Sunday, April 18, 2010

Where the Job is Won or Lost: AFTER the Interview

By tbe time the job interview(s) is done, the typical job seeker is glad to just dash off a perfunctory thank-you note and be done with it.

Alas, in our ever more competitive job market, one of the other interviewees is likely to have just started to compete for the job.That job seeker engages in what the Five O'Clock Club calls post-interview activism. For example:
  • In your thank-you note, include a proposal for what you might do for that employer, for example, "In light of our interview, it would seem helpful if I (insert a bold set of activities.")
  • If you flubbed a question in the interview, write, "I've thought more about (insert question.) On reflection (insert smarter answer.)
  • Write an individualized letter to each interviewer, stating what you appreciated about that person and perhaps what work you might do for that person if hired.
  • Write a few-page white paper addressing an employer need.
  • Overnight a book that would address a need expressed by an interviewer.
  • Have someone call the hiring decisionmaker on your behalf: "I hear Joe Jones is applying for a position as (insert your target job.) I just wanted to put my two cents in. You'd be very wise to hire him."
Usually, key to getting and staying well-employed is being smart, skilled, motivated, and low-maintenance. But ahead-of-the-pack job-search strategies such as being a post-interview activist can help.

5 comments:

Equalist said...

I wish you use your talent to itemize crimes of our feminist dictatorship and to inspire everyone to fight for gender equality.

Marty Nemko said...

I have written much on this. Click on the "men's issues" tab. In addition, my article on this will be in the July issue of the Mensa Bulletin. I had written an entire book on this called "The Silenced Majority," but despite plaudits from acquisition editors, no one would publish it. I remember the editor from Simon and Schuster saying, "This is unquestionably excellent but the feminists on our publication board would cut my balls off if I tried to get this published."

The Javelineer said...

Marty, that's fantastic advice. It seems so simple, but human thoughtfulness has cash value these days.

Franz said...

I know this comment is coming in a bit late, but Marty, have you ever thought about publishing that book of yours online? You're an innovative thinker, just bypass the feminazis and publish it yourself!

Marty Nemko said...

Blogging is self-publishing. Book self-publishing yields too few readers to be worth the effort. But thanks for the kind words.

 

blogger templates | Make Money Online