The Thank You Note Question

To e-mail or not to e-mail, that is the question. The “thank you note” question to be exact. In an age of “every little bit counts,” I’m increasingly seeing students stressed over the appropriate format for a thank you note. So these students have come into our office to ask the career guru her advice, but unfortunately, there’s not straight answer to this question. That being said, I do have my own thoughts on the subject.

Send personalized, conversation-specific thank-you note via e-mail within 24 hours of the interview to ALL persons you interviewed with. This ensures that your note will be received before any immediate decision-making discussions take place. If this is all you do, you’re fine. Really, you are.

If you really want to go the extra mile, you may also drop hand-written thank you note in the mail ASAP. This is in addition to, rather than instead of the e-mail described above (see reasoning above). While most employers tell us that a thank you note sent via e-mail is fine, or that thank you notes don’t matter at all (WRITE THEM ANYWAYS!), some employers maintain that a hand-written note does set one very strong candidate apart from other very strong candidates.

The Outlook Chronicles: Questions From Real Students

Alright, I've been busy. And yes, I may have neglected this blog just a tad. But I'm back, and I've found a way to incorporate some of the daily e-mail advice I give to the students I work with into this blog. So here's the set-up: without fail, I meet with students who, upon leaving my office, have a million more questions. Some of these questions they figure out on their own, some they e-mail to me for my two cents. Not surprisingly, I tend to see a lot of the same questions. So for those of you are asking yourselves those ground-breaking questions, like "should I text the hiring manager?," here are my answers to some frequently asked questions.

A student writes:

Hello Shimrit,

I hope that you had a very nice Thanksgiving. I have a couple of questions:

My informational interview is tomorrow. Do I need to bring a cover letter if I am going to hand him my resume in person? Also, what is the best time to hand him my business card (beginning of meeting or end)? Finally, should I bring a copy of the proposal for the startup I'm working on/with, in case he wishes to talk about it?

Thanks so much,

Taylor

And I answer:

Dear Taylor,

I wouldn't worry about a cover letter just yet - since a cover letter implies you are applying for a job and this is an informational interview, which you've requested. An informational interview is an opportunity to ask for advice about a specific industry, and how to best pursue a job in it, but you should not ask for a job.  If you hand the person you're meeting with a cover letter, it may imply that you don't really get that this is an informational interview - or you're trying to pull one over him - neither of which are good things. For these same reasons, you should also be careful about handing him your resume. If you'd like him to take a look at your resume,  you might ask him if he'd be willing to provide some specific feedback on it, such as whether you're objective is appropriate - or even necessary. Despite these warning to tread lightly with your resume, you should certainly bring it - as well as the copy of your proposal.  He may ask for them, and they could be great conversation points depending on how the discussion flows.

As for business cards, they are typically exchanged towards the end of an encounter. You can conclude your meeting by asking him for his card, and if it would be okay for you contact him with any additional questions you might have. You can also hand him yours at that point.

Good luck tomorrow. I know you'll do great - it sounds like you are preparing in all the right ways.

Best,
Shimrit

Admissions Interview : College :: Networking : Career

A recent article in the New York Times about whether college interviews really matter got me thinking, apparently in a very SAT-like-way (I love me some analogies), that admissions interview are to the college exploration process as networking is to the career exploration process. As Karen Richardson, associate director of admissions at Tufts notes, “the interview is every bit as much for the student to learn more about an institution as it is for the institution to learn more about a student.” And networking, when done proactively, is done for exactly the same reason. For the student deciding between a Master’s in social work or a doctorate in clinical psychology, the best way is to talk to do information gather. And what’s [one of] the best way[s] to gather information? You guessed it, informational interviewing! Just like you thought about what college you wanted to go to with a critical and thoughtful eye, so to should you approach your future career. Other similarities between admissions interviews and networking: they both allow you to gather more information on the college/profession of your choice, which will allow you to speak more compellingly about your reasons for choosing it; they demonstrate interest; and both are excellent preparation for future interviews. As Kelly Sortino, director of college counseling at Crystal Springs Uplands School in California and a former admissions officer at Princeton University, astutely points out, “interviews in general – for jobs, etcetera — aren’t going away.”

LinkedIn Etiquette: On Soliciting Help

This post is the first of a series I'm hereby calling "LinkedIn Etiquette". Partially motivated by love of LinkedIn, and partially motivated by some of the truly horrifying and unprofessional habits I've witnessed among LinkedIn users, I hope someone finds this helpful.

Things that are a good idea to do when soliciting help from others on LinkedIn:

• Reaching out to specific folks on LinkedIn and explaining why you reached out to them and what you are hoping to gain from your interaction
• Asking for advice and industry/company specific information
• Including examples of the type of personalized questions you will ask this person
• Sending thank you notes

Things that are NOT a good idea to do when soliciting help from others on LinkedIn:

• Sending mass e-mails
• Including broad and/or generic statements such as "I'm looking for a job in Boston," or "I'd love to talk with you about finding a job in Boston," without any additionally details
• Asking for a job