THANKS...BUT NO THANKS
Imagine that you have been actively interviewing for months...you finally get an interview with THE company you want to work for...you make it through 1st, 2nd, 3rd round interviews...and you just came back from a FINAL interview that was fantastic...you are told you are the company's number 1 choice...you are psyched...and as soon as you get out of the interview, you want to get off a THANK YOU to the interviewer...
All sounds great to this point...however in your excitement, you hurriedly bang out a quick THANK YOU on your BLACKBERRY. Instead of sending a thoughtful well written note expressing your appreciation & desire to work for this "dream" employer...you send something like this..
"i wanteed to thnk you for taking thee time to meetme & look frward to next steps"
Now...if you got a TEXT from your friend like this - it's cool...understandable
However, a prospective employer views this communication as a tremendous error in judgement, a reflection of your attention to detail & now decides based purely on this communication -you are NOT the candidate they thought you were & you just lost yourself this fabulous opportunity!!!
This sounds far-fetched or exaggerated - however, this happened to one of my candidates on Monday!!!! This is such a ridiculous reason to lose out on a life changing career move. By the way, this has happened dozens of times over the course of my career as a Recruiter.
I always ask...sometimes beg that any candidate (New Grad or Seasoned Veteran) send me a copy of any correspondence they intend to send to a prospective employer they are in an interview process with BEFORE sending directly.
I ask this not because I am a PULITZER PRIZE winner - but just as a safeguard - to have a second set of eyes on it - to make sure that it is a clear/concise communication that has no spelling or grammatical errors. If you are not working with a Recruiter - ask a friend to take a look.
BTW - It is not always about spelling or grammar - sometimes it is the content - maybe you are coming across TOO COMFORTABLE - maybe you feel you connected with the interviewer & you attempt to "joke around" or make what you think is a "witty or "humorous" remark...WRONG...THE TIME TO BE CREATIVE IS ONCE YOU ARE IN THE JOB -
____________________________________________________________
On another note...the job market is changing rapidly. I don't know if it is a reaction to the stock market - general economic conditions or what...but there are going to be fewer NEW JOB OPENINGS coming in & it has already begun to slow.
Candidates no longer have the luxury of meeting 7-10 prospective employers over a 4-6 week period & leisurely making a decision. You need to make sure you have 3 or more QUALITY interview processes & have a clear idea of if an offer is extended - who/when you will commit. The positions open now will be filled or put "on-hold" sooner than you may think. Don't sleep on viable opportunities.
_____________________________________________________________
"SOLID ON THE SURFACE - AS I CRUMBLE WITHIN...BUT LEGENDS ARE MADE OUT OF VULNERABLE MEN" - BUBBA SPARX
All sounds great to this point...however in your excitement, you hurriedly bang out a quick THANK YOU on your BLACKBERRY. Instead of sending a thoughtful well written note expressing your appreciation & desire to work for this "dream" employer...you send something like this..
"i wanteed to thnk you for taking thee time to meetme & look frward to next steps"
Now...if you got a TEXT from your friend like this - it's cool...understandable
However, a prospective employer views this communication as a tremendous error in judgement, a reflection of your attention to detail & now decides based purely on this communication -you are NOT the candidate they thought you were & you just lost yourself this fabulous opportunity!!!
This sounds far-fetched or exaggerated - however, this happened to one of my candidates on Monday!!!! This is such a ridiculous reason to lose out on a life changing career move. By the way, this has happened dozens of times over the course of my career as a Recruiter.
I always ask...sometimes beg that any candidate (New Grad or Seasoned Veteran) send me a copy of any correspondence they intend to send to a prospective employer they are in an interview process with BEFORE sending directly.
I ask this not because I am a PULITZER PRIZE winner - but just as a safeguard - to have a second set of eyes on it - to make sure that it is a clear/concise communication that has no spelling or grammatical errors. If you are not working with a Recruiter - ask a friend to take a look.
BTW - It is not always about spelling or grammar - sometimes it is the content - maybe you are coming across TOO COMFORTABLE - maybe you feel you connected with the interviewer & you attempt to "joke around" or make what you think is a "witty or "humorous" remark...WRONG...THE TIME TO BE CREATIVE IS ONCE YOU ARE IN THE JOB -
____________________________________________________________
On another note...the job market is changing rapidly. I don't know if it is a reaction to the stock market - general economic conditions or what...but there are going to be fewer NEW JOB OPENINGS coming in & it has already begun to slow.
Candidates no longer have the luxury of meeting 7-10 prospective employers over a 4-6 week period & leisurely making a decision. You need to make sure you have 3 or more QUALITY interview processes & have a clear idea of if an offer is extended - who/when you will commit. The positions open now will be filled or put "on-hold" sooner than you may think. Don't sleep on viable opportunities.
_____________________________________________________________
"SOLID ON THE SURFACE - AS I CRUMBLE WITHIN...BUT LEGENDS ARE MADE OUT OF VULNERABLE MEN" - BUBBA SPARX
