The Art of the Follow Up

>> We interrupt your programming to bring you local news. A local man has just lost a job opportunity by not following up. Let's go to Billy in the field. >> Thanks, Jim. Yes, it's true. Michael, known simply to his friends here locally as Mike, was the leading candidate for hire at accounting firm KMTB. He did everything right, up until the final interview, after which he failed to follow-up, leaving what our inside sources say "a bad taste in the mouths of KMTB management." >> So if you don't follow up, it's basically showing that, one, it's not that important of a job to you. You don't really care about what it's actual mission is and whether or not you get it. So I think a lot of recruiters, if you really want that job, if you're really passionate about it, you'll take the time to follow up, even if it's just an email. Handwritten notes are definitely my personal favorites. I love those that take that extra time to handwrite a thank you, it was nice meeting you, something like that. I think that really stands out. >> Here are some acceptable forms of following up. Number one, a handwritten note. This is a great method for high priority contacts and it adds a personal touch. Number two, email. When time is of the essence, this can be a preferable method. And number three, a phone call. Nothing will display your energy and attitude better than your own voice. And have a strategy for both a conversation and a voicemail. >> It doesn't matter for me if it's email or a handwritten note. I've gotten both of them. They're both really nice. But I feel like the follow-up needs to be personalized and show that you were actually listening during the interview and that you actually appreciate specific parts of the company. But it really does set folks aside, even to the extent that I think if someone did not follow up, I probably just would, off of that, not hire them. >> It's cliché to say, but there really is a difference between being persistent and being pushy. I would air on the side of caution. I would follow up once immediately to thank them for their time and to show your interest. If you don't hear anything back, maybe follow up a week or two later using a different method. Some appropriate times to follow up would be after a networking event or business meeting. After a job interview or an informational interview. After submitting a resume or job application. After any positive meeting or encounter. >> I may not be able to go through all the resumes as quickly as I would like. And so, if you call me, in my conversation with you, I may get to have more of a conversation with you over the phone, which then gives you more of an advantage than somebody who didn't call back. That person isn't really interested in the job kind of thing. >> Our sources tell us that there are some follow-up techniques that you want to avoid. Things like Facebook pokes, birthday cards, hand-delivered gifts and flowers, multiple emails and calls, and LinkedIn requests to hiring managers that you don't know. They tell us these things could do more harm than good and, well, quote, "frighten people." >> You have to show people that you're really interested in it in a polite way without being overbearing, but just putting in the small extra mile and putting in those extra touches is generally more than enough to really separate you from the crowd in those situations. >> Following up serves many purposes. It will show that you're thankful, passionate about the work, and ready for the opportunity. So make sure you follow up. But don't just do it. Do it the right way. >> It's important. It differentiates you. We're meeting, say, a hundred people today at this career fair. And ten percent might send a follow-up email saying, "Dear Chase." And it doesn't have to be anything in depth. But, "It was nice meeting you. I enjoyed our conversation about soccer. Please keep me in mind for future opportunities. Sincerely, so and so." That little touch, hey, it shows me you're professional and that you have follow-up skill. Because if you're working for me and you meet with one of our customers, then you would expect you to send a follow-up email and execute on that. But it's that personal touch. That goes a long way. So that ten percent might be the ten percent that get the interview over the hundred I met. [ Music ]