Tag Archives: Employment Expertise

Employment Expertise: The thank-you note — a job seeker’s secret weapon

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By West Michigan Works!

 

You submitted your resume, got an interview and left the interview feeling great. Now, it’s time to relax. Job searching is tough work! Before you celebrate, there’s one last step to your job search: A thank-you note.

 

One out of three employers think less of a candidate who doesn’t send a thank-you note. One in 10 wouldn’t hire someone if they don’t send a thank-you note, according to Career Builder.
Here are some tips to help you write a great thank-you note:

  • Keep it short, professional and sincere.
  • Send the note within 24 hours of your interview. Hiring managers are busy. If they receive your note a day or two after your interview, it shows them you are organized. And, it helps them remember you as they make hiring decisions.
  • A hand-written note is best. The average hiring manager receives 100+ emails a day. Make your thank-you note stand out by sending it through the postal service instead of their clogged inbox.
  • Choose a thank-you note that is simple and professional. Avoid cartoons, silly sayings and bright colors.
  • Use the three sentence rule:
    1. Thank them for the interview. “Thank you for taking the time to interview me yesterday.”
    2. Add something personal from your interview. Reference a specific conversation or a question they asked. Or, talk about something you liked from the interview. “I really enjoyed hearing more about your company culture.”
    3. Repeat your interest in the job. Remind them you’ll be a great addition to their organization. “I look forward to working with you in the future. My background will help [name of organization] continue to grow.”
  • Don’t forget to add “Dear [their name]” and the beginning, and “Sincerely, [your name]” at the end.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

Employment Expertise: The power of words

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , ,

 

By West Michigan Works!

 

A résumé should display your unique skills and abilities. A strong résumé should make you stand out from the crowd, so try to show your work history and abilities in an interesting way. One way to do this is using action-oriented words to describe your individual talents.

 

Choose words that show employers real activities with measurable results. Words like “was” or “became” do not say much about what you actually did. Instead, choose verbs that lead to questions such as “how,” “how many,” “how much,” “when,” “where,” “who” and “why.” Good words should make you want to include more details and make the reader want to know more.  You can provide the specifics on how you achieved your results during the interview.

Example of weak word choice:
“I became Lead Scheduler after six months with the office.”

Example of strong word choice:
“I reduced the number of unfilled appointments by 30% in my first 6 months with the office.”

Here are 20 action verbs to consider using in your résumé:

  • Accomplished
  • Arranged
  • Assisted
  • Collaborated
  • Completed
  • Delivered
  • Generated
  • Improved
  • Managed
  • Monitored
  • Operated
  • Planned
  • Processed
  • Produced
  • Reduced
  • Reported
  • Scheduled
  • Screened
  • Tested
  • Updated

Take the time to review and re-write your résumé to include strong action verbs. This will clearly show the employer the value you will offer as an employee. You want your résumé to make a good first impression so you’ll get the interview!

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.