Within 48 hours after an interview, follow up with a value-added response. Do not write a thank-you letter or an email that just restates your qualifications. Instead, provide something unique that dramatically sets you apart from others. Here’s how: focus on a topic discussed in your interview, and then provide your prospective boss with additional information on that topic.
Here are a few examples that illustrate what I mean:
One of my clients had a great interview for a senior sales leadership position. During the interview, his potential boss discussed how the sales people were not successfully selling to C-level executives. I had my client follow up by sending his potential boss a book on C-level selling strategies. His value-added response note looked like this (abbreviated): “Dear Joe, I enjoyed our discussions yesterday on the sales position and the challenges of selling to C-level executives. Here is a book I recommend to help overcome the selling problem. You might want to pass it among your sales execs. As the vice president of sales, I will provide the leadership to achieve C-level selling success. . .” He got the job.
After an interview that focused on building strategic alliances, a client sent his prospective boss an email link to a contemporary article on strategic alliances.
Another client sent a follow-up email on new products that were going to be launched by a competitor.
An administrative assistant sent a list of office organization techniques.
TIP: Go to google.com and register for “News Alerts.” It’s free and can be a great source for follow-up articles, breaking industry news and relevant information on your targeted companies.
It’s guaranteed; your innovative and unique value-added response can be the edge that gets you the job.
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