After the Interview
The steps after the interview can often be
just as important as the ones before and during. Move forward
with confidence by putting these helpful tips to use.
Thank You Letters & Following Up
Writing Your Resignation Letter
Starting a New Job
Thank You Letters and Following up
An often over looked and under valued aspect of the job hunt
and interview follow up is the ever important thank you letter.
The thank you note is critical to you getting noticed and to the
success of the job hunt, but most people don’t take advantage of
this simple, yet powerful form of follow up. Although experts
differ on the style and formality of a proper thank you note,
all agree sending one increases your affinity with those who
have interviewed you, shows you are serious about your career
search and the position, and demonstrates that you employ the
most basic of people skills, the ability to show gratitude.
- Always send your thank you letter the day after your
interview at the latest for it to have the most impact. A
week later the sentiment will be lost.
- A conservative, handwritten thank you card is the most
ideal, but you can also type a thank you letter and print it
on quality, professional stationery. If you send a quick
thank you via email, be sure to follow up with a written
card as well.
- Address the note to the specific individual you spoke
with and double check your interviewer’s name and title and
make sure of the correct spelling.
- Thank the interviewer for his or her time and reiterate
your interest in the position mentioning how your
skills/experience will positively impact the company.
- Don’t forget to thank anyone else who helped you during
your job hunt. Send a note of gratitude to colleagues who
provided recommendations for you, friends who helped proof
your resume, employment firm personnel who provided a job
lead, and anyone else who provided guidance or advice even
in the smallest way. Doing so will let these people know you
appreciate their help, which will make them want to help you
again in the future.
- After you have sent your thank you note, don’t inundate
the company with calls checking on the status of the hiring
process. If you have not received a call back in the time
frame agreed upon during the interview, it’s appropriate to
call and check in, but remember to be patient and don’t over
do your follow up calls.
Writing your Resignation Letter
Your hard work searching for a job and all the interview prep
and follow up you did has paid off. You’ve landed a new exciting
career! Now what? It’s time to tender your resignation and start
the transition to your new job. To avoid burning professional
bridges, you’ll want to leave gracefully, this is achieved
through the resignation letter.
- Use proper form for business letters and keep it short,
polite and positive. You may need the employer as a
reference in the future and the resignation letter is not
the proper venue for airing grievances.
- Type your letter on a computer and address it to your
supervisor. You may also provide a copy for the human
resources department if your company has one.
- In the letter, state that you are resigning and give the
date the resignation is effective. For example, indicate if
you are giving two weeks notice or if you are resigning
immediately.
- Thank your employer for the opportunities he or she
provided and indicate that you are grateful to the company.
Even if you do not whole heartedly feel that this is the
case, you do not want to make enemies.
- Refrain from explaining why you are leaving, why you
hated your job, where you will be working, how much more
they will be paying you, etc. DO say that you are willing to
help with the transition your resignation may cause.
- Expect your supervisor to want to talk to you about your
decision. Be polite and again, don’t use this as an
opportunity to vent. Understand that in some cases your
employer may be angry you are leaving. Try not to become
involved in a dispute about the situation.
Samples of
Resignation Letters
Starting a New Job
Psychologists list starting a new job as one of the 10 most
stressful things one can do, so it’s perfectly understandable to
be nervous. From filling out a barrage of forms, to hours of
online training, to getting a handle on workplace politics, a
new job can be overwhelming. A little planning plus a dash of
common sense can go a long way in helping you get off on the
right foot at your new job.
- First impressions at a new job really matter. You should
treat the first day, and even the first month, like it’s
still the interview. The necessary basics of arriving on
time, dressing professionally, and being enthusiastic about
your new role should go without saying.
- A lot of information about your position and procedures
at your company will be thrown your way in the first 30
days. Ask questions and seek clarification on anything you
don’t understand, but take notes and pay attention so to
better remember what you are learning.
- Figure out how your boss prefers to communicate and keep
him or her updated on your progress. It’s important to get
off on the right foot, so set a meeting to discuss his or
her expectations and make sure you are on the same page.
- Start slow when you’re developing relationships with
co-workers. Be pleasant and polite, but hold back from being
too boisterous in a meeting and don’t over do it. Once
you’ve built up a rapport with your co-workers, you are free
to let more of your true self come to life.
- Be open minded about your new company’s processes and
procedures and don’t get caught saying, That’s not how we
did it at my old company. Give yourself time to adjust.
- Remember that your co-workers may be threatened by you
and your ideas at first. Although it’s natural to want to
impress your new co-workers with your great ideas right
away, give it some time and instead focus on simply doing
the job you were assigned to the best of your ability.
Later, when you see an opening to assist in resolving a
nagging problem, volunteer to help and show that you are a
team player.
- Be patient. It takes time to understand the company
culture and social norms. Start by figuring out which people
seem to be in the know and approach them with simple
questions about processes (like determining how best to
communicate updates on a project with someone), staying
clear of questions about personality. You don’t want to come
off like you’re fishing for gossip or are prying. Chances
are good the person you are asking will not only answer your
question, they will add in helpful background details on
their own (as in, Send updates via email, but keep it
simple, Ms. Smith is a real cut-to-the-chase type).
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