Susan P. Joyce, Author at Job-Hunt

How to Write a Thank You Email After Your Phone Interview (Example)

Susan P. Joyce — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 00:16:32 +0000

Phone interviews (also known as “phone screens”) are often the first interview you have with an employer.

This interview is usually short with the goal of determining if you are someone who meets the basic requirements.

If you pass this hurdle, your candidacy will move forward and the employer will continue with their vetting process to see if you should be hired.

As with all other aspects of job interviewing, how you handle the follow-up after your phone interview is very important as an indication of the quality of your work (and is, thus, another important hurdle to successfuly overcome).

Send your emailed thank you promptly (within 24 hours).

Following up with a thank you email helps the employer determine some important things:

Are you good at following up?
Do you understand business etiquette?
Can you communicate clearly, effectively, and appropriately?

As usual, an emailed thank you is acceptable by the vast majority of employers.

These days a hand-written and snail-mailed thank yous may be received several days later, labeling you as old-fashioned and not quick to respond, even if mailed immediately after the interview.

The delay caused by regular snail mail delivery may cost you the opportunity.

More: How to Succeed in Your Phone Screen Interviews

What to Include in Your Phone Interview Thank You Email

Send the message from the email address used for your application and/or resume to help the employer “connect the dots” between your message and the interview and to increase the probability that it will get through the spam filters.

Here’s what to include in your thank you message:

As ususal, leave the TO: field empty until you have completed, spellchecked, and proofread the message (or put your own address in that field until it is ready to be sent).
Make the Subject short and specific to the job you interviewed for (see the sample below).
In your message, reference the date and time of the call.
Highlight any strength or qualification you have that was emphasized in the job description and/or the phone call.
Use short paragraphs to make your message easier to read and comprehend if someone just scans it on their computer or mobile device.
Use a formal closing including your full name, job title or expertise, your contact phone number, and a link to your LinkedIn Profile.
Don’t try to be cute or funny. No emoticons and no texting language (LOL).

More: Guide to Email for Job Search

Sample Phone Interview Thank You Message

Replace the Italicized text with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation.

Subject: [Job Title] interview on [date]

Dear [Mr./Ms. Last Name]:

Thank you very much for your time today [or yesterday or the date] to discuss the position of [job title]. I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about this job, and I look forward to discussing this position in person [on date and time, if the in-person interview was scheduled].

[Reference anything you said that seemed important to the interviewer, like: As we discussed, I find the technology related to using cloud computing fascinating and an amazing opportunity for the future, but security is also a major concern. Keeping XYZ Company’s information safe would be a top priority for the person in this job, and I would love to dig deeply into the protective technologies, as well as the threats, to avoid future problems.]

As we discussed, I have [months or years] of experience with [technology, tools, or qualification you have that seemed most important in the interview]. With my background and experience, I believe that I could quickly become a contributor, and I would love to meet your team to learn more about this opportunity.

I am excited about this opportunity at [organization name], and I look forward to meeting with you on [date and time of the in-person interview set up in the phone call].

Best regards,

[Your name]
[ Your job title or tagline, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
[Phone number — not your work number if you are employed]

Send Your Thank You From Your Personal Email Account

If you are employed, do NOT send this message from your work email, your work computer, your work smartphone, or while you are in the office!

Your employer may discover the message and your intentions to leave. The result is that you could have a very uncomfortable discussion with your boss about your job search, or you could lose your job. So, send this message from home using your own personal computer and your personal (not work!) email account.

Bottom Line on Thank You Notes After a Phone Interview

Emailed thank you notes are acceptable to most employers and are likely a necessity now because they are received quickly. I urge caution if the organization is very formal or “old school” like some old-line law firms, consulting companies, and other similar “traditional” organizations, particularly if all of your correspondence with them has been via “snail mail.”

More: Sending Your Thank You After the Job Interview

More About What to Do After a Job Interview:

Job Interview Follow-Up – the next step in the process
Thank you letter or notes after an interview
After the Job Interview, What Is Taking So Long?
Turning Rejection into Opportunity – IF you don’t get the job, but you did like the employer
Guide to Email for Job Search

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post How to Write a Thank You Email After Your Phone Interview (Example) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

How to Write a Successful Thank You Email After an Interview

Susan P. Joyce — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 00:14:45 +0000

As surveys by both CareerBuilder and Accountemps have indicated, the vast majority of employers accept emailed thank you notes.

Be very meticulous sending these “work samples.” Demonstrate the high quality of your work.

Speed of sending and receipt is the primary advantage of emailed thank you notes. For examples of good emailed thank you notes, read Job Interview Thank You Email (Templates & Samples).

You can follow up with paper, even hand-written, notes. Mailed (vs. emailed) notes take at least a day to deliver and may sit in a post office or corporate mail room for a while before delivery.

[For more information: read Job Interview Thank You Email (with Samples), Guide to Interview Thank You Notes, and Interview Thank You Note Samples.]

Do’s and Don’ts for a Perfect Post-Interview Thank You Email

Email can be challenging to use, so pay attention to these do’s and don’ts to ensure that your message gets through and makes the best impression:

When to Send a Thank You Email After a Job Interview

Send the message soon after the interview, preferably within the first 24 hours, even if the interview was on a Friday (send it as early as possible on Fridays). You do not want to be that last interviewee to send a thank you, in case other candidates are also smart enough to send thank you messages.

If you are unable to send the message in the first 24 hours, do not give up! Send the message anyway — MUCH better late than never!

Send Separate Thank You Emails to Multiple Interviewers

Send a separate, relatively unique message to each person who interviewed you. Since messages are very easy to forward, expect that your message to Interviewer A may be shared (and compared) with Interviewer B and C, as well as with HR and possibly upper management.

Vary the wording, but keep the overall theme (you are qualified for the job and enthusiastic about joining the organization), the subject, the closing, and the timing consistent.

Send Your Thank You Note from Your Personal Computer

Use your personal desktop or laptop computer to send this message.

Avoid using your smart phone to write and send this message. It is too easy for unintended changes to be made by the software when auto correction “fixes” the errors it finds. These kind of changes can make you look inept and unable to use something as simple as email.

If you are employed, DO NOT send this message while you are at work or using your work computer.

If employed and using your employer’s equipment or network to send your message, your employer may discover the message and your intentions to leave. The result is that you could have a very uncomfortable discussion with your boss about your job search, or you could lose your job.

The Email Account Used to Send Your Thank You

Send the message from the email address used for your application and/or resume to help the employer “connect the dots” between your message and the interview. (Hopefully, for your application/resume, you used a personal email address associated with an account you check often.)

Using the same email address on your application/resume should also increase the probability that your message will get through the employer’s spam filters.

Sending the message from a Gmail address or one associated with your home Internet provider, like Comcast or Spectrum, is fine. Many colleges and universities also offer alumni the ability to use an @[whatever].edu address, which is also acceptable, especially for new grads.

If you are employed, DO NOT send this message from your work email address! You may think it is impressive, but it looks to other employers as tacky and disloyal.

Using your work email system also increases the probability that your job search will be discovered which will not be good for you. People get fired for being “disloyal” and/or “distracted” because of their job search while employed.

Avoid using a silly address email address like MillieJMBA@, SurferDude1@, or other unprofessional address that will not connect with your application or resume.

Instead, use @Gmail or other email account not associated with your work or, if possible, with your home. If possible, avoid @AOL, @Hotmail, @MSN, and @Yahoo — those addresses look “old” to most recruiters now.

For more tips on choosing a professional email address that represents you well, read How to Choose a Professional Email Address.

Thank You Email Subject Line (Examples)

Make the purpose of your message clear with a formal subject line like the examples below. DO use the whole phrase “thank you” in the Subject and the message. Do NOT use the informal term “thanks.” For example:

Subject: Thank you: [Job Title] interview on [date]

Subject: Thank you for the [Job Title] interview on [date]

Subject: Thank you for the [date] [Job Title] interview

Subject: [Job Title] interview on [date] thank you

Replace the text above [in brackets] with the appropriate information for you.

Keep the subject line shorter than 75 characters, if possible. Many email systems show only the first 40 to 50 characters, so keep that in mind when you write your subject.

Avoid seeming to be casual or informal by using a subject such as “Hi!’ or “Greetings!” or even “Thank You!” These subjects have two major problems:

They do not make the topic of the message clear.
They do not look professional.
They may be caught in spam filters and never seen by a human.
They do not look like you are taking the opportunity seriously.

Keep Your Thank You Note Formal

The best strategy is to use formal business language and proofread very carefully! Remember, this message shows employers the quality of your work and is an example of your work..

Demonstrate the high quality of your work in your email. Avoid using informal language, typos, and strange formatting. Avoid the use of emoticons and no texting language (LOL).

The Thank You Email Message Length

Keep the message short, not more than 3 to 6 brief paragraphs so it is more likely to be read. Try to include something memorable from the interview to help the interviewer remember you.

What to Say in Your Thank You Email

Seek to connect with the interviewer with this message. If something you said seemed to resonate with that interviewer — perhaps something you shared about one of your achievements or information you learned about one of their competitors — include a brief statement related to that topic in your message.

If you did connect with the interviewer about something, from sports, schools, or a passion for recycling to movies, music, or an interest in cats, insert a reference to that connection in your thank you note to help the interviewer remember you.

Highlight any strength or qualification you have that was emphasized in the job description and/or the interview, particularly if you don’t think the interviewer understood your strength in that area.

Demonstrate your skill in business communications by writing a note as you would email a potential customer or client.

Do not try to be cute or funny, unless those skills are required for the job.

How to End Your Thank You Email (Example Email Closings)

Use a formal closing like this —

Best Regards,
Jim Jones

Close with your full name, not just “Jim” if your name is “Jim Jones.” Other acceptable email closings include:

Best,
Respectfully,
Regards,
With gratitude,
Sincerely,

Below the closing add a “signature block” which includes

Your full name
Your job title or expertise
Your contact phone number (not your work phone number!)
A link to your LinkedIn Profile.

Avoid closing informally with language like this —

See you soon!
JJ

The Bottom Line on Interview Thank You Emails

Take great care with these thank you notes. Even though these are email messages, they are important examples of the quality of your work, your follow-up skills, and your expertise in sending effective emails. All of those are important points to make with a potential employer.

More About Interview Thank You Notes

Sample Job Interview Thank You Email
Sample Job Interview Thank You to the Person Who Referred You,
Sample Job Interview Thank You to an External Recruiter
Sample Thank You Note After a Bad Job Interview
Sending Your Thank You After the Job Interview
Formal Interview Thank You Notes (with Samples)
Job Interview Thank You Email (with Samples)
Turning Rejection into Opportunity – the thank you after you are turned down for the job

More: The Waiting Game After the Interview by recruiter Jeff Lipschultz and Job-Hunt’s 2017 study, Job Seekers: What Happens After You Apply.

About the author…

The post How to Write a Successful Thank You Email After an Interview appeared first on Job-Hunt.

10 Common Job Interview Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Susan P. Joyce — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:52:38 +0000

As anyone who has been in a job search for a while knows, being invited to a job interview is not something easily achieved.

Becoming one of the few “job candidates” rather than being part of the usually gigantic crowd of “job applicants” is a major victory.

Unfortunately, too many job candidates blow their interview opportunities, wasting all that time and effort.

Don’t be one of those candidates. Never assume that the job offer is “in the bag” simply because you were invited for an interview!

Avoid These Common Job Interview Mistakes

What you do during a job interview is viewed as a “sample” of your work. Everything you do is being judged because they don’t know you (unless you are one of the lucky referred candidates).

Show them you would be a great hire. Use these job interview tips to avoid making common mistakes:

1. Appearing Uninterested

This one drives employers crazy. Most employers have more applicants than they need or want. If you aren’t demonstrably interested in them and the job, they certainly aren’t interested in hiring you.

To Avoid:

Demonstrate your interest in the company and the job. Know the job you are interviewing for and why you want the job. Ace your elevator pitch. Be dressed appropriately. Turn off your cell phone and focus your attention on the interview and the interviewers.

Ask intelligent questions that indicate you have done some research, but do NOT ask a question that could be answered in 30 seconds with a Google search or a peek at their website’s homepage.

2. Being Unprepared

Obvious lack of preparation is an opportunity crusher. And, lack of preparation usually becomes obvious quickly.

To Avoid:

Be prepared! Preparation will help you demonstrate your interest in them and the job. You will also perform better in the interview when you are prepared.

Successful preparation has several elements:

Analyze the job description and your match with it.

Carefully analyze the job description. Write down each requirement, and how you meet that requirement.

Then, determine your accomplishments that align with those requirements. Write down your accomplishments, quantified as much as possible, to help you remember them.

Think of situations where you have demonstrated that you meet this job’s requirements, and make note of them. These are “stories” you can share, briefly, in the interview to show that you meet the requirements. They will be particularly useful if you are asked, “Tell me about a time when…”
Know your answers to the standard job interview questions.

In particular, be ready for the “What do you know about us” and “Why do you want to work here” questions, related specifically to this employer and job opportunity. Read Smart Answers to Interview Questions for details on what employers will probably ask and how to answer appropriately.

Use your stories, as appropriate, when you think about your answers to the usual interview questions.
Research the employer.

Yes, check out the website, as thoroughly as you can. What do they do? Do they state a “mission”? How are they organized? Where are they located? Are they part of a larger organization? If they have subsidiaries, what do their subsidiaries do?

Note the names of their products and/or services and get familiar with what each does (unless they have tens or more).

Who are the officers named on the website? Where are they located? Do you share any common background with any of them (hometown, school, service, volunteer work, etc.)
Not Researching the interviewers.

Hopefully you know the names of the interviewers, so check out their LinkedIn Profiles. Do you have anything in common with any of them (as above, hometown, school, etc.). Do you notice anything else about them, from the same college degrees or the same military service to similar smiling (or not) faces? [Read Interview Investigation: Know the Interviewer In Advance for more tips.]
Being late for the interview.

If possible, do a test run at the approximate time you are supposed to be there, and plan your departure and arrival for the interview accordingly, getting comfortable with the drive or ride, tolls or fees, parking options, etc.

Being late for an interview is DEADLY. If you arrive more than 15 minutes early, find an unobtrusive place to hang out until you can officially arrive 5 or 10 minutes before the scheduled interview. Observe what is happening while you wait to learn more about the employer and, perhaps, have additional questions to ask.

Read The Winning Difference: Pre-Interview Preparation for more tips.

3. Sharing TMI (too much information)

Sometimes, people have a whole-truth-and-nothing-but-the-truth mindset in a job interview, so they “spill their guts” in answer to every question. Not smart or useful!

I’m not recommending telling any lies, but I am recommending that you avoid boring the interviewer and blowing an opportunity by sharing too much information. If they want more details, they’ll ask.

To Avoid:

Answer their question, and then stop talking. Or, ask a question of your own.

4. Having Negative Body Language

If you never smile, have a limp handshake, and don’t make eye contact with the people you meet at the employer’s location, and especially with the interviewer, you’ll come across as too shy or too strange or simply not interested.

To Avoid:

Show your interest and enthusiasm. If you are naturally very shy or an introvert, express your enthusiasm as Wendy Gelberg, author of The Successful Introvert, suggests.

[If you’re a veteran, put yourself at “Attention!” (but skip the “Yes, ma’am” and “Yes, sir”).]

Smile, say hello, look them in the eye, and shake hands as though you really are happy to meet that person, and soon you will be. To learn more, read How to Leverage Body Language in Job Interviews.

5. Not Asking Good Questions, or Asking the Wrong Questions at the Wrong Time

To an employer, no questions = no interest. Number one, above, indicates how deadly that is to your success with the opportunity.

As bad as having no questions is asking the wrong questions. During the first interview, asking questions only about raises, promotions, vacation, and benefits are not usually well-received. Those questions apparently indicate that you are just interested in specific personal benefits rather than the job.

To Avoid:

Ask the questions that occurred to you as you were doing your pre-interview research, as you talked with the people during the interview, or as you observed people in the location.

Ask for details about the job — what an average day is like, if the job is new or being filled because the previous employee was promoted, etc.

Read 50+ Good Questions to Ask in Interviews and 45 Questions You Should NOT Ask in a Job Interview for more help.

6. Being Angry

If you were laidoff, fired, or ended your last job unpleasantly, you may feel very angry. You may be angry over a horrible commute to the interview, earlier fight with your kids or spouse, or anything else. Whatever the reason, dump the anger before the interview, at least temporarily.

Angry people are NOT people employers want to hire. Angry people are not fun to work with. They may frighten co-workers and/or customers or clients. They may also abuse both people and equipment (computers, cars, etc.). Not good contributors to a happy workplace or a prosperous business, even if they don’t “go postal.”

To Avoid:

Stop, before you enter the employer’s premises, take a few deep breaths, focus on the opportunity that awaits you at this potential employer, put a smile on your face, and do your best to switch gears mentally so you are not “in a bad place” in your mind.

7. Flirting or Other Inappropriate Behavior

Unless you are interviewing for a job as a comedian or host/hostess in a social club, don’t try to be entertaining or amusing. And, don’t flirt with anyone, including the receptionist and the security guard.

To Avoid:

If making them laugh isn’t a requirement of the job, take the interview seriously. Save flirting for your second day of work.

Don’t chew gum or bring food or drink into the interview. Mind your manners, like your Mother taught you, and be polite to everyone you meet there. The interview is an “audition” for the job. Show them your best!

8. Not Collecting Contact Information or Asking the Next-Steps Questions

Many job seekers leave the interview(s) with no idea of what will happen next in this employer’s hiring process. They also often don’t know who is the best person to contact as well as when and how to contact that person.

To Avoid:

At the beginning of the interview “play (business) cards” with the interviewer(s). Hand them your business card (or networking card, if you are employed), and ask for their card. This is the best way to gather the name, job title, location, and contact information of each person who interviews you. If you don’t have this information, you won’t be able to proceed with appropriate job interview follow-up (Mistake #9).

Then, as the interview ends, ask what the next steps in their hiring process are if no one volunteers the information. Find out who your post-interview contact is and when and how to contact that person. Note the email address and/or phone number carefully, paticularly if you don’t have that person’s business card.

For more details, read The 5 Absolute MUST-ASK Questions in Your Next Job Interview.

9. Forgetting the Interview is a Two-Way Street

Don’t go to the interview thinking that you are the only one trying to “make a sale.” You need to ask questions to help you discover if the job, the people you would be working with, and the employer are what you want. You also need to decide if you would be happy working there for at least one year.

To Avoid:

Have your own list of questions ready (not the ones in #6 above). Observe what is happening at the location. Are employees and customers smiling or not? Do people seem busy or bored? Does the environment look like a pleasant place to spend most of your day? Is the location is good or bad for you (commute, parking, personal safety, etc.)? Anything else catch your attention (noisy, very quiet, bad music playing constantly, crummy restrooms, scary elevators, etc.)?

Read 50+ Good Questions to Ask in Interviews for ideas.

10. Failing to Follow Up

Often, job seekers leave at the end of the interview(s) with a sigh of relief that the interview is over, and they can get on with their lives. They leave, and wait to receive a job offer.

To Avoid:

Remember this is a demonstration of the quality of your work as an employee.To stand out in the crowd of job candidates, which usually number four or five, immediately send your thank you notes to each person who interviewed you. Also send a thank you to the external recruiter, if one was involved, or the employee or networking contact who referred you for the opportunity, if you were referred.

To send an effective thank you, read Sending Your Thank You After the Job Interview including the Sample Job Interview Thank You to the External Recruiter who may have referred you.

Moving On When You Make a Mistake

Everyone makes mistakes, and, often, the mistakes are not “fatal” for your job search. But, do your best to avoid these errors, and you should have a short job search.

If the interview seemed to go smoothly, but led to a job rejection, asking the hiring manager for feedback can set you up for success next time. Here’s why it’s important to ask for feedback after a job rejection.

More About Successful Job Interviews

About the author…

The post 10 Common Job Interview Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

How to Answer: “How Were You Referred to Us?” During an Interview (with Samples)

Susan P. Joyce — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:52:21 +0000

This is a relatively common job interview question, frequently asked in other variations like, “How did you hear about this job?” and “How did you learn about this job?”

Employers have many reasons for asking this question, and most of those reasons are not threatening to job seekers.

Although it sounds simple, do not assume that this question is unimportant to the employer. If it really was unimportant to them, interviewers would not consistently ask it.

And definitely do not assume that you cannot fumble it badly, ruining an opportunity. As usual, be prepared and be careful.

Avoid This VERY Bad Answer for “How Were You Referred to Us?”

The worst answer you can give is —

“I don’t remember.”

Yikes! When that’s your answer, you look disorganized and, possibly, desperate — applying for every job you find, leaving the employer with the impression you are not particularly interested in them or in this job.

Do NOT fib. “I applied on LinkedIn” is not a good answer if they did not post it on LinkedIn. Your lie (and lack of memory or interest in being truthful) will kill the opportunity for you.

Best strategy: Keep track of the jobs you have applied for. Hopefully, you are not applying for hundreds of jobs a week, so this will not be a big task for you.

Create a list or a spreadsheet that shows the source of the job posting (Indeed, CareerBuilder, LinkedIn, the employer’s website, Facebook, or ??), the date you applied, the employer’s name, the job title, and any other identifier like a job posting number or URL. Ultimately, this can be useful information for you, too — the sources, jobs, and employers best for you.

Then, check the list and note the source before you head out for the interview.

Why Do They Ask “How Were You Referred to Us?”

Your answer to this question can provide two important pieces of information about you and the job.

1. Your interest in them and the job.

Often, the primary reason they ask this question is to gauge how interested you are in the job and in working for them.

Be prepared with an answer that demonstrates you didn’t just stumble over a job posting on Indeed or LinkedIn. That is NOT an impressive sign of your interest in the job.

The employer usually rewards employees for referring good job candidates if the candidates are hired and work successfully for a specific number of days or months, depending on the employer. For the employee making the referral, that reward, on average, ranges between $1,000 and $5,000, depending on the job and the employer (source).

This question might be asked as part of that ERP qualification process, confirming and/or documenting the referral.

2. Their most effective recruiting method.

Often this question is asked so that the employer can understand which recruiting method or platform being used is the most effective. When the employer understands what is working vs. what isn’t, they can adjust and change to use the most effective method for their recruiting.

Should they focus on promoting their ERP to employees, increasing the internal visibility of job opportunities so that current employees see opportunities to advance their career within the organization, or making job postings visible on LInkedIn (or another platform). They have many options, and need to choose the most effective.

Sample Answers “How Were You Referred to Us?”

Even if a question is not particularly challenging or complex on the surface, take care with your answer. In general, being honest is the best strategy, but be careful with how you respond to this question. With your answer, do your best to express your enthusiasm for the employer and the job.

As much as possible, avoid fibbing. Once you have answered the question, stop talking. Then, ask a question of your own, if you have one that is related, or wait for a follow on from the interviewer.

1. If you were you referred by an employee.

Employee referrals are the quickest and most efficient way to get hired. Employers prefer job candidates who have been referred by an employee because, typically, referred candidates become “good hires” They do their job well, stay in the job longer than average, and refer other good job candidates.

According to Dr. John Sullivan, who has researched the process extensively, your chances of being hired increase 300% if you are referred by an employee. So, be sure to tell them you were referred in accordance with the rules of the employer’s program (who can refer you, when, and how).

However, in some situations, it may not be appropriate for the employee to have referred someone, for example if the employee is the hiring manager or, perhaps, in the HR or talent acquisition parts of the organization.

The employee who plans to give you the referral should know the “rules” to the employer’s referral program or be able to find them.

If an employee gave you the lead, be sure to ask the employee if it’s OK to give their name as the answer to this question. If it is OK with them, give their name and, in a large organization, their department and location, perhaps even an employee identification number if one is used.

The employee may qualify for a bonus from the employer for referring you, but most employee referral programs have rules about when an employee does or does not qualify. If someone has referred you appropriately, you want them to receive the award. The referral will usually help your candidacy, too. Definitely a win/win situation!

Sample Answer:

When I decided to consider changing employers, I reached out to my network looking for recommendations of good local employers. [Employee name, job title, and organization] who I know through [previous employer, school, local professional organization, neighbor, etc.] reached out. He knew of this job being open and thought it could be a good fit for me. He speaks very highly of this organization. When I checked out the job and looked at more information about you, I agreed. So I applied enthusiastically through your employee referral program.

For more information about successfully navigating the employee referral process, which is not as simple as it once was, read How to Make Employee Referral Programs Work for You.

2. If you targeted this employer.

You can make points here for your interest in the employer.

Reference your pre-application (or, at least, pre-interview) research that created or increased your interest in this employer.

This demonstrates your interest in this specific employer. It also addresses their concern that you just clicked the “Apply” button on a job board because you found a job posting.

Perhaps, this employer is one you have always wanted to work for. Be prepared to explain what, why, and/or how you became interested in the employer. However, if your sole interest is that they have a reputation for paying very well, find another reason you can share with the employer.

If appropriate, mention colleagues, friends, and/or family members who are employees or who have worked happily for the organization. They may qualify for compensation (see # 1 above).

If you follow the company page on LinkedIn and found the job in association with the company’s LinkedIn Profile, share that information with them. Be sure to check their company page on LinkedIn before you head out for your interview to demonstrate your interest..

Or, describe the research you’ve done on top employers, the industry, an article you read, or perhaps you or your family have been customers/clients/fans of the employer.

Sample Answer:

I have been interested in [this industry] for quite a while, and [company name] is a leader with a reputation as a great place to work. Since [company name] products and services are highly regarded both inside and outside of the industry, I decided that working here would represent a great opportunity to learn and to grow.

For more on researching employers, read The Winning Difference: Pre-Interview Preparation and Smart Google Research for Successful Job Interviews. Also see how to answer the related job interview question, “What do you know about us?”

3. If you found the job posting without targeting the employer?

If this is how you found the job, be very careful in your response.

Don’t leave the impression that you have applied for every job you found. You do not want to sound desperate or careless.

If possible, share the name of job board, date, and whether or not the job was “featured” or in a sponsored ad made more visible than the other jobs listed.

If you found the job posted in social media, like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, provide as many details as possible — date and source.

Make it clear how and why the posting stood out to you, and why you applied for the job. Then, add how you did research to discover that you would be interested in working for this employer based on the positive information you found. If possible, refer to that information in your response.

Sample Answer:

I was very pleased to see this job on LinkedIn. Your company is very interesting, particularly [mention a product or service]. When I checked your LinkedIn Company page, I discovered that I am connected with several employees on LinkedIn. Since I’m not closely connected to them, I didn’t feel comfortable asking for a referral. When checked out their LinkedIn profiles. I noticed that they have all been here for several years, which I view as very good sign that this is an excellent place to work.

4. Did a recruiter refer you?

With most recruiters, they will make the introduction, so it is unlikely that you will be asked this if a recruiter referred you.

If you are asked this question, provide the recruiter’s name, hopefully confirming what the employer already knows.

The Bottom Line on Answering “How Were You Referred to Us?”

Prepare your answer to this question for every job interview. Not every interviewer will ask the question, but many will, and you will, most likely, answer it best when you are prepared.

More About Employee Referrals

Answering the Common Job Interview Questions:

Questions About You:

Handling Special Career Situations:

Questions About Them:

Questions for You to Ask Them:

Do You Have Any Questions? — choose from 50+ good questions to ask them
5 Absolute Must-Ask Questions for the End of Your Next Interview
The Second Interview: 5 Key Questions to Ask
45 Questions You Should NOT to Ask in Job Interviews

Interview Preparation:

About the author…

The post How to Answer: “How Were You Referred to Us?” During an Interview (with Samples) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Temporary Jobs

Susan P. Joyce — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:52:12 +0000

Like anything else, there are definitely advantages and disadvantages for becoming a short-term employee.

Being a temp can be the perfect solution to career and/or personal needs, or temping may simply provide a way to pay the bills until a better job is found.

The jobs typically range in length from one day to several days or a few weeks.

For details on what a temporary job is, how to get one, and how they work, read Guide to the Temporary Work Options.

[Longer temporary jobs, lasting several weeks or months, are often called freelancing, contracting, or gigs.]

Reasons for Taking a Temporary Job

These days, job seekers have many reasons to take a temporary job:

The job is usually only available as a temporary or “seasonal” job.
A temporary job is preferred by the job seeker.
A temporary job is all the job seeker can find in their local job market or field, at the current time.

All of these are valid reasons for taking a temporary job. Particularly if you have been unemployed for more than six months, a temporary job can be your best options.

Benefits and Advantages of Taking a Temporary Job

Are Temp Jobs Worth It?

A temporary job definitely offers advantages to the job seeker:

The temporary job may be exactly the job the job seeker wants, with a time limit for the employment commitment.
It provides an income stream while the “real” job search continues. (We called this the “salary continuation plan” in the past.)
It may give the job seeker a chance to “test drive” a job, an employer, a profession, or an industry.
The job seeker has an opportunity to start their career migration to a new field.
It fills a gap in experience needed for the next job.
It fills or a gap in the resume’s employment history
Sometimes, it provides both income and benefits (health insurance, etc.)
Sometimes, it opens the door to a permanent job, often referred to as “temp-to-perm.” These jobs give both the employee and the employer an opportunity to see how they work together.

With luck, a temporary job may provide all of these benefits and more.

Disadvantages of Taking a Temporary Job

Of course, a down-side exists for temporary work:

Temp jobs are, by definition, short term, usually less than a month, often less than a week. If you want a longer term job without making a full commitment to the employer as a “permanent” employee, freelancing or contracting can be a better option.
Many temps report feeling isolated and not well-respected by other employees. I’m sure this varies by organization and “corporate culture,” but it happens.
Most temps are not paid top dollar for what they do, unless they have a skill that is quite scarce.
Depending on the agency, you may find that you have fewer benefits (sick days, paid vacation, for example).
The site manager and other employees may not be particularly helpful when you are in a learning mode.

The good news is that these jobs are, by definition, temporary! The atmosphere and people change with every job. So, if one job is unpleasant, the next one may be great. Read Turn Temporary Work Challenges into Opportunities for more information.

The Bottom Line On Pros and Cons of Temp Work

It’s a balancing act. For some people, being a temp is perfect for them. For others, being a temp is a hopefully short stop before a full-time “permanent” job is found.

More About Temporary Work Options

About the author…

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How to Write a Thank You Note to a Recruiter

Susan P. Joyce — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:51:54 +0000

If an external recruiter (independent or working for an agency, not an employee of the company) referred you to a job opportunity, thanking them is a very good idea. Simply “good manners.”

Yes, recruiters cannot do their jobs without you, but they could refer someone else next time — one of your competitors.

So, playing nice is a good idea as well as good manners. The nicer you are, the more referrals and information you may receive from them.

You may not need to send this message immediately because they will probably call you — or ask you to call them — as soon as the interview is over. But, this is a very nice follow up a day or so later,

As Jeff Lipschultz, Job-Hunt’s Working with Recruiters Expert who is also a full-time agency/external recruiter, has suggested — keep the recruiter informed about what is going on.

Since recruiters usually speak directly with hiring managers, they can be an excellent source of information for you.

This thank you is an easy and graceful way to stay in touch, even long after the job interview happened, especially if you want to remind them of your existence (not a bad idea).

[To learn more about internal recruiters vs. external recruiters, read Working with Recruiters.]

How to Thank a Recruiter

See the formal sample job interview thank you letter and the less-formal sample job interview thank you email for tips on the how to best use each method of sending a thank you. (If the interview didn’t go well, check out the sample thank you after a bad interview — still a good idea for a number of reasons.)

Adapt the text in the sample to your circumstances, and customize it as described in Sending Your Thank You’s After the Job Interview.

In most cases, the recruiter will appreciate receiving an email message, so that is the format used in this sample. If you feel that the recruiter who referred you is more formal, use the thank you letter format instead.

Sample Thank You Email to Recruiter For Arranging a Job Interview

Replace the Italicized text with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation.

Subject: Referral to [company name] [job title] position, interviewed on [date].

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

Thank you very much for referring me to [company name]! I interviewed for the [job title] position [today or yesterday], and I think it went pretty well.

Interviews started at [time] and ended at [time] at their location in [city or neighborhood if the employer has several locations].

I spoke with:

[name], [job title]

[name], [job title]

[name], [job title]

[name], [job title]

[name], [job title]

[Describe how the interviews took place – one large room with several people asking you questions or just one person at a time or however it occurred.]

They told me that they would be making a decision on who to hire [or when the next round of interviews will begin] by [date], and would be in touch with me then.

This employer and job feel like a very good match for me [include only if true!]. I like this type of employer [or name a different type of employer you would prefer], and would be happy to meet other similar employers for jobs which leverage my skills and experience in [name of your skills and experiences].

If you can, please let me know how interested they seem to be, and what I should be doing for follow up, in addition to the thank you notes I have already sent.

Looking forward to working with you in the future [again, only if true!].

Best regards,

[Your name]
[Your tagline, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
[Phone number — not your work number if you are employed]

Be Open with External Recruiters, But Professional

Carefully share information with external recruiters.

Remember: Recruiters work for the employer, not for you.

But, they will be paid if you are hired and become a successful employee, so they have a vested interest in helping you succeed — when they have found a job that is a good match for you.

But don’t confuse a recruiter with your best friend or mother. Don’t confess all of your sins or use potty-mouth language. This is a professional relationship, but you can share your hopes and ambitions with them. They may be able to help you achieve them — if you have the right skillset and experience for their clients.

Be Extremely Careful with Internal Recruiters

Unlike external recruiters, internal recruiters are employees of the company where you interviewed. While they are often nice people, willing to help you, this is not a friendship (yet).

So, definitely treat them as you treat everyone else who interviews you at the employer — professionally and carefully — and send them the standard thank you that you send to other members of the employer’s staff.

More About Recruiters:

Understanding Recruiters
The Waiting Game After the Interview – by recruiter Jeff Lipschultz
Keeping the Recruiter Informed – by recruiter Jeff Lipschultz
Job-Hunt’s free Guide to Working with Recruiters

About the author…

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How To Ask About Next Steps In The Interview Process

Susan P. Joyce — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:51:46 +0000

Often the wait between the job interview and the next step in the hiring process seems endless.

Don’t assume all employers use the same hiring process — they definitely do NOT!

And, while some employers will tell you about their process, many will forget or just not keep you informed.

Without knowing the answers to the 5 questions below, you will be completely uninformed about the employer’s process.

Sometimes the lack of information is to test your interest in the job, and sometimes the lack is inexperience, incompetence, disorganization, or too much work.

The answers to these questions after the interview are essential for your success in your job search.

They won’t help you determine your potential job satisfaction or even, directly, your fit for a job, but they are the most important to ask to keep your job search moving forward.

[For important questions to ask about the job and the environment, read 50+ Good Questions to Ask Them in Interviews for more ideas.]

Ask These 5 Questions to Understand What The Next Steps Are in The Interview Process

The answers to these questions can give you an idea not only of how their process works, but also how urgently they want to fill the job. And, quite possibly, how interested they are in hiring you. Employers should share this information with you without being asked, but many don’t.

If this information is not volunteered by the employer, usually near the end of the interview, be sure to ask these questions preferably during the job interview:

1. Learn how this employer’s hiring and job interview process works.

The next step in this employer’s process could include an email, a phone call, another interview (or two), a visit to their facility, some tests, a list of your references to contact, or something else, but you need to know to be prepared. So, before you leave their premises or end the phone call, ask them:

Your Question: What are the next steps in the interview process?

If you can, ask more than one person this question.

Depending on where you are in their typical chronology for hiring, the next step could be interviewing other candidates, another interview for you, checking your references, having you take a test (or multiple tests), or waiting for them to meet and discuss what happens next.

Every employer is different, but each usually has a process they follow (formally or informally) when making a hire. To successfully navigate through their process and to understand how it works, you need to know the process, or at least know what the next step is.

Chances are very good that the people whom you speak with won’t think to tell you what happens next. They’ll assume that someone else has told you (or will tell you), or they don’t realize how important that information is to you.

2. Learn when they plan to be back in touch with you for next steps or what their timeline is.

Again, ask this question of each person or group of people you talk with.

Assuming that you will be invited to continue in their hiring process, when you know what the next step is, ask them:

Your Question: When can I expect to hear from someone [or you] about this job?

As usual, depending on where you are in their hiring process, you could hear from them today (unlikely, but possible), tomorrow, end of the week, next week, next month, after the holidays, etc. All the people you ask may not agree on the timing, but you’ll end up with a general idea of their schedule.

Expect this answer to be wrong because, particularly in large organizations, the process doesn’t always (or often) go as planned. Ask this question anyway, because it gives you an idea of their expected time frame for the hiring process, and it lays the groundwork for the next questions.

3. Identify your official contact.

At the end of each stage of the job interview process (phone screen, in-person round one, in-person round two, etc.), ask this question:

Your Question: Who should I stay in touch with?

Typically, one person will be designated as the “point person.” And, that’s the person you usually stay in touch with throughout the process. Ask for the person’s business card.

Additional people may be added during the process, like the hiring manager or an HR manager. Hopefully, you have an internal contact who referred you for the job opportunity (best way to get hired!), and that person may be your best source of information, informally.

4. What is the best way to reach your contact?

This is essential information:

Your Question: How should I contact [you, person’s name, or job title]?

Hopefully, they will say something like, “Call me at ###-###-####.” Less useful is an email address. Best is both, so you can follow up if you don’t receive a response to your email.

If you have the person’s business card, get it out, and circle the preferred communications method on the card, or add a note to the back of the card.

5. Find out when you can expect to hear back from them.

This is a very important question! The answer gives you permission to contact them if they miss their own deadline — and they usually do miss it.

Their answer usually gives you both information and permission to stay in touch. So, ask this question:

Your Question: If I don’t hear from you by [their back-in-touch date, # 2, above], what would be a good day to follow up?

If they provide a date, add another day or two to their own back-in-touch date in your question. So, if they said, they’ll contact you next Tuesday, don’t call Tuesday morning! Call Thursday morning.

If they say it won’t be necessary for you to contact them because they absolutely will be back in touch, accept that response (in this discussion). Then, consider adding a date when you will follow up in your interview thank you email (as in this sample thank you email) making sure the date is a day or two after their answer to question number one (above).

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is following up too often and too aggressively. Aggressive follow up may be interpreted as being someone who would be difficult to work with or to manage.

Often the expected time table for responding is wrong, usually overly optimistic. They say they will get back to you by Friday, but on the Wednesday after the Friday deadline, you still haven’t heard from them. If they have missed their own deadline by several week/work days, you can reach out (politely, of course) to see what’s going on.

No Answers to the Housekeeping Questions?

Without knowing the next steps in the employer’s process, you may get discouraged and give up, or, worse, put your whole job search on hold waiting to hear back from an employer who never contacts you again. Don’t make those mistakes!

If you don’t know the answer to these questions, call the employer, or send an email a week after your interview.

If they don’t answer, they are extremely disorganized, not very well-managed, or not particularly interested in hiring you. Any of those reasons should make you wonder if you really want to work in that organization.

Bottom Line on Asking About Next Steps After an Interview

Understanding about the job, the organization, and the people you would be working with is critical to guide you in accepting or rejecting a job opportunity. The answers to these questions will keep you on track and informed about what is happening on the employer’s side of the situation. They will also help you understand when to cross a job off your list and move on to other jobs hiring now.

More About Successful Job Interviews:

About the author…

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How to Answer: What Do You Know About Our Company? (with Samples)

Susan P. Joyce — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:51:37 +0000

The question of, “What do you know about us?” is asked to gauge your real interest in the job and the employer.

They are not interested in you if you are not interested in them.

If you fail to have a good answer to this question, the interview is effectively over.

So, demonstrate that you are really interested — that you didn’t just hit a the “apply” button on a random job posting. Smart job seekers are well prepared for this question to so their interest in the employer and the job are clear.

More: Smart Answers to Interview Questions

So, What Do You Know About the Company?

If you don’t know much about them, the assumption will be made that really you aren’t very interested in the job. Because, if you really were interested, you would know enough about the company to answer this question well.

Preparation is in two parts:

1. Be prepared by researching the employer.

Researching the employer is a very smart thing to do for a number of reasons. Research will help you answer this question.

This research will also help you avoid bad employers, and also help you have good questions ready when you are asked, “Do You Have Any Questions?” (50+ possible questions for you to ask them)

Find out all you can about the job and the employer.

First, read that job description sentence-by-sentence to be sure you understand what they seem to be looking for and how you match the requirements.

Then,

Examine the employer’s website: About Us, Mission, Products (or Services), People, etc.
Google the employer’s name to see what you discover. Clients? Competitors? Raves? Slams?
Look for a LinkedIn Company Profile where you can examine the profiles of employees you may be connected to (networking!).
If it’s a publicly-traded company, law requires an annual report to be published, so check AnnualReports.com which will be full of facts on sales, profits, key executives, locations, and much more.

More: The Ultimate Guide to Company Research for Your Job Search

2. Make notes about what you find.

List key facts about the organization like:

What they do.
Their products or services, pay particular attention to the names of those products and services.
The key employees.
General size – small, medium, or large, both in terms of revenue as well as number of employees.
Their locations (if they have more than one).
Their major competitors, and how they compare with those competitors in terms of size (total sales), profitability (maybe), how/where they are better (and worse), and anything else you can find.
Have you used any of your products or services? Was it a good experience or a bad one?
Look for reviews of their products or services.
Is that part of the organization growing or declining?

Do you see anything that is particularly interesting to you — maybe you are a long-time user of one of their products or you know a key employee of one of their clients. Add that to your notes, too, but be very careful of negatives (like you hate one of their products).

Make note of anything related to the job or the employer that looks very interesting or raises concerns for you. Search for answers, and carefully ask related questions.

3. Practice answering the question.

As you prepare, practice tying your answer to benefits for them of hiring you. Assuming that these connections or accomplishments are relevant to the job you are seeking, you could say something like the examples below.

Sample Answers to “What Do You Know About Our Company?”

For a job with a company that provides information technology software to the local healthcare industry, a job candidate could answer —

I see that your company has been in business for over thirty years, with an excellent reputation for reliable employee records management software, specializing in systems which can handle both unionized and non-union employees effectively.

Your clients range from small practices to the major healthcare providers in the country, and also include assisted living residences and nursing homes.

I’m very interested in learning more about the mobile apps you have developed to support collecting data from home healthcare suppliers. My experience in this field has shown me that we need to understand this work better both to provide better service and also to retain the best employees.

Or, a job candidate could provide this answer when interviewing for a job with an accounting firm —

This accounting firm was started in 1990 by Jane Whatever and Robert Example to provide auditing and corporate reporting services as well as Sarbanes-Oxley and other regulatory compliance and reporting. Your firm now has over 300 employees as well an excellent reputation.

Your clients include the top companies in this state. You have offices in the three largest cities in the state, and you seem to be consistently growing.

I read a recent article by Jane Whatever in Important Website about the results of your research into effectively reporting accurate data via mobile app. This research is very interesting to me because I know how important collecting and accurately reporting such data is to helping management be most effective.

Don’t exaggerate or over-do the compliments. Demonstrate that you have done enough research to know that you are truly interested in working for the organization, but avoid seeming like a stalker — e.g., don’t track down where people live or mention what cars they drive (even if you are a big fan of that location or car).

The Bottom Line with Answering the Question “What Do You Know About Our Company?”

By being well-prepared, you can successfully and confidently answer an employer when they ask, “Why should we hire you?” in a way that will convince them to hire you. Go get ‘em!

Answering the Common Job Interview Questions:

Questions About You:

Handling Special Career Situations:

Questions About Them:

Questions for You to Ask Them:

Do You Have Any Questions? — choose from 50+ good questions to ask them
5 Absolute Must-Ask Questions for the End of Your Next Interview
The Second Interview: 5 Key Questions to Ask
45 Questions You Should NOT to Ask in Job Interviews

Interview Preparation:

About the author…

The post How to Answer: What Do You Know About Our Company? (with Samples) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

25 Keywords To Improve Your Job Search Profile

Susan P. Joyce — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:51:17 +0000

A CareerBuilder study released in August 2018 revealed that employers are less likely to contact an applicant they cannot find online because they “expect candidates to have an online presence.” *

Clearly, being found online today is NOT optional if you want to have a successful career (and job search).

To be found, implement personal SEO (“search engine optimization”).

Personal SEO requires that you create relevant web content, containing appropriate keywords, so that it ranks well when someone is searching for those keywords.

For most professionals, this means a complete LinkedIn Profile and consistent visibility inside LinkedIn. But, simply having a LinkedIn Profile is NOT enough unless you are paying attention to your keywords.

To be found, implementing effective personal SEO is a necessity.

Keywords Are the Key to Being Found in Search

The right keywords, most appropriate for you and your goals, are the foundation of successful personal SEO.

KEYWORDS: The terms used by searchers to find relevant content in a search engine, social network, applicant tracking system, or other database

Selection and placement of the right keywords is the core of effective SEO (search engine optimization). Use those terms in the right places in resumes, applications, and social media (especially LinkedIn) and you will be found.

Without the right keywords (for you), in the right places (LinkedIn Profile, resume, application), you are invisible online, and employers clearly do NOT like invisible job candidates.

Exact Keyword Match Is Usually Required

If a recruiter is searching for someone with experience in Microsoft Word, your name won’t appear in search results unless your social profile or resume contain the exact term Microsoft Word. Microsoft Office, the product which includes Microsoft Word, is not a match.

This means you will not be included in search results for the term Microsoft Word unless you also include that term in the documents.

Currently, most software is not programmed to make assumptions. If a job description requires experience with “Microsoft Word,” most systems won’t understand that a resume for someone who is “highly skilled with Microsoft Office products” meets that requirement because the exact term “Microsoft Word” is not included.

Even if you have that experience or skill, you are invisible unless your social profile, application, or resume includes the term being searched.

Building Your Personal SEO with Your Best Keywords

Think like a recruiter filling the job you want next. How is that job described in job postings? What skills, tools, etc. are required?

Research how your target employers define your target job to determine your best keywords, as listed below.

Look through the list below and choose what is appropriate for you. Develop your keywords based on the following categories of information:

Keywords About You, Personally:

1. Your professional name

Most people don’t think of their names as important keywords, but in these days of search engines and social media…

**Your name is your most important set of keywords.** Be consistent!

If your resume or business card is for “Edward J. Jones” but your LinkedIn Profile is for “Ed Jones” (or vice versa), you’ve made it difficult for a recruiter or employer to make the connection between the two, which most will need to do. Not having a LinkedIn Profile is a negative for most professionals, so using different names can damage opportunities for you.

You need to consistently use the same version of your name for your LinkedIn Profile, resumes, business/networking cards, professional email, meeting name tags and badges, and other visibility so recruiters doing research on you can “connect the dots” between you and your professional visibility.

[Practice Defensive Googling, and read Your Most Important Keywords for more information on avoiding mistaken online identity and Personal Online Reputation Management for the new necessity today.]

2. Your location (or your target location)

According to LinkedIn, “More than 30% of recruiters use advanced search based on location.”

Use the best location for you, but DO have a specific location because using a country is too generic. Not having a location will handicap you in most searches. If appropriate for your location, use both city and state plus regional names — like Oakland, CA, and East Bay Area, or Manhattan and New York City — so your profile is in the search results for either.

Do NOT provide your street address. At most, include the city and state. Read How to Safely Publish Your Contact Information on LinkedIn for important tips.

3. Your languages

If you speak more than one language, make it clear the languages that you can speak. Also indicate your level of proficiency — from “native” through “basic” or “elementary” and whether you can read, write, and/or speak the languages.

To demonstrate your skills in multiple languages, create a LinkedIn Profile in each of them. LinkedIn allows and encourages this, and it’s a great way to gain attention for jobs requiring people who can speak and write in more than one language.

4. College degrees and other post-secondary education

Include your college degree and the school. Also include your major if your degree is recent and your major is relevant to your target job.

5. GPA — new grads only!

If your GPA is above average, and you are looking for your first job after college, include your GPA.

[Read Improving Your GPA After Graduation for a secret, but honest, way to present a better GPA.]

Keywords for Your Professional Goals:

6. Your target job title

The title for the job that you want next, preferably the version(s) used by your target employers, is a very important set of keywords.

When in doubt about exactly which job title to use, become a slash person like this – “Senior Administrative Assistant / Executive Assistant.” Both versions of the job title are included, so your Profile will be found regardless of which term is used for searching.

If your current or target employer uses a unique job title for the job you want, include that term as well as the standard term used by most employers so your Profile will be found in a search for either term.

For example, a job seeker who is a senior administrative assistant has the official job title of “Admin Wizard” again becomes a slash person — “Senior Administrative Assistant/Admin Wizard” — using both terms in her Profile Headline and the job title for her current job

7. Your industry

Specify your industry (current or target): civil engineering, mechanical engineering, management consulting, market research, medical devices, nanotechnology, biotechnology, healthcare, and so on.

Be sure to choose the current term used to describe your industry. For example, use “information technology” or “IT” rather than the out-of-date terms “MIS” or “management information systems.”

Keywords for Your Work History:

8. Current job title

Your current job titles are also important keywords. Focus on the standard job titles that are used now by your target employers, particularly if current (or former) employer(s) used non-standard titles.

For example, if your employer calls your job “IT Support Wizard” (not a commonly-used term and not the one used by your target employers), become a slash person — change your job title to “IT Support Wizard / Senior IT Support Technician” or what ever is appropriate for you.

9. Current employer

If you are currently employed, include the name of your current employer (unless you are in a confidential search).

10. Former job titles

Your former job titles are often important keywords because they can indicate a depth of experience and knowledge. Again, standardize the job titles used now by your target employers so that the experience is found and valued appropriately.

As with your current job title, if a former employer called your job something unusual or simply out-of-date now, become a slash person — change that job title to use the current terminology that is accurate and appropriate for you.

For example, maybe your job title 10 years ago was “MIS Project Manager.” The current terminology for that job is “IT Project Manager,” so edit that job title to be “MIS / IT Project Manager.” The goal is to be accurate, using current technology.

11. Former employers

Particularly if you have worked for well-known and well-respected companies in your industry or field, be sure to include those company names, even if your experience there was more than ten years ago.

12. Volunteering

If you volunteer anywhere, include what you do and who you do it for, particularly if it helps fill in an employment gap and/or is related to your career track. The work done and the organization’s name are excellent keywords.

Keywords for Your Professional Qualifications and Major Accomplishments:

13. Your skills

Preferably focus on the skills most in demand for the job you want next (e.g., managing a P&L, using Microsoft Word and Excel, driving an 18-wheeler, leading a project team, etc.) need to be included – even if they are not the skills you use primarily for your most current job.

This is a key search criteria for recruiters using LinkedIn Recruiter. Read Secret to Powerful LinkedIn Profile SEO: Leverage Skills & Endorsements for details.

According to LinkedIn, “Members with 5 or more skills listed are contacted (messaged) up to 33x more by recruiters and other LinkedIn members, and receive up to 17x more profile views. ”

14. Licenses relevant to your profession

Add the licenses you hold that show you are qualified to do the job you want, including the organization who does the licensing and the number of years you have held the license.

15. Job-specific, profession-specific, and industry-specific tools and techniques

Add the relevant tools and techniques that you use or are qualified to use because of training, education, and/or experience (e.g. MRI, Mastercam, LEED, etc.).

16. Job-specific or industry-specific software and hardware

Include the software required for your target job that you use or have been trained to use, particularly if it’s unique to your job, industry, or profession (e.g. SAP, ASP, FileMaker, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word).

Add any specific hardware that may be required for your target job if you have experience using it or have been trained to use it, particularly if it is unique to your job, industry, or profession (e.g. heart monitors, scanners, even different versions of smart phones if they are relevant to the job).

17. Internet tools and apps relevant to your job or profession

Include Internet tools and apps that you use or are qualified to use because of training, education, and/or experience (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Hootsuite, Google Analytics, AWS, AdWords, etc.).

18. Honors, awards, recognition, and patents

If you’ve received awards, scholarships, honors, or recognition from your employer, a customer or client, or your profession or industry, be sure to include them. If you have created anything(s) that was then patented, add those terms to your social media profiles (LinkedIn has a section specifically for patents) using the complete name(s), keyword-rich description(s), and the patent number(s).

19. Industry, professional, and/or technical names and acronyms

The more acronyms; the better, as long as they are appropriate to your experience and education. Include what they represent as well, just in case someone searches on the complete term, like Early Childhood Education (ECE) or ISO (International Standards Organization).

20. Certifications or other proof of professional or industry knowledge

Include all proof of professional knowledge or achievement, particularly focusing on those that are current, like applicable course work, post-graduate courses, professional training, on-the-job-training, and certifications, etc.

Note: If you hold, or held, a federal government security clearance, be extremely cautious about publishing the level of clearance on social media, particularly if it is classified. By making your clearance public, you may eliminate yourself from consideration because you have demonstrated a lack of understanding in the rules associated with classified information

If you are applying for a job that requires a specific clearance you hold, you can usually include that clearance in the application, assuming that the job is not a scam.

21. Clients and/or categories of clients

Mention those groups of clients who need your services, like national specialty retailers or SME (small and medium enterprises) for example. If one of your clients was a very well-known or well-respected company or person, like the Department of Defense or Warren Buffett, include those names — unless the relationship was classified or company confidential.

22. Major projects

If you were involved in any major projects, name and describe them, highlighting the relevancy to your target job.

If the project didn’t have an official name (not required!), create a descriptive one, like “Corporate-wide WiFi implementation.” Then, briefly describe the project, including the important and relevant keywords, and quantifying it if possible.

Read Grab Recruiter Attention with LinkedIn Projects for details.

23. Relevant industry and professional organizations

Include the industry and professional organizations or societies that you have joined (plus committee membership and current or former officer titles), and how long you have been a member.

24. Your publications

If you have written any books, white papers, or articles, particularly relevant to the job or profession you are targeting, be sure to include them. It is surprisingly easy to create a Kindle ebook on Amazon.com.

25. Relevant laws and regulations

If experience, understanding, or training in specific laws or regulations is required for your target job — and you are qualified — include the names of these laws and regulations, like ITAR/EAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations / Export Administration Regulations) or Sarbanes–Oxley (SOX) compliance.

Notice that both the whole term (e.g. “Sarbanes-Oxley”) and the acronym (“SOX”) are included. Again, this should mean that your Profile will be found regardless of which version of the name of the law is included.

Bottom Line on Keywords for Your Job Search

Do the research to identify your best and most important keywords. Then, include those terms, appropriately, in your 12 Steps to Outrank Your Competitors in LinkedIn Search in 2020 (Personal LinkedIn SEO), resumes, job applications, and other online professional visibility, as appropriate.

Do NOT be inaccurate or deceptive! “Marketing mode” is fine; scam mode is not a good long-term strategy. People are fired for lying on their resume or job application even when the lies are discovered after several years of employment.
Do NOT senselessly list or repeat your keywords. This is known as “keyword stuffing,” and the technology recognizes it easily and ignores those Profiles. So, listing keywords, even in white text, is a deadly mistake.Instead, include the keywords logically in the content of your Profile. A robust Profile, with descriptions of each of your jobs and your employers, offers plenty of opportunities to naturally include your keywords.

Read How to Optimize the Right Keywords for Your Resumes for methods of researching and using the best keywords. Optimizing your resume for an employer’s or recruiter’s search should increase the effectiveness of your resume.

* The CareerBuilder Study

According to an August 2018 study released by CareerBuilder:

Nearly half of employers (47 percent) say that if they can’t find a job candidate online, they are less likely to call that person in for an interview.
- 28 percent say that is because they like to gather more information before calling in a candidate for an interview.
- 20 percent say they expect candidates to have an online presence.

More about Keywords and Personal SEO:

About the author…

The post 25 Keywords To Improve Your Job Search Profile appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Thank You Note for a Job Referral (With Samples)

Susan P. Joyce — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:50:16 +0000

If someone, particularly a current employee of your target employer, refers you for a job opportunity, they deserve a great thank you!

The person who referred you has put you at the head of the line of people applying for a job.

Only current empoyees have a better chance of landing that job than someone who is referred.

Employee referrals are the Number 1 way employers hire people from outside of the company — a.k.a. “external hires”!

Job boards like Indeed and CareerBuilder are much less effective:

Employee referrals — 55% of hires
Indeed — 12% of hires
Glassdoor plus CareerBuilder — 3% of hires

[Source: 2018 SilkRoad Source of Hires.]

Employers love their employee referral programs (a.k.a., “ERP”) because employees hired through those programs are usually more successful than non-referred employees, stay longer, and also have a lower total cost-of-hire — ALL benefits for the employer.

Often, through the ERP program, the employee making the referral receives a financial reward when the person they referred is hired.

More: How to Find Jobs Through Employee Referral Programs and Shortcut to a New Job: Tap an Insider

How to Thank Someone for Recommending You for a Job: Sincerely Express Your Gratitude

Like the thank you for a job referral by an external recruiter (when an external recruiter refers you to a job), this thank you provides an update about what happened in the interview.

Of course, it also contains your thanks for the referral and the major advantage provided to you as a result.

Like other job interview thank you notes, send this message as soon as possible after the job interview.

Email is usually acceptable in most situations, particularly if email has been your standard way of communicating with the person who referred you.

To be sure the thank you is received, consider following up your email with a hand-written or typed thank you note sent to the person’s business address.

On the other hand, if your other correspondence with the referring employee has been formal, don’t use email for your thank you. Send a formal note via the postal service, and send it very promptly as with all of your thank you notes.

2 Sample Referral Thank You Notes — Formal and Less Formal

Keep your note short and to the point. Be honest, but don’t be negative. If you think something went seriously wrong in the interview, you may want to share what happened, and ask for advice, depending on your relationship with the employee.

Adapt the text in the samples below to your circumstances.

Replace the Italicized text in both samples, below, with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation.

1. Formal Thank You Note

For a formal message, typed (or hand written) and sent in a stamped envelope, use the formal business letter format like this:

Your street address
Your City, State and Zip Code

Date of the letter

Name of the Recipient
Job Title of the Recipient
Name of the Employer
Employer’s Street Address
Employer’s City, State and Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

Thank you very much for referring me to the[Job Title] position at [Employer Name]! I interviewed for the job today [or yesterday or the date] with [Name and Job Title], [Name and Job Title], and [Name and Job Title] at [location, if relevant].

I think the interviews went well, and I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about [Employer Name]. I look forward to the next steps in the hiring process. [Name] told me that they would be in touch in [timeframe]. If you would like, I will keep you posted.

Again, thank you for your help. I greatly appreciate your assistance.

Best regards,

[your name]
[Your tagline, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[Your job search email address]

2. Emailed Thank You Note

When you have a less formal relationship with the employee who made the referral, particularly if you have been communicating via email or if you email this person regularly on other matters, email should be appropriate.

Subject: Latest update on your referral to [Job Title] position!

Dear [first name or Mr./Ms. Last Name]:

Thank you very much for referring me to the[Job Title] position at [Employer Name]! I greatly appreciate the time and effort you expended on my behalf.

I interviewed for the job today [or yesterday or the date] with [Name and Job Title], [Name and Job Title], and [Name and Job Title] at [location, if relevant].

I think the interviews went well, and I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about [Employer Name]. [Name] told me that they would be in touch in [time frame] for the next steps in the process. If you would like, I will keep you posted about any progress being made.

[If the person helped you prepare for the interview or offered you advice and guidance, you might want to briefly share an example of how that help or advice was useful.]

I look forward to moving on to the next steps in this hiring process.

Again, thank you for your referral [or referral and help, if appropriate].Your assistance was essential.

Best regards,

[Your name]
[Your job title or tagline, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
[Phone number — not your work number if you are employed]

After Sending Your Thank You Note

Don’t bug your contact about what is happening at the employer. Hopefully, your thank you note will motivate them to respond to you, perhaps after checking to discover the post-interview perspective of the interviewers.

Unless you have great news to report (like another round of interviews or a job offer), wait at least a week before contacting the person again, even if the schedule discussed in the interview is missed.

If you receive a job offer later, be sure to send another note plus a bouquet of flowers or some other appropriate gift to the person who referred you!

More About Employee Referrals

Shortcut to a New Job: Tap an Insider

More About Interview Thank You Notes

Sample Job Interview Thank You Email
Sample Job Interview Thank You to an External Recruiter
Sample Thank You Note After a Bad Job Interview
Sending Your Thank You After the Job Interview
Formal Interview Thank You Notes (with Samples)
Job Interview Thank You Email (with Samples)
Turning Rejection into Opportunity – the thank you after you are turned down for the job

About the author…

The post Thank You Note for a Job Referral (With Samples) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Susan P. Joyce, Author at Job-Hunt

How to Write a Thank You Email After Your Phone Interview (Example)

What to Include in Your Phone Interview Thank You Email

Sample Phone Interview Thank You Message

Send Your Thank You From Your Personal Email Account

Bottom Line on Thank You Notes After a Phone Interview

More About What to Do After a Job Interview:

How to Write a Successful Thank You Email After an Interview

Do’s and Don’ts for a Perfect Post-Interview Thank You Email

When to Send a Thank You Email After a Job Interview

Send Separate Thank You Emails to Multiple Interviewers

Send Your Thank You Note from Your Personal Computer

The Email Account Used to Send Your Thank You

Thank You Email Subject Line (Examples)

Keep Your Thank You Note Formal

The Thank You Email Message Length

What to Say in Your Thank You Email

How to End Your Thank You Email (Example Email Closings)

The Bottom Line on Interview Thank You Emails

More About Interview Thank You Notes

10 Common Job Interview Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Avoid These Common Job Interview Mistakes

1. Appearing Uninterested

To Avoid:

2. Being Unprepared

To Avoid:

Analyze the job description and your match with it.

Know your answers to the standard job interview questions.

Research the employer.

Not Researching the interviewers.

Being late for the interview.

3. Sharing TMI (too much information)

To Avoid:

4. Having Negative Body Language

To Avoid:

5. Not Asking Good Questions, or Asking the Wrong Questions at the Wrong Time

To Avoid:

6. Being Angry

To Avoid:

7. Flirting or Other Inappropriate Behavior

To Avoid:

8. Not Collecting Contact Information or Asking the Next-Steps Questions

To Avoid:

9. Forgetting the Interview is a Two-Way Street

To Avoid:

10. Failing to Follow Up

To Avoid:

Moving On When You Make a Mistake

More About Successful Job Interviews

How to Answer: “How Were You Referred to Us?” During an Interview (with Samples)

Avoid This VERY Bad Answer for “How Were You Referred to Us?”

Why Do They Ask “How Were You Referred to Us?”

1. Your interest in them and the job.

2. Their most effective recruiting method.

Sample Answers “How Were You Referred to Us?”

1. If you were you referred by an employee.

Sample Answer:

2. If you targeted this employer.

Sample Answer:

3. If you found the job posting without targeting the employer?

Sample Answer:

4. Did a recruiter refer you?

The Bottom Line on Answering “How Were You Referred to Us?”

More About Employee Referrals

Answering the Common Job Interview Questions:

Questions About You:

Handling Special Career Situations:

Questions About Them:

Questions for You to Ask Them:

Interview Preparation:

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Temporary Jobs

Reasons for Taking a Temporary Job

Benefits and Advantages of Taking a Temporary Job

Are Temp Jobs Worth It?

Disadvantages of Taking a Temporary Job

The Bottom Line On Pros and Cons of Temp Work

More About Temporary Work Options

How to Write a Thank You Note to a Recruiter

How to Thank a Recruiter

Sample Thank You Email to Recruiter For Arranging a Job Interview

**Your name is your most important set of keywords.** Be consistent!