During a job search that involves networking, getting a call back from a contact or hiring manager can be an exciting experience. Knowing you did something right to get your foot in the door is rewarding during the job search process.
Getting a call back can be exciting but chances are, there will be an instance in which you will be tied up with something else and will not be in a position to talk right then and there. Getting a call at a bad moment can happen and you do not want to offend the person on the other end by getting short, snotty or impatient with him or her.
If you are ever called by a network contact or hiring manager at a bad time, do not panic. Getting calls at inconvenient times can happen but relaxing and telling the person on the other end that you are not able to talk at that moment can help keep your foot in the door.
When you get a call at a bad moment, always try to accomplish the following:
- thank the person for the call
- in a calm manner and without sounding rushed, mention you are not in a position to talk
- get the person's contact information and ask when a good time to call back would be
Some examples of what to say can consist of the following:
"Thank you (insert name here) for calling me back. I am interested in discussing the opportunity more with you. Unfortunately, I am a bit tied up at the moment. Could I have a phone number and a time in which I can call you back later today or tomorrow morning?"
"I appreciate you taking the time to call me about the opportunity. Unfortunately, I cannot take your call at this time. What is a number and a good time for me to reach you again?"
"I want to thank you for taking the time to call me. I'm afraid that I am a bit tied up at the moment but would still be interested in discussing the opportunity. What is your phone number and can I give you a call back later today or tomorrow morning?"
If you can, try to avoid statements like "Well, I'm busy!" or "You called me at a bad time" so that it doesn't feel like you are pointing a finger at the person on the other end. Most of the time, if you are calm, polite and ask for a time in which you can call back, the person on the other end will understand.
If you are driving and get a call on your cell phone from a network contact or hiring manager, chances are, that is not always the best time to talk to someone about a networking or job opportunity. Finding a parking lot or another place to take the call is ideal and you can approach the situation in the following ways:
"I appreciate your call (insert name here). Unfortunately I am driving at the moment and cannot really talk. I'm interested in talking to you about the opportunity; can I call you back in 15 minutes when I'm at home?"
"Thank you for calling me (insert name here). Unfortunately, I am driving and cannot talk right now. When would be a good time for me to call you back?"
"(Insert name here), I appreciate you giving me a call. Unfortunately, I am on the road and cannot talk right now. Is there a time later today in which I can call you back?"
If you are calm, polite and offer to call the person back when it is best for him or her, you will still keep your foot in the door and maintain that initial contact.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Short and Sweet is a Good Strategy
In today's world, hiring managers and even HR professionals are pressed for time. With appointments, assignments, and other daily tasks to take care of, time can be limited for these individuals. This time shortage could also limit the amount of time someone takes to look at your resume, listen to your phone message or read your cover letter. With little time to spare, having a message in a resume, cover letter, phone call or e-mail that is concise, short and sweet to the point will help you get your foot in the door for a job interview or networking opportunity.
When applying for jobs, having a resume that is concise, to the point and easy to read will get your message and ideas across to a hiring manager. Writing up a resume that is concise takes time but can be done with hard work, another set of eyes looking at it and patience. It might seem hard but there is a way to get your accomplishments and experiences across in shorter sentences. Look for words that are repeated too often, redundant phrases that are repeated more then once in the same section, and use bullet points to list your accomplishments. Have another set of eyes look at it before sending it off so that you can tell whether or not you got your message across. If this person can't read your resume because it is not concise, the hiring manager won't be able to comprehend it in a short amount of time either.
In addition to a resume, a cover letter that is to the point and has concise points to it can easily get your message across effectively and efficiently to the hiring manager. If you are applying for a job that is posted online or was posted elsewhere, take a look at the qualifications the company is looking for and figure out different bullet points as to how your experiences match what the company is looking for in a candidate. Using bullet points with good lead in sentences before them can help a hiring manager read your resume in a short amount of time and determine if you are a good candidate for the position. A cover letter is designed to prove what you are capable of and show how your qualifications match what the company needs and having a cover letter that has concise bullet points will help get your message across effectively.
During the networking process, if you decide to reach out to someone via phone call or e-mail, make sure your message is short and sweet so that the hiring manager can understand why you are reaching out and what you are looking to do. When reaching out via phone call or e-mail, one of the best ways to format this type of communication is do use the following template:
"Hello Mr. Smith, my name is Jeff Sabo and I obtained your name from [fill in the blank here. Always mention the name of the person who gave you the name of the contact]. He [or she] thought you would be a good person to talk to in regards to finding a [fill in the blank here] position within your industry.
When it's best for you, I would welcome the opportunity to hear your thoughts and advice on finding such a position. Please call me at [leave your phone number here] when you have a free moment.
Thank you."
By using this type of template, you are getting your message across quickly, you are getting to the point and the person you leaving the message for will understand what you are looking for easily. A message that is way too long runs the chances of being ignored or ends up being responded to by someone who is very confused on the other end (I once sent off an e-mail that was WAY TOO LONG to a possible network contact and the person told me over the phone during a call back that she had no idea what I was really looking for because my message was so long and drawn out.)
Whether you are writing out your resume, cover letter, or placing a phone call or e-mail, having a message that is concise and to the point will help the hiring manager or network contact understand your message and know how to help you.
When applying for jobs, having a resume that is concise, to the point and easy to read will get your message and ideas across to a hiring manager. Writing up a resume that is concise takes time but can be done with hard work, another set of eyes looking at it and patience. It might seem hard but there is a way to get your accomplishments and experiences across in shorter sentences. Look for words that are repeated too often, redundant phrases that are repeated more then once in the same section, and use bullet points to list your accomplishments. Have another set of eyes look at it before sending it off so that you can tell whether or not you got your message across. If this person can't read your resume because it is not concise, the hiring manager won't be able to comprehend it in a short amount of time either.
In addition to a resume, a cover letter that is to the point and has concise points to it can easily get your message across effectively and efficiently to the hiring manager. If you are applying for a job that is posted online or was posted elsewhere, take a look at the qualifications the company is looking for and figure out different bullet points as to how your experiences match what the company is looking for in a candidate. Using bullet points with good lead in sentences before them can help a hiring manager read your resume in a short amount of time and determine if you are a good candidate for the position. A cover letter is designed to prove what you are capable of and show how your qualifications match what the company needs and having a cover letter that has concise bullet points will help get your message across effectively.
During the networking process, if you decide to reach out to someone via phone call or e-mail, make sure your message is short and sweet so that the hiring manager can understand why you are reaching out and what you are looking to do. When reaching out via phone call or e-mail, one of the best ways to format this type of communication is do use the following template:
"Hello Mr. Smith, my name is Jeff Sabo and I obtained your name from [fill in the blank here. Always mention the name of the person who gave you the name of the contact]. He [or she] thought you would be a good person to talk to in regards to finding a [fill in the blank here] position within your industry.
When it's best for you, I would welcome the opportunity to hear your thoughts and advice on finding such a position. Please call me at [leave your phone number here] when you have a free moment.
Thank you."
By using this type of template, you are getting your message across quickly, you are getting to the point and the person you leaving the message for will understand what you are looking for easily. A message that is way too long runs the chances of being ignored or ends up being responded to by someone who is very confused on the other end (I once sent off an e-mail that was WAY TOO LONG to a possible network contact and the person told me over the phone during a call back that she had no idea what I was really looking for because my message was so long and drawn out.)
Whether you are writing out your resume, cover letter, or placing a phone call or e-mail, having a message that is concise and to the point will help the hiring manager or network contact understand your message and know how to help you.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Future College Graduates:Before You Graduate College, Take Time To Say Thanks
Even though it's been said many times, college is considered to be one of the most fun times a person has during his or her lifetime. Whether you were in a fraternity, were involved in different organizations on campus, or found different ways to hang out, college often brings great memories to people over the course of four years.
College is fun but chances are, it wasn't always easy at times. There were projects, tests, and extra-curricular activities that probably took up lots of time and energy during the course of those four years. Many college students had to make the adjustment of moving away from home to creating a new life elsewhere and that is not always easy.
Chances are, no matter what you went through, someone probably helped you along the way and helped make life easier for you through his or her guidance. It could have been your RA who helped talk to you about being homesick, it could have been an upperclassman who took time to show you the ropes, it could have been a fraternity brother or sorority sister who helped you study for that big test or it could have been a professor who helped tone your skills and mindset over four years to make you a better student and better person.
No matter what the situation was, there were people along the way who helped you go from being a first-time college freshman to college graduate and it's time to say thanks. If you think back during your four years, you might be surprised as to the number of people you can think of who helped you grow into the person you are now and helped you succeed through four years of college. These people stood behind you during the tough times, provided the shoulder to cry on and helped make sure you succeeded. Before you walk across the stage to get your degree, make sure you take time to say thank the people who helped guide you along the path you took during your four years of college.
Whether you are graduating this weekend, the following weekend or in a couple weeks, take time to consider the following groups of people who may have helped you along the way:
1) Your Friends- some of the best friendships are made in college so take time to thank the people who will have your back no matter what. Take time to hang out before you graduate, take pictures of the good times and make sure to thank these people for being there for you during your four years of college.
2) People in Your Extracurricular Activities- this can go hand-in-hand with friends but might include advisers and coaches (if you played sports) as well. These people were apart of your four years of college and chances are, they played some role in helping you succeed and earn that degree. Take a few moments to thank these people and show them you appreciated their guidance and time.
3) The Cafeteria People, the People Who Work in the Bookstore, the Librarians and Anyone Else Who Helped Serve You on Campus- whether you liked the food or not, cooking for a campus full of students is not easy and many people worked hard in the kitchen to make sure you had breakfast, lunch and dinner ready. The people who work in the bookstore helped you find your books and there might be a librarian or two who helped you find the materials needed for a project. Either way, these people helped you somewhere along the line on campus and make sure to say thanks.
4) Your Professors- these people helped provide your education and the steps towards earning that degree. There is a good possibility you had some professors who really helped you grow as a student and helped hone the raw talent you had. These people helped grow your talents and make sure to say thank you before you graduate.
College is fun but chances are, it wasn't always easy at times. There were projects, tests, and extra-curricular activities that probably took up lots of time and energy during the course of those four years. Many college students had to make the adjustment of moving away from home to creating a new life elsewhere and that is not always easy.
Chances are, no matter what you went through, someone probably helped you along the way and helped make life easier for you through his or her guidance. It could have been your RA who helped talk to you about being homesick, it could have been an upperclassman who took time to show you the ropes, it could have been a fraternity brother or sorority sister who helped you study for that big test or it could have been a professor who helped tone your skills and mindset over four years to make you a better student and better person.
No matter what the situation was, there were people along the way who helped you go from being a first-time college freshman to college graduate and it's time to say thanks. If you think back during your four years, you might be surprised as to the number of people you can think of who helped you grow into the person you are now and helped you succeed through four years of college. These people stood behind you during the tough times, provided the shoulder to cry on and helped make sure you succeeded. Before you walk across the stage to get your degree, make sure you take time to say thank the people who helped guide you along the path you took during your four years of college.
Whether you are graduating this weekend, the following weekend or in a couple weeks, take time to consider the following groups of people who may have helped you along the way:
1) Your Friends- some of the best friendships are made in college so take time to thank the people who will have your back no matter what. Take time to hang out before you graduate, take pictures of the good times and make sure to thank these people for being there for you during your four years of college.
2) People in Your Extracurricular Activities- this can go hand-in-hand with friends but might include advisers and coaches (if you played sports) as well. These people were apart of your four years of college and chances are, they played some role in helping you succeed and earn that degree. Take a few moments to thank these people and show them you appreciated their guidance and time.
3) The Cafeteria People, the People Who Work in the Bookstore, the Librarians and Anyone Else Who Helped Serve You on Campus- whether you liked the food or not, cooking for a campus full of students is not easy and many people worked hard in the kitchen to make sure you had breakfast, lunch and dinner ready. The people who work in the bookstore helped you find your books and there might be a librarian or two who helped you find the materials needed for a project. Either way, these people helped you somewhere along the line on campus and make sure to say thanks.
4) Your Professors- these people helped provide your education and the steps towards earning that degree. There is a good possibility you had some professors who really helped you grow as a student and helped hone the raw talent you had. These people helped grow your talents and make sure to say thank you before you graduate.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
More Advice For Soon-To-Be College Graduates
With every spring comes the beginning of baseball season, flowers blooming and green leaves on the trees as well as a life changing event for young adults; college graduation. Graduating college is an exciting time in life but adjusting to the "real world" as they call it does take some time.
There is no doubt receiving a college degree is a great achievement but adjusting to life outside of college does not happen overnight. With bills and loans to pay off for many, it's important to find a job that will help get you started on a career and build a social life outside of work. Maintaining a job will provide the skills needed to help a career and having a social life outside of work will make the adjustment a little easier.
Below are some great tips for making the adjustment from college student to working professional:
1) Take Time to Adjust to a New Work Schedule- When you start your first job out of college, it may take a while adjusting to the time you have to get up in the morning to be on work at time. Not every job starts at 8am or 9am in the morning but realize you might not have the luxury of being able to sleep in until 10 or 11am every morning. Getting up early is an adjustment so take time to get used to that routine.
2) Take Time to Exercise on a Regular Basis- Exercise is a great release for stress and excess energy and you will feel better if you take time each week to workout and stay in shape. This will help relieve any stress you might be feeling from the adjustment and you will feel better about yourself.
3) Take Time to Meet People Outside of Work and Build Friendships- You can simply just go home every day after work but you will feel better about yourself and be able to relax more if you take time to socialize with other people after work. Many cities have young professionals clubs and there are different clubs and organizations that can coincide with your hobbies and interests. There are many different ways to get out and meet new people and with the help of the Internet, it's pretty easy to find different ways to become involved in a club or organization. No matter what your hobbies are, take time to meet other people and build friendships along the way.
4) Don't Forget Where You Came From and Take Time to Help Others- If you can, take time to help out other college students. Whether it's at your alma mater or not, taking time to help others reach their goals and helping them along the way will help remind you where you came from. Remember you were in their shoes once before and taking time to help others will no doubt help you find something to do outside of work.
There is no doubt receiving a college degree is a great achievement but adjusting to life outside of college does not happen overnight. With bills and loans to pay off for many, it's important to find a job that will help get you started on a career and build a social life outside of work. Maintaining a job will provide the skills needed to help a career and having a social life outside of work will make the adjustment a little easier.
Below are some great tips for making the adjustment from college student to working professional:
1) Take Time to Adjust to a New Work Schedule- When you start your first job out of college, it may take a while adjusting to the time you have to get up in the morning to be on work at time. Not every job starts at 8am or 9am in the morning but realize you might not have the luxury of being able to sleep in until 10 or 11am every morning. Getting up early is an adjustment so take time to get used to that routine.
2) Take Time to Exercise on a Regular Basis- Exercise is a great release for stress and excess energy and you will feel better if you take time each week to workout and stay in shape. This will help relieve any stress you might be feeling from the adjustment and you will feel better about yourself.
3) Take Time to Meet People Outside of Work and Build Friendships- You can simply just go home every day after work but you will feel better about yourself and be able to relax more if you take time to socialize with other people after work. Many cities have young professionals clubs and there are different clubs and organizations that can coincide with your hobbies and interests. There are many different ways to get out and meet new people and with the help of the Internet, it's pretty easy to find different ways to become involved in a club or organization. No matter what your hobbies are, take time to meet other people and build friendships along the way.
4) Don't Forget Where You Came From and Take Time to Help Others- If you can, take time to help out other college students. Whether it's at your alma mater or not, taking time to help others reach their goals and helping them along the way will help remind you where you came from. Remember you were in their shoes once before and taking time to help others will no doubt help you find something to do outside of work.
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