2 Important Words to Always Say: THANK YOU

Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. From Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People

Although I am a huge fan of Dale Carnegie’s book, and buy in to the principle that a person’s name is the sweetest sound they ever hear, I think two very simple words are right up there with our names. What are those critical words? Thank you. I grew up having to write thank you notes every time I turned around because my mother was a real stickler for them. If she didn’t receive a thank you note from her grandchildren or relatives within a week after sending a gift, this genteel Southern lady would call to make sure they received the gift. Hint, hint…”You’re tardy writing a thank you, so I’m calling to make sure you got what I sent because I am still expecting a thank you,” was the point of my mother’s call. Even though she is no longer with us to nag about social graces in person, her voice still runs through my head. “Claire, you need to write that note thanking your oldest, dearest friend for having you for the Clemson game. And really, two weeks is way too late for you to be expressing your thanks to your college best friend for your visit to her SC mountain house.”

Due to my dear mother’s influence, I now preach regularly about the importance of the thank you letter to the two Hokies who periodically reside in my house, as well as to the many other Hokies with whom I meet. Recently several students questioned my recommendation of this action step in their job search which gave me pause. How could they miss seeing the value in showing appreciation, interest and professionalism to a potential employer? For, after an interview, the thank you note can be a tool and a difference maker.

Thank You’s as a Tool

Use the thank you note to remind the interviewer of something that came up in your conversation. Was she really interested in the promotional strategy project you did last semester? Mention it in your note and let her know how what you gained from this experience will benefit the company. Or maybe you didn’t have the chance to mention something really relevant in your interview—the thank you note is a forum where you can share. In addition, this missal can be a tool to overcome an employer’s objections. When I interviewed for a marketing/PR position at a hospital, the administrator was very concerned that I did not live in the county where the hospital was located. I brought this up in my thank you note and tried to refute his objection. After I was hired, I learned from a co-worker that I had impressed the administrator by doing that in my letter.

Thank You’s as a Difference Maker

A thank you letter after an interview can make a difference in a number of ways. For one, you are demonstrating to an employer that you know the proper business protocol to follow after someone gives up part of their day to meet with you. Secondly, so few people write thank you notes, you will stand out by being one of the few, the appreciative professional. And, third, the thank you note could be a deciding factor in a hiring decision. A few years ago I was hiring a student intern for a Human Resource Internship to assist me in running a national search to fill an advising position. I interviewed seven students and just could not decide. They were each strong for different reasons. How would I ever make a choice? The applicants made the decision easy on me, though. How many thank you notes do you think I received following those seven interviews? One. Who did I hire? The author of the thank you, for she demonstrated she knew the professional way to behave in a job search, and that was the kind of professional I needed.

In today’s competitive job market, making yourself stand out is imperative. Go the route that so many detour. Write each person who met with you in an interview a handwritten thank you note to follow up your email thank you. And mail the handwritten note within the first few days after your interview so yours will be the first they receive.

Five Tips to Your Next Career Fair

One of the great opportunities of being a Virginia Tech student is attending career fairs.  Career fairs allow students looking for jobs and internships to meet company representatives in hopes of finding a fit.  Of course, walking into a career fair and looking at the room full of recruiters can be stressful.  As a student myself, my experience at career fairs has led me to follow these five tips:

1) Do your research before you get there.  Career fairs are chock-full of companies, and chances are you’re not going to have the time to visit every booth.  By checking out what companies are going to be there ahead of time, you’ll have a better idea of who you want to talk to, instead of aimlessly walking around.  Plus, if you know what the company does and what you would be interested in before you talk to the representative, you’re innovation might impress them.  Making an impression is the first step for getting your foot in the door.

2) Make sure your resume is ready to go.  Even if you’re not looking to be hired, if you talk to a company at a career fair, they might ask for your resume to have on file.  Now, the actual building of a resume is a long enough topic for its own article, but there are two main things you should keep in mind specifically for a career fair.  First, print more copies than you expect to hand out.  If you plan on talking to five companies, print out eight copies.  If you plan on talking to ten companies, print out twelve.  The last thing you want to happen is engaging in a great conversation with a company representative, only to find that you ran out of resumes when they ask you for one.  Second, be smart about what paper you choose to print your resume on.  Heavier paper looks more professional that regular printer paper.  If you want to choose a color, a light cream or light blue can be used.  However, most companies I’ve talked to say they prefer white.  In the end, it’s nice to stand out, but you want to be remembered for what is on the resume, not what the resume is on.

3) Practice your elevator speech.  An elevator speech is a thirty second introduction about yourself to prospective employers. Let’s face it: talking to someone who might hire you in the future can be intimidating.  Saying hello and introducing yourself can be the scariest part.  However, if you practice your elevator speech enough, it will become so natural to you, you won’t even have to think about what you’re saying.  Then when the scary introduction is over, the employer can start to add to the conversation and you can take a quick breather before continuing on.  First impressions are important, so make yours count. 

4)  Dress for the job you want to have, not the one you currently have.  The title says it all.  Dressing casually can make you look like you don’t care, an impression you do not want to give a prospective employer.  However, go overboard, and you might risk tripping in those new heels you just bought.  Dressing up is supposed to be about confidence, so find that outfit that brings out your inner confidence and show those companies what you’re made of. 

5) Don’t talk to your number one company right away.  Walking into the career fair, you probably already have an idea of at least a few companies you want to talk to.  Maybe these are big and well-established companies that have been around for ages, or maybe you’re passionate about joining a start-up company.  Regardless, you might find yourself tensing up when you finally come face to face with the recruiter from that company.  To help battle the nerves building up in you, try talking to other interesting companies that might not be as high on your priority list first.  If you start with companies you’re not as interested in, you get the chance to make all of your mistakes and figure out what and what not to do before you get to your top company.  That way, when the time comes, you’ve already had some practice.

So if you attend any of next week’s career fairs, take a deep breath, follow these tips, and remember: these recruiters want to talk to you.  That’s what they’re there for.  So feel free to ask questions and take all the free swag they hand out to you.