The following is a guest post from Ben at Trees Full of Money. Ben’s personal finance story revolves around his realization that he was over $90,000 in debt in 2003. They developed a plan, and paid off the debt within two and a half years. Way to go Ben!
For more great articles from Ben, subscribe to Trees Full of Money.
Making a great impression with a prospective employer goes well beyond the formal interview. A quick search on the Internet will reveal a virtually unlimited number of tips, some good and some bad, on how to “nail” your job interview. However, landing your dream job goes well beyond a nice suit and good grades. Here are some suggestions to remember after the interview to raise your stock as a prospective employee.
Maintain Your Professionalism
There have been many cases of recruiters being blown away by a candidate’s curriculum vitae and interview performance only to be discouraged later by his lack of manner in follow-up conversations.
An anonymous writer in a recent letter to “Dear Abby” suggested candidates refrain from slang such as “when does this gig start” when communicating with a prospective employer. She also cautioned against using personal email accounts such as “hotchick99”. If you haven’t already, get a more appropriate email account such as your initials and last name @yahoo.com (for example).
Write a Thank You Letter
To this day, 10 years later, I am convinced the main reason I landed my current job is because immediately following my interview I sent the recruiter a respectful “thank you letter” with a reaffirmation of my interest in the company and my future with them.
As an added touch, I included a bumper sticker from my school, Maine Maritime Academy. It didn’t make my GPA any higher but I believe it gave my name more recognition.
Unfortunately, the recruiter left the company shortly thereafter and I never got a chance to formally thank him (Kevin O’Flaherty if you are reading this, thank you!).
Clean Up Your Online Profile
The Internet has become a powerful tool for recruiters looking to dig up information on a prospective candidate. You may not mind a recruiter discovering that you were an all conference athlete in school; however, that picture of you doing a “keg stand” at your friend’s bachelor party might be a detriment to your job prospects.
A general rule is to remove anything from your MySpace or Facebook page, or other social networking sites, that you wouldn’t want your grandparents to see.
Related Articles
No Responses to Career Skills: Tips and Strategies for After Your Job Interview