. Ask her to describe her vision for the business and her plan for the future and the part she would like you to play in getting there. If you need clarity, ask for more context. No matter what, you’re better off asking than leaping with no good place to land. And when you respond, draw on your relevant experience and give cogent examples that connect to what this employer seeks from you.Q: I’m a raconteur and people find me entertaining. I’ve been told by friends not to overdo it when I’m on an interview. Are they jealous of me?A: Interviews are opportunities to share information and insight. Interviewers play host and take the lead in the kinds of questions they ask and the direction they take. That means that you, as the applicant, must be mindful of the signals they send so that you can respond accordingly and appropriately.
Joyce Richman is a speaker and career coach conducting seminars and workshops throughout the United States, and the author of "Roads, Routes & Ruts: A Guidebook for Career Success." You can reach her at 288-1799 or JERichman@aol.com. Watch Joyce Richman's latest career advice Wednesdays at 6:35 a.m. during "The Good Morning Show" on WFMY News 2 or visit http://www.digtriad.com/business/columnists/career_minute/
