Easy Actions Keep Job Seekers on the Hiring Authority’s Radar
Making a memorable and remarkable impression during introductory and networking meetings puts individuals on the hiring authority’s’ radar.
If there is not an immediate need or authorization to hire, busy management people are likely to forget a candidate’s name and details. If you are sincerely interested in a particular opportunity, company, or particular manager, be proactive to improve the likelihood of being called back: invest time to develop a relationship with the hiring authority that demonstrates them your interest is beyond one role and the current recruiting cycle.
When there is good interpersonal chemistry, do not ignore it.
When you discover a fantastic company, do not abandon the idea of working there. If you see a role that could be ideal, don’t give up on it. If you land a new position before you hear more about this opportunity, you should still maintain a relationship; every job is temporary. You will need to transition in the future and so may the individuals you meet during job searching during interviewing and networking.
Your goal is to reinforce the positive impression you made, continue to add value to the relationship, share your knowledge and inform them of your expertise (no humble bragging, though, and staying-top-of-mind by focusing on the hiring authority’s personal, professional, as well as their company’s needs prove that you are genuine and capable, a generous team player and a low-risk, high-potential resource.
Start by following up on your first interaction with the hiring authority.
Send a note or email immediately after your first conversation and emphasize a point that will be meaningful to them and falls within your scope of demonstrated successes. Success stories a good ways to establish a connection between who you are and what you can do for them.
If your thank you is not acknowledged, follow up in a week or ten days citing evidence of your mutual interests. You can share an article quote or link, send a customized presentation deck, mention a book ( first , read it and post a review online so you can link to your comments showing your initiative and thoughts on the topic, ) find an online event and say you will be there and maybe they or their co-workers might find this worth signing up for, hunt around for a mutual contact among their school or corporate alumni connections, find out if they are members of professional associations and ask a question or make an observation about that organization, etc. Your content every time you correspond should always focus on their expectations and interests.
Above are the Do’s to cement relationships. A few DON’T’s that can sever a budding relationship follow below.
Don’t just ask if they received your first message, chances are they have and it slipped through the cracks or isn’t their priority. Remember, they are busy with challenges that don’t involve you.)
Don’t attempt to grab attention by some silly act like sending a gift card or hand-delivering a package. Keep it professional. Act confident. Be sophisticated. ( You should never act desperate. Always maintain our dignity to keep your value intact)
Don’t make spelling or grammatical mistakes: ask someone to proof read your messages. Online editors are not perfect!
Don’t abandon connections easily.
Often by putting in more than 50% of the effort to stay in touch, you will be rewarded with a strong connection. It’s not the quantity of contacts you establish to find our next job, it’s having enough quality relationships to generate attractive leads. It takes time to identify the hiring authorities who need to know about you, more time to get their attention and still more time to build a trusting relationship. Once you’ve established a contact and it has been acknowledged, be hesitant to abandon a relationship until you are told to go away or you no longer have any personal or professional interests.
