The Job seeker’s Competitive Edge: Follow-up And Follow-through To the job seeker, good follow-through and follow-up is often the reason for and difference between a job offer and a rejection letter. So why is it that so few job seekers are doing either? Well, maybe because no one taught job seekers why follow-up is so critical to the job search. Or maybe because follow-through is a natural work habit for some people and the cause of nightmares for the disorganized, random-generator. Even if you’re a person who gets an "A+" in follow-through and follow-up, you might want to check the list below for some new ideas. And if you’re the type of person who is turned off by the thought of READING THROUGH the rest of this information, well --STOP and FOLLOW-THROUGH! Learning about and practicing the activities listed below can actually save you time, money and heartache in your job search! Follow-up is an important part of selling yourself to a potential employer. It demonstrates your professionalism, integrity and persistence - all-important characteristics of high-demand employees. If you can’t or don’t exercise good follow-through in your job search, how can an employer believe that you would demonstrate these work habits on the job? Follow? Though job hunting is indeed a numbers game, playing it well requires making personal contacts, not just sending out unsolicited resumes and cover letters. People who are skilled and persistent (low-key and professional, not pushy or whiny) about making follow-up contacts land jobs faster than those who feel uncomfortable with the process or do it in a "hit and miss" manner. So prepare and practice. Prepare and Practice! First of all, get comfortable with making calls and following-up on the telephone. Overcoming your resistance to making follow-up calls requires learning how to cope with the possibility of rejection. Most people fear this scenario, but recognizing that fear is the first step to overcoming it. The second step is to get organized by organizing your thoughts and what you want to say. The third step is to rehearse. The next step is to start calling! When to follow-up in writing and/or by phone: After you’ve sent your resume to friends and acquaintances asking for their support during your job search. After you’ve sent cover letters and resumes to an employer, regardless of whether they have a specific job opening. After you’ve had a networking meeting with someone. After every informal and formal interviews. When interviewers fail to call as promised. After receiving a "rejection letter" for a specific job - to let them know you might be interested in other opportunities within the organization. When you’ve told someone you will send him/her information. Whenever you’ve promised to "get back with" someone about anything When you failed to answer some question adequately during the interview and want to send a short response in writing. When you want to show appreciation to someone for assisting you in your job search by: referring you to someone, providing you with information, or giving you career management advice – even after you’ve landed a job! The list could go on and on. The important thing to remember is that good follow-through and follow-up is the key to effective career management. P.S. If you made it to the end of this information and you’re not a person who normally demonstrates follow-through - well, congratulations! Now practice good follow-up skills during your job search and see if it doesn’t make a difference. Back to the resume submission page

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