Follow Up: Articles and Tips to Help You

Being Prepared to be Prompt

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Being Prepared:
Keep the materials on hand that you'll need to follow-up.

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Have you ever met one of those people who seem to always remember birthdays, send thank you notes, and generally make people feel good? Contrary to popular belief this is not just good luck, too much time on their hands, or exceptional memories — you can be one of those people too! The key is preparation.

As Henry Ford said: “Before everything else, getting ready is the secret to success.” —(Motivational & Inspirational Corner)

So how does this apply to job hunting? A key action that sets the prepared candidate apart from the amateur is writing a thank you note. It is so easy to be busy, get caught up with other projects, and miss sending out this important piece of correspondence. To overcome this obstacle take a simple step: next time you are at the store purchase a box of thank you notes (that includes envelopes) and some stamps. There are several designs that are professional and appropriate at most major stores. Keep these in your car, then after you have an interview take a minute to immediately write the thank you note, stick a stamp on it, and drop it in the mail box on your way home. You will have a chance to demonstrate all the positive traits (courtesy, promptness, etc.) that the interviewer is looking for in a candidate.

Being thoughtful can open many doors, and makes the world a nicer place to live in! Make it your habit to prepare to be kind in every situation.