Yahoo Finance 7 Ways to Look Like a Pro While Job Hunting
If you think you have the rules of job searching down, think again. The unwritten rules are often fuzzy so it's hard to know exactly what to do. From sending thank-you messages to creating your list of references, you can look like a real professional by familiarizing yourself with some of these lesser-known job-search practices.
[See: 10 Things Your Mom Didn't Teach You About Job Searching.]
Enhance your reference list. Technically, all you need to supply is the name and contact information for your references. One question every hiring manager has when reading your list of references is, "How do they know each other?" You can easily fix this and make your list of references more valuable. All you need to do is describe your relationship with each of your references. When you give a one-sentence description of how each person knows your work, it will help in the outreach and questioning during a reference check. The other reason this is important is because your reference may not be in the same role or even the same company due to the fact that people change jobs so frequently. When you describe how the person knows your work, indicate what role they held and how long they've known you and your work. If there was an important project, you may want to reference that as well. The information you provide may look something like this:
Charles Smith, Manager X Company, New York, NY
Telephone: (212) 555-1234
csmith@xcompany.net
Hired by Mr. Smith to be a part of his inside customer service team. I worked closely with Mr. Smith during my five years at X.
[See: 10 Ways Social Media Can Help You Land a Job.]
Coach references before the hiring manager contacts them. You have taken the time to ask past colleagues to be references, but don't stop there. When you are entering the final stages of the interview process, this is the time to get in touch with your references. You can send an email that gives your references a heads up and outlines some of the important skills the job requires. You could even include the job description. You want to make it easy for your references to mention the right qualities and skills. The added bonus is that your references will appreciate your effort and professionalism.
Invest in business cards. Handing over your business card is so much easier than writing your contact information on a napkin. If you've been networking without them, now is a great time to make yourself feel more professional. While it's best to include the type of role you are looking for, don't let that get in the way of ordering your cards. There's nothing wrong with having an all-purpose business card with your name, phone number, email address and LinkedIn profile URL. Instead of using a specific job title, you can use the broader occupational title. For example, instead of project manager, you could use project management. Yours may look something like this:
Sara Miller Project Management | Software Development
(555) 444-1212
saramiller@email.net
https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramiller
Set up your voicemail greeting. Too often people do not personalize their voicemail. Not only is it impersonal, it can also lead some human resource professionals to wonder if they've reached the right person. Eliminate the doubt and use a warm professional greeting. Thank the person for reaching out and be sure to include your name. It may sound something like:
"You've reached the voicemail for Pat Jones. Thank you for calling. I'm unable to answer my phone right now but please leave your name and number and I'll call you back as soon as possible."
[See: 8 Things That Are More Productive Than Staring at a Job Board.]
Respond to inquiries as soon as possible. Have you ignored emails or voicemail messages for days? To stand out and show how attentive and responsible you are, don't wait. Respond to every email and voicemail within 24 hours. Even a short response that says you've received the message and you'll be in touch soon is better than nothing.
Follow up with a thank-you note. Sending a thank-you note after an interview is fairly common. But it is less common to receive a thank you, either via email or regular mail, after a networking exchange. This is exactly why you should take the time to do it. In your brief message, thank the person for their time and information. If you walked away with any pearl of wisdom or the conversation resulted in future contacts, mention those as well.
Update your network when you secure a new job. When you secure your new job, there's one last thing you need to do. Close the loop with all the contacts you've made throughout your job search. Your message should express your gratitude for their assistance. You also want to keep the lines of communication open, so be sure you invite them to reach out if they need anything. You will need your network again and showing your appreciation helps build a strong relationship.
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