resumes

How to Thank Your References

by Kat on 11/08/2011 · 82 comments

in Business Etiquette, Career, Interviewing, Networking, Transitions

Reader C has a great question about thank yous to your references…

I’m anxiously awaiting a few job offers–and am wondering if a $100 gift card to a delicious local restaurant is an appropriate thank you for each of my references? (The potential offers are for healthcare-related opportunities–hospital positions and consulting gigs.) What have you done in the past?

I first misread this question as how to thank your interviewers. (No gift cards to interviewers!) I think this is a cute idea, but one that could be tweaked to make it even better:

Instead of gift cards, take your references to lunch. Ask their career advice, what they think your strong suits are heading into any new job (and, just for your ears, what they think your weaknesses might be!). Ask them how they got to where they are, what they might have done differently given the clarity of hindsight. And then… stay in touch with them. Tell them how you’re doing, ask them to lunch once a year or so and see how they’re doing.

This is how you turn a work colleague into a mentor, at least in my experience. But if you’re far away, a gift card is a nice idea. (Although, truth be told, I don’t think I’ve ever thanked my references with any specific “gift”!) (Pictured above: Steve’s 80′s Party, originally uploaded to Flickr by Bob. B. Brown.)

Readers, how do you thank the people who serve as your references on your resume?

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Emergency Reader E-mail: How to Get Your Resume Noticed

by Kat on 08/26/2010 · 50 comments

in Business Etiquette, Career, Interviewing

We have another emergency e-mail, this time from reader M, who wonders how to get her resume to stand out from the pack:

There is a job opening in a creative field that is right up my alley at a company I’m very passionate about. Among other things, this company is a bit offbeat and irreverent. I want to apply with a creative flourish but want your and readers’ advice as to whether this approach has the potential to backfire.

I truly think the people making the hiring decisions would really appreciate the novelty of a bold move: I could find their favorite lunch delivery spot and have my resume delivered along with their regular order. A bit off the wall but is that what it takes to distinguish yourself these days in this economy? I’d love to hear about your hiring/interviewing experiences for some guidance.

This is an interesting question, and I hope the readers can offer you some interesting feedback! (Pictured: Cool Blog Sociale – 10 July 2008 – Creative hire Resume T-shirt by BlackBirdTees, originally uploaded to Flickr by SOCIALisBETTER. We might advise against wearing a t-shirt with your resume on the back, though.) For my own $.02, I’m normally against these kinds of gimicky things to get noticed because, in theory, your resume should speak the loudest. However, if the creative field has anything to do with getting people’s attention, your idea isn’t bad — it shows you’re resourceful (found their favorite lunch place), and determined to get their attention. (Although I might worry about your resume getting soiled by food stains or getting crinkly from steam… but that’s me.)

I think the best advice I can offer here is to figure out if you know anyone at the company, or if you know anyone who knows anyone at the company. Seriously, go as far into your connections as possible. Poll your friends on Facebook, scour your LinkedIn connections, send the query to your college listservs — you might even try giving the career office at your alma mater(s) a call to see if they know of any graduates working there. (Perhaps try your favorite professors, also, if you’re still in touch with any of them.) Ask your significant others/parents/best friends to do the same for you. Find a personal connection. Take care to be fairly vague in what you’re asking in case your current boss somehow sees your query.

Then, once you’ve got a connection, do your best to connect — everyone has time for a 15-minute phone conversation, or for someone to drop by their office for an informational interview for a friend. This connection will be able to tell you — far better than I will, or the readers will — how to get your resume to stand out, and how to ace the interview once you’ve got it.

Readers, what are your tips?

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