Guide to Follow Up Letters

After a job interview there are several ways you can keep the potential employer's attention on YOU as the likely person to hire:
1. Immediately write a Thank You Letter to the interviewer. Write it right after the interview, and get it in the mail the same evening so it arrives in the next day or two.
2. Send a Follow Up Letter soon after that, if you do not hear from the interviewer within, say, a week---or whatever length of time seems reasonable, given how long they said it would take to make a decision. Obviously, you'd want the Follow Up Letter to arrive DURING---not after!--- the decision-making period.
Follow Up Letter Guide
A Follow Up Letter should convey these points:
1) I am still interested in the company's current concerns and opportunities.
2) I have something specific to contribute that would benefit the company.
3) I would like to hear from you soon.

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Here is an EXAMPLE of what a Follow-Up letter might look like:

Gwendolyn Robbins, Director
Brilliant Lighting Co.
9876 Edison Ave.
Toledo, OhioDear Ms. Robbins,
I'm writing to let you know that I am still very much interested in the Marketing Assistant position we discussed in our meeting two weeks ago. Although your company is relatively new in the lighting field, I think the Design Department has created some remarkable products that could prove extremely popular and profitable, given the right promotion.
You mentioned an interest in exploring the marketing potential of the Internet as one way to increase Brilliant's market share, and I wanted to remind you that I do have some experience in designing web pages for the Internet. In fact, I have been "cruising the web" to see what other companies in your field are doing about promoting their products on the Web. It turns out that only a few of them have discovered this medium. This means there's a wide-open opportunity for Brilliant Lighting to get in there first and establish itself as an industry leader.
I will continue this marketing research, and would be delighted to come in again to discuss how I might apply this information to Brilliant's long-term product promotion plans. Please call me if you need any additional data for my application, or if you wish to meet with me again to talk about the position.

Sincerely,

Janet H. Watts
(987) 555-3210
Email, Janet@damngood.com

Source : http://www.damngood.com/ready/exmpl/follow-up.html

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The Art of the Follow-Up Letter

Your resume and cover letter earned you an interview. The interview is done, and you came away convinced you’re a strong candidate for the job. But like it or not, there’s another step. You need to close the loop by sending a thank-you letter or e-mail to each person who interviewed you.

Nearly 9 out of 10 executives polled in a survey by Accountemps, a staffing service for accounting and finance professionals, agree that sending a thank-you note after an interview can boost a candidate’s chances of landing the job. However, the executives estimated that only about half of applicants actually send thank-you notes (and that’s probably a generous estimate).

This often overlooked step can leave a strong, positive impression if done right and, more importantly, done promptly.

"Time is your enemy," says hiring expert Michael Neece, author ofInterview Mastery. "A thank-you note differentiates you. It may seem like a little thing, but it can make all the difference. And the faster you send it, the better."

There are four primary reasons why you should send a post-interview follow-up note:

• To thank your interviewers for their time.
• To confirm your interest in the job.
• To reiterate how your skills are valuable to the hiring manager.
• To address important qualifications that did not come up in the interview.
• To submit information the interviewer requested, such as references or work samples.

What’s the Proper Format?

There is no standard format for a follow-up letter, though it should generally be no longer than three paragraphs and open with a “thank you” to the interviewer, along with stating your interest in the position for which you were interviewed.

The rest depends on what transpired during the interview. For that, ask yourself these questions:

• Did the interviewer ask me anything for which I felt my answer was incomplete?
• Did I feel at ease during the interview? Did the interviewer or work atmosphere give me a sense of comfort or a feeling that I could succeed at this company?
• Was there a moment in the interview when we shared information that I could address in a humorous way so that he or she may remember me?

Unless the interviewer tells you outright during the interview that you’re a leading candidate for the job, you probably need to cover only the first two of these three questions, though addressing the third can’t hurt unless the employer is too conservative and serious.

But let’s assume all three questions come into play in this sample letter:

Dear Mr. Jones:

Thank you very much for taking the time today to discuss the position of Staff Accountant at ABC Company. Based on my qualifications, our discussion, and my pre-interview research, I am convinced that I would be a strong asset to ABC’s accounting and finance organization and look forward to pursuing this opportunity further.

I wanted to address one point that I don’t believe I addressed adequately during today’s interview, when you asked which work environment among my previous employers I felt most comfortable in. Although I answered that XYZ Company provided the most comfortable atmosphere because of its team-based organizational structure, I wish to add that AAA Inc. had a similar atmosphere and had a mentoring program that allowed me to learn many of the skills I possess today from two highly skilled, senior professionals.

In addition, thanks for sharing with me the fact that you’re a Harvard graduate. I hope that my being a Yale alumnus won’t stand in the way of a potential job offer from ABC.

In the meantime, I look forward to hearing from you regarding this opportunity.

Sincerely,
John B. Smith

This letter is short, gracious, informative, upbeat, and a little humorous. It also demonstrates confidence on the job seeker’s part. When it comes to sharing humor, though, such as in the third paragraph, err on the side of caution. If the interviewer didn’t display a sense of humor, it’s better to keep the letter serious.

When to Write the Letter

As soon as possible after your interview, stop and write a few notes to yourself about something specific that would apply to each interviewer.

Write the letter and send it either by e-mail or snail mail no later than the next business day. And, if more than one person interviewed you, send a letter to each, customizing the letters based on what you discussed.

"You want to keep the image of you fresh in their minds, so follow up promptly," Neece says. "Each time you reconnect with them, try to add value to your candidacy."

Source : http://www.pongoresume.com/articles/46/follow-up-letters.cfm

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Guide to Thank You Letters

After a job interview there are several ways you can keep the potential employer's attention on YOU as the likely person to hire:

1. Immediately write a Thank You Letter to the interviewer. Write it right after the interview, and get it in the mail the same evening so it arrives in the next day or two. Below is a Guideline and a Sample Thank You Letter.

2. Send a Follow Up Letter soon after that, if you do not hear from the interviewer within, say, a week.

In the first paragraph, thank the interviewer (or express your appreciation) for the chance to meet with them to discuss the job and see the premises (use the term "meeting" rather than "interview" if it seems appropriate). Make some reference to your positive impressions of the company.

In the second paragraph, offer some new information or additional reason for the employer to be interested in you for that job-perhaps a "goodie" that you didn't mention in the interview. (You might even link this new information to a problem or opportunity the company is experiencing.) Repeat the job title you are applying for, and show continued interest in it.

In the last paragraph, let the employer know (graciously) that you expect to hear from them again and "plant" the idea in her mind of a phone call to you. Make it clear you're willing to come in and discuss the job further, if necessary.

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Thank You Letter Example
Martina Bosserio
Manager, Product Development Dept.
Widget Corporation
1520 Widget Drive
Metropolis, NY 10021

Dear Ms. Bosserio,

I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with you and have a brief tour of Widget Corporation. The high level of creative energy among your staff, as well as their personal pride in the company's products, was obvious and very gratifying to see.

In addition to the information I shared with you in our meeting, I thought of another project I worked on that reflects the kind of contribution I could make as a member of Widget's product development team. The details of that project (the proposal and the final report, both of which I authored) are enclosed for your review.

As soon as you're through interviewing the other candidates, I'd appreciate hearing from you, and of course I'd be pleased to meet with you again, if necessary, on fairly short notice. I can be reached at home in the evening as well as at my office during the day.


Sincerely yours,

Geraldine JobHunter
(987) 555-3210 (h)
(987) 555-2106 (w)

Source : http://www.damngood.com/ready/exmpl/thank-you.html

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A Sample Letter for Following-Up Your Resume Submission

SAMPLE FOLLOW UP LETTER

Date
Decision Maker, Position
Company
Address
City
State, Zip code

Dear (use name),

I wanted to touch base with you concerning my recent application with your company. Knowing you are busy I’ve enclosed another copy of my resume for your review.

My interests and work experience are in the areas of sales and sales management. Having worked with Xyz company for the past seven years as a sales representative, I have strong experience and believe I could be a strong asset to your organization.

I would appreciate the opportunity to visit with you in person, and will call next week to check on your availability.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

John Doe

Resume enclosed

Use this sample as a template, and change the relevant portions of it to fit your own skills, experience and interests. Customize it, and send it out a week or ten days after you send out every resume, to each company that you’ve applied to. Following up is a skill that many people fail to learn, and it can make all the difference in getting an interview. Experiment with it, put sentences and paragraphs into your own words, and make it read like you wrote it. Don’t get the impression that the letter must be used “as is” without changes. It is a sample, or a template if you will, and is designed to be a guide for you to follow, not the end result itself.

This sample letter can also be used when applying online through the various job bank services on the Internet. They all have a place for a resume and cover letter. A week or ten days after applying, it doesn’t hurt to apply again, using the sample as a guide in the space normally reserved for a cover letter for your second application.

In addition to the follow up letter, your personal marketing toolbox should include other essentials. These should include a well written resume, plenty of copies on good quality paper, a sample cover letter you can use for customization, copies of your reference sheet, a salary history, plain paper photo copies of letters of recommendation from previous employers, a sample thank you letter to use after the interview, and a job acceptance letter template you can use when you get hired. You’ll also need to practice your interviewing skills. So you can see that while the follow up letter is valuable, there are many other things you need to have when job hunting if you want to look like the professional that you are.

Source : http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/resume-tips/index.pl?page=4;read=1280

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