Human beings have a
natural tendency to want to do things "right." We
want to do what is expected and normal. In our
need to be liked, we actively seek the approval of
our peers by behaving in ways that will elicit
acceptance. We can all relate to how good it feels
when we are received favorably and, conversely,
the anxiety ignited at even the thought of being
rejected in any situation. So when it comes to the
ever important and potentially life altering event
that looking for work is, it isn't fun to be
passed on for another candidate and many take it
personally when they are given the thumbs down. To
avoid rejection job seekers are consumed with
making sure they are doing everything just right.
They want to know: Do I have the right resume? Is
this the right outfit for this interview? Did I
handle those questions the right way? What's the
right way to follow up? Why was I not the right
fit for that position?
Feedback is critical to
get when you are involved in an interview process
with a potential employer; getting it is another
story. It's important because you need to know
where you stand or where you can improve on your
presentation. Feedback is the only way to know if
you clinched the interview, if there is something
else you can do to boost your candidacy, or if it
is time to move on to the next prospect. Sometimes
it is difficult enough to get feedback when you've
done well in an interview, never mind if you
haven't. But many companies are reluctant to
discuss the real reasons why they are passing on
you because they are afraid to be misconstrued and
become a target for litigious action. Most often,
though, lack of feedback is due to the hectic
schedules of decision makers or human resources
personnel having way too much on their
plate.
Successful job seekers
(just like top notch sales professionals) make it
their business to follow up and maintain as much
control over the interview (sales) process as
possible. This goes for both working through a
recruiter or directly with the employer. Of
course, recruiters aren't much help if they are
untrained and don't know how to extract proper
feedback from their clients or if they simply
don't feel comfortable telling you what you need
to know rather than what you want to hear. Proper
follow up on your part is the key to understanding
your candidacy's strengths and weaknesses (notice
I didn't say your strengths and
weaknesses), your candidacy's positioning versus
your competition's, what your next actions should
be, and when it's time to let go of an
opportunity. Follow up is absolutely a must, it is
the professional thing to do, companies expect it,
and it is what makes sense so you can get a handle
on how you're doing in the interview process.
In the 15+ years that I've
experienced the field of recruiting, and having
presented literally thousands of candidates,
managed hundreds of interview processes and
placements, I have seen and heard it all. From
following up too soon (or following up too much),
to having typos on a follow up note, even
misspelling the name of the prospective employer,
to threatening to sue an employer or placing a
restraining order on a candidate, I have come to
know how critical it is for you to get the skinny
on the right way to follow up. It is a question
that comes up consistently when I speak on job
search panels or conduct career-coaching sessions.
That's why I decided to write this article...to
help you clinch the interview process. This means
finding out if you've got a chance at getting the
position or not. Hanging out in limbo is not a
good thing. It's my guess that for some of you,
this information may be coming just in the knick
of time.
One
of my favorite questions, which I hear quite often
is, "At what point does following up become
stalking?" My standard answer is,... read full blog
article.
