Job Tuition

Keep in Contact with Network and Employers

December 19th, 2006 by Andrew

When you are in the middle of a job search, it can be tempting to wait until employers call you. When you actually have a job, it is definitely easy to forget to keep in touch with your networking contacts. Both of these situations are perfect times when you need to keep in contact.

Potential Employers

Employers want to know that you’re interested in them. What better way to express this than by keeping in contact with them? This does not mean to continually bug them every day until they offer you a job, but you also don’t want to forget completely about them or just wait until they contact you.

You need to establish the proper amount of contact with potential employers. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:

• Remember that they are busy people. Don’t bog them down with contact, and don’t expect them to return your call or reply to an email in 10 minutes.
• Spread the contact out over time. Depending upon the timeline, you might give them 2-3 weeks before contacting them again.
• Be professional in all of your contact. Even though they haven’t replied to you in a month, you have no right to be rude.
• Vary your method of contact. If you initially sent your resume via email, try giving a follow-up call in 2-3 weeks. The email might not have gone through. Likewise, if you have left a couple voicemails, you should try an email or short note in the mail.
• Ask if you can provide any other information. This helps let them know that you aren’t Mr. Anxious, but that you really want to help them make a decision.

Remember: express your continued interest in the company and position. Don’t bug them to death, but don’t let them forget about you either.

Networking Contacts

A lot of the same advice for employers applies for networking contacts as well. You don’t want your networking contacts to forget you exist, and you also want them to know that you are thinking of them from time to time. When that perfect opportunity comes along, you want them to send it your way and you want them to know that you will do the same.

Your timeframe for contacting these people should be much more elongated than potential employers. The right timeframe obviously depends upon you and the networking contact, but something like 2-3 months might be appropriate.

Here is where you should definitely vary the method of your contact as well. Simple, hand-written notes go a long way toward impressing someone. Also, never forget the power and importance of a thank you note.

The content of your contact should differ from the things you send to employers. With networking contacts, you should try to think of things in which they might be interested. Perhaps you came across a book that is right up someone’s alley; send him a short email with a link. Maybe you heard of an upcoming conference that could help their business out; mail a flyer with a kind note. You definitely do not want to have an arrogant tone, but you should try to send helpful and useful ideas to your networking contacts, along with the traditional “just keeping in touch” contact.

Keep in contact with potential employers and networking contacts. Your career will thank you.