Communication
Congratulations! The employer has contacted you regarding your application!
How do you reply?
How you reply to this initial reach out tells us loads about how you communicate and what kind of employee you would be. In this article I will share some common mistakes whether communicating via email or phone and what to do instead.
You received a reply in your inbox! Before you hit that reply button, let’s review some common mishaps:
1. Effusive Gratitude
Many applicants think expressing gratitude is a good thing; and a simple thank you goes a long way. Being overly excited and appreciative subconsciously devalues you. If you communicate to the employer that it is a miracle you got this interview, we start to question if maybe you are correct.
2. Quick shorthand
In this world we all know how important speedy replies are but when you sacrifice your professionalism for urgency, the employer may worry that will also happen on the job. It doesn’t matter if you are responding from your phone, make it look like you are sitting in an expensive office with fancy furniture. Format your email with at least the basics and we will take you more seriously.
3. Too Cool for School
In an effort to appear as a high-quality candidate, some job seekers wait too long to reply or keep their tone aloof. Try to respond within 1 – 3 business days. Your tone should be professional but friendly. Take a note from the tone the employer sets in the job description and their subsequent communications. Are they law firm formal? Travel blog fun? You can incorporate their vibe as long as you stay true to your own authenticity.
The employer wants to know you are interested, confident, and on top of your applications.
no matter what: Know your audience
Tone aside, make sure you know who you are addressing. Keep a record of your applications so when you DO get that interview, there is no confusion about which company this is or details that were clearly listed in the job post. Who initiated this contact? A recruiter? HR? The CEO? Even if you think you would respond the same way to all three of those people, if this were in-person communication, you would know the answer to that question. Knowing your audience could change something unconscious that helps the conversation feel more natural.
Ok, you know how to email. But what if they call?
If just reading that sentence made you start sweating, you are in the right place.
It doesn’t matter if you pick up or if they get your voicemail. What matters is that IF you pick up, you can talk. Can you hear the caller? Can you be heard? Are you in an environment where you can have this conversation? Maybe your current office isn’t the best place…some job seekers are afraid to send a potential employer to voicemail but I assure you, we would rather you call us back when you can actually talk.
All this is even MORE important if the call is scheduled. If you have a scheduled call, treat it like an interview. Be on time, be available. Be engaged. Set yourself up in a quiet space where you can hear and the caller can hear you - clearly. Make sure you are somewhere that you can answer interview-style questions without a current employer or colleague overhearing something you may not want them to know about. Set yourself up with the ability to take notes. Better yet, have your application open and ready to reference on the call.
Bottom line: all your communications should be professional, prompt and clear.
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It is perfectly reasonable to take a break from the job hunt. Set an auto-responder just like you would if you were on vacation from a job. Because after all, job searching is your job right now!
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HEARD. If you use a service like gmail, there are filters and snooze options with the ability to set reminders to reply. You could also set up an entirely different email address JUST for your applications. That way you can set notifications and settings differently than your personal inbox.
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If you struggle with phone anxiety, I highly suggest not answering an employer’s call if it was not previously scheduled. Let it go to voicemail and then reply within your own comfort zone. Use your tools to set yourself up for success when you eventually do have a conversation.