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You may
have heard it said that the most beautiful one word
in any language is your Name.
And the most beautiful two words? They might be
Thank You.
Because, as the American psychologist and
philosopher William James once said: "The deepest
principle in human nature is the craving to be
appreciated."
When you thank someone, like a friend who gave you a
job lead or a hiring manager after an interview, for
example, you help satisfy that person's need to be
appreciated. Not only is it an ego boost for them,
it can propel you faster toward employment, too.
And it all begins with two words: Thank you.
Here are four ways to harness the power of "Thank
you" to shorten your job search.
1) Thank More People
Of course
you know to mail a thank-you note to hiring managers
after every job interview. But that's the bare
minimum. You can spread more goodwill -- and start
more positive conversations about you -- by writing
and saying, "Thank you," to every person you met
while visiting a potential employer, including the
receptionist.
If you can't get business cards from every one, at
least get their name. Then, call the receptionist
when you get home (or from your cell phone in the
parking lot!) and ask for help in spelling names.
You'll avoid mistakes while generating a terrific
post-interview impression by making that phone
call.
But don't limit your thank-you notes to just after
interviews. Mail them to anyone who does you a good
turn during your job search: friends, relatives,
neighbors, past co-workers, et al. If you mail at
least one thank-you note per day, you're on the
right track.
In his excellent book, You, Inc., Harry Beckwith
writes: "Handwritten thank-you notes feel like gifts
because you took the time to find the paper and
envelope, write the note, affix the stamp, and
gift-wrap your note in its package."
Why not mail more thank-you "gifts" to those who
assist your job search? You'll surely get even more
help in return.
2) Email? No Thanks
A brief
word about sending thank-you notes by email --
don't.
A thank-you email has about as much emotional
staying power as an emailed Christmas card or
birthday greeting -- you read it, you delete it, you
forget it. All in less than 30 seconds.
Instead of taking time to send your best regards
when you mail a short note, you're copping out and
saying, "You're not important to me," when you
email.
Solution? Write and mail your thank-you letters on
real paper using real stamps. Really.
3) Say the Right Thing
So that
you have no excuses, here's exactly what to say in
your next thank-you note, written in your best
printing or handwriting:
Dear Mr. Smith:
Thank you very much for taking the time to meet with
me this morning.
I want you to know that I am extremely interested in
the position of INSERT JOB TITLE we discussed. Based
on the needs for insert BRIEF JOB description you
outlined in our talk, I am sure that my skills in
INSERT 2-3 SKILLS can help you in this area.
In any event, I want to thank you for your time and
consideration. It was a pleasure to meet you and
INSERT ALL OTHER NAMES.
Sincerely,
Your First and Last Name
4) Thank Fast
Here's a
proven way to make a hit with employers.
Bring a box of thank-you notes with stamps to your
next interview. After you finish, go to the car and
write your notes in the parking lot. Drop them in
the nearest mailbox and voila! Your letters will
arrive first thing the next morning and carry
maximum impact, because you wrote them with the
interview still fresh in your mind.
Now. Does the thought of handwriting and mailing
thank-you notes make you a bit uncomfortable? Good!
The only way to grow is to get out of your comfort
zone.
And here's the kicker. In my experience counseling
job seekers since 1996, I have yet to meet one
person who faithfully mailed thank-you notes and
also struggled long-term to find a job. That's how
powerful thank-you notes are. Try mailing 10 this
week and prove it for yourself!
Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes
and creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has
provided job search assistance to more than 10,000
people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast --
Guaranteed," Kevin has been interviewed by USA
Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and
others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search
System, is available at
www.gresumes.com/instant.
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