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“Old-Fashioned” Ways to Stay Top of Mind In Your Job Search

You think you nailed the interview? Congratulations! You met with a recruiter who thinks your skills and experience are perfect for a number of clients? Fantastic!

What do you do now? You know the hiring manager has been interviewing other people. You know the recruiter meets with dozens of potential employees a day. How can you make sure they remember you without looking desperate—or worse, annoying them?

Tip #1: Find Out When They Expect to Make a Decision

If you were formally interviewed, ask what the next step is going to be, before you leave. That way you know exactly when it’s acceptable to follow up. For example, if he says he’ll be contacting candidates within a week, and more than a week has passed, you can touch base and remind him of the timetable he gave you. Don’t be accusatory or pushy, but send a brief note along these lines:

“Hi Bob—You mentioned that you would be making a decision on the Systems Analyst position this week. I’m wondering whether you have an update. If I can provide any additional information to support your decision-making process, please let me know!”

 Tip #2: Send a Thank-You Note

Thank-you notes are important for two reasons: They allow you to follow up with the interviewer right away, and they make a positive impression. Send notes out as soon as possible after the interview, preferably on the same day. After thanking the person for meeting with you, reiterate why you think you would bring value to the position. Make it easy for them to choose you.

Tip #3: Send a connection request through LinkedIn

If you remember to ask during the interview, get permission to send the request. If you don’t have the chance to ask, find a reasonable, legitimate premise to connect. Maybe you have a colleague you think would be good for them to know, or an article you think they’d be interested in reading. Send that information through LinkedIn.

Tip #4: Check in Periodically

This is the part that can get tricky. What should you say? How often is too often?

First of all, don’t harass the person with questions like “Did I get the job?” or “Did you make a decision yet?” You need to offer something of value, which will remind the interviewer that you’re intelligent—and that you’re out there.

Again, forward an article that they might find interesting, or mention some positive piece of news you recently read about the company or the industry. Keep it simple and short, and don’t ask for anything back. For example:

“Hi Jessica—We spoke last month about the UI Designer position at XYZ Industries, and you had mentioned some emerging trends in the use of CSS. I noticed this attached article about the same topic and thought of you. No response necessary. I hope you find the information useful!”

Sending indirect reminders once a month will help the interviewer remember you—in a good way.

Need more interview or job search advice? Contact the IT staffing experts at Synerfac. We’d be happy to help!

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