Five Reasons to Send Thank You Letters After Interviewing

You would all probably be quite surprised at how many people don't send thank yous out after having interviewed with a company as well as what a critical factor it is in the interview process! Thank you letters are an excellent self-marketing tool and a critical component of your job search strategy. The time you spend crafting a targeted thank you letter after an interview will be well spent, and it will help you create a credible and efficient search. Here are five reasons why you should incorporate thank you letters into your search strategy.

1. A thank you letter creates an opportunity to reconnect with employers.Chances are you aren't the only candidate being interviewed for an open position. Writing a follow up letter allows you to build a relationship with the interviewer and develop rapport. By expressing your gratitude for the interview and recapping the highlights of the meeting, you revisit the reasons why you are the best fit for the position.

2. Following up keeps your candidacy top of mind.Candidates often make the mistake of putting too much control in the interviewer's hands. They believe that, if they're the best candidate, the interviewer will remember them and keep them in the loop regarding the selection process. Unfortunately, this doesn't often happen. It's critical that candidates remind prospective employers of their interest in a position. The thank you letter is the perfect vehicle for communicating this interest.

3. Written correspondence gives you another chance to sell your strengths.While the thank you letter expresses gratitude for the meeting, it also serves a much more strategic purpose. It provides an opportunity for the candidate to present their skills and accomplishments in another format and market the value they'll add to the employer.

4. The document enables you to address points you neglected to discuss during the interview.Many candidates, after leaving the interview, think of other things they could have said during the meeting. Don't label this a liability; turn it into an asset by discussing these points in the thank you letter. Remind the reader of your ability to produce similar results for their organization.

5. A letter helps develop rapport and increases the employer's comfort level in your candidacy.A good strategy is to recap a part of the conversation where you and the interviewer shared similar views on a job-related topic. The thank you letter can also be a forum for demonstrating your consultative problem solving skills. By addressing current issues the employer is facing and proposing solutions, you are contributing to the company's success even before you are on board!

Thank you letters continue to be an important component of a successful job search campaign. But the focus has shifted from a simple courtesy and show of appreciation to a targeted self-marketing tool. By creating letters that validate your candidacy, build rapport, and remind the reader of your value added, you can significantly influence potential employers and -- most importantly -- increase your chances for subsequent interviews.

Glass Build Trade Show - Atlanta

Just a quick post to let you all know that I will be in attendance at the Glass Build show in Atlanta this year. I will be there one day only on Tuesday, 9/11. If you will be in attendance there, drop me an email or give me a call to let me know. It is always a real treat to be able to meet both candidates and clients that I know and work with in person!

Finding Your Dream Job

Walt Disney once said, "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."But what about dream jobs? Can we truly love what we do and get paid for it?

Recently, CareerBuilder.com and Disney Parks took a look at the idea of dream jobs and the people living out their fantasies. According to their survey of over 6,000 workers nationwide, a staggering 84 percent of people say they aren't in their dream jobs. What's the biggest thing missing? Fun.

"What defines a dream job is surprisingly reminiscent of childhood wishes for many workers. Workers said they want to enjoy their work experience, apply their talents and feel like they're making an impact," says Richard Castellini, senior career advisor for CareerBuilder.com. "Having fun at work was the most important attribute of a dream job for 39 percent of workers, which heavily outweighed the 12 percent who said salary was most important.

Who's Living the Dream?Professions reporting the highest percentage of those feeling they are already in their dream jobs included police and firefighters, teachers, real estate professionals, engineers, travel professionals and nurses. Those professions with the least amount of workers feeling they have their dream jobs included accommodations/food services, manufacturing and retail. As children, excitement and imagination played a major role in defining career paths. We dreamed of becoming firefighters, princesses and dancers," says Castellini. "But today, a majority of workers aren't living out the aspirations they had 20, 30, or even 40 years ago.

So, how do you go about landing your dream job?Learn more.Research your dream career and investigate those industry trends. Sign up for a class related to your dream job or one that will teach you relevant skills.

Investigate similar jobs and their pay.Find a success story.Talk to someone who has your dream job and ask about the steps taken to get there.

Ask for advice and any secrets for success. You may be surprised to learn the downsides of your dream career. But don't get discouraged -- this can help you fine-tune your goals.Take inventory.What's keeping you from going for your dream job? Is it lack of training or education, the desire to pay off debt, family obligations or relocation?

Map out a specific strategy for tackling each factor that might be an impediment. Step back.If you can afford it, consider accepting a lower-paying position that may get you closer to your dream job. People sometimes sacrifice dreams in lieu of short-term gains. Your decision could ultimately help you achieve your goals. Seek expert advice.Visit a career counselor to discuss your interests and help you establish a path and stay on it to attain your desired outcome. Before taking a job for less pay, talk to a financial planner who can suggest ways to budget if you to take a job for less money.

Back From Vacation

Sorry for the delay in getting some postings on this site...after spending a week and a half on the road with my daughter traveling up and down the east coast by car visiting various friends, family and a few clients...I am finally back to work! Mondays are hard enough to adjust back to the work week...but after 10 days of vacation...I am finding it even more difficult to re adjust back to the daily grind! I have several new positions to post that are hot and urgent needs...please review the list posted to the right on my Blog and let me know if you or anyone you can think of may be a good fit for one of the positions i am recruiting for. I am finding that it is more and more difficult to find and successfully recruit good talent these days. Mainly, I think this is due to how strong of a candidate driven market it is - a good sign for all of you job seekers that is for sure as it gives you leverage when it comes to negotiating and going after job opprotuities. I have definately noticed that many companies are feeling the pain of finding good talent too. More often than not the job seekers I talk to lately seem to have several offers in hand with the ability to pick and choose prior to accepting that new job! I love nothing more than to share encouraging news...so thought those of you who are still on the hunt for that next perfect job would be encouraged by what I am seeing out there in the industry these days!