Notes From My Job Search

Posted on June 22, 2016 by admin

So, the blog has been neglected for a couple of months. Why? I very suddenly found myself in the midst of a job search. Three months ago my spouse’s company had a pretty significant round of lay-offs, and he was suddenly without a job. I felt discombobulated and sad at first. We had moved abroad for his job 5 years ago and here we were, feeling as though we were left with nothing.

But that wasn’t exactly true. We have substantial savings and a good settlement. I realized after a couple of days that this could be my opportunity to go back to full time work in a profession that I love. For the past year I had been missing working in libraries. Consulting had been a great project while we were over here (and my lack of language skills prevented me from working in a research library) but I missed the day to day challenges of managing a library. Suddenly I had the flexibility I needed to find a great job. So I went on the job market. Here are a few things I learned.

Conducting a Job Search Under Duress is Awful

The very first application packet I put together was moments after hearing that my spouse lost his job. I felt desperate and scared. My hands were shaking as I typed what might be the world’s worst cover letter. It was a horrible feeling, thinking I was desperate for a job and producing work that didn’t represent me as a result. Thanks to savings and a decent severance package, I’m not desperate. But if I were I think it would be essential to completely put that out of my mind. It’s really hard to do your best work with that kind of stress hanging over your head.

Practice Makes a Perfect Job Search

The first phone interview I had was equally awful. It was awful not because I felt pressure, but because I was out of practice. I hadn’t interviewed since 2008 and I had forgotten what was expected. I forgot that the phone interview is a short, initial pre-screening with a a goal of simply showing a potential employer that you can listen and accurately answer questions. Instead I tried to cram long, detailed answers into the wrong format. Lesson learned. Once I made the goal of each phone interview to show that I could listen well and succinctly answer the questions that were asked they were a lot more successful.

My Job Search Had a Lot of Support

A LOT of support. From my spouse dutifully taking on full time child care while I travelled back to the US for 21 out of 40 days to my parents taking in my cats (and perhaps my child) for the entire summer to friends passing on job listings, inviting me to stay with them and loaning me forgotten phone chargers, the outpouring of support has been very moving. I am particularly grateful to have friends who are also on the job market that I can commiserate with.

A Job Search Is A Great Learning Experience

As I mentioned above, I learned a lot about putting the stress of the process aside. I learned a lot about the goals and purposes of each stage of the interview. I learned a lot about organizations. I learned a lot through the topics I had to present on. One of the places I applied is a fairly non-traditional higher ed institution. I figured out pretty early on that I wasn’t that interested in the job, but I was really intrigued by the organization. I stayed with the process through two phone screenings just to learn about the organization. As someone who has been out of libraries for five years it was helpful to keep an open mind through the process to help me ramp up to library work.

I Don’t Want To Be a Library Director

Close to half of the jobs I applied for were library director positions. I thought I wanted that, but it turns out I don’t. As a library director I’d be reporting to a provost. At this stage in my career I still have a lot to learn from a librarian.

My Job Search Was a lot easier in the US than in Europe

I admit my European job searching was pretty half baked. I applied for only two jobs in the past year. Part of the issue was that the jobs I could find that didn’t require a second language were not great fits for my experience, but I think there is something else, too. Perhaps I didn’t know how to make my CV appealing to the European market. Maybe the competition is stiffer because library jobs are more scarce. In the US for the most part my resume brought phone interviews and my phone interviews led to campus visits. No one seemed overly concerned that I had been out of libraries for five years and no one dismissed me because I was a candidate in another country. In Europe, no one expressed any interest.

Job Search Connections ARE Important

The popular press talks a lot about the importance of having an “in” where you apply. I really thought that libraries were immune to this. I have received three offers so farand and wasn’t a “known” candidate at any of those organizations. Turns out, someone I had collaborated with more than 10 years ago was collaborating with the hiring officer at my favorite potential job. When I thought about networking previous to this search I always thought about it as the standard, “applying somewhere where you know someone.” The truth is librarianship, like many industries, is a small world. Word gets around and your reputation can proceed you, so make sure it’s a good one.

Have you been on the job market lately? What did you learn? I’d love to hear your experiences.

Library Strategic Planning

Posted on April 7, 2016 by admin

What is Strategic Planning?

Strategic planning. We hear these words like strategy, vision, mission, values and goals all the time. What do they really mean? Strategy is how you get where you want to go. It is the actions you will take to meet your goals. By meeting your goals you reach the vision you have for the future. Library strategy is influenced by trends both inside and outside of libraries. It is also influenced by your values. Values are the fundamental items of import to an organization or individual. Strategic planing is the action of consciously defining all of these.

Why is Strategic Planning Important?

Strategy sets the course for what you do. Without a strategic plan, your work isn’t moving in any clear direction. For organizations, strategy is important as it helps keep them relevant and moving in a productive direction. But strategy is important for individuals, too. An individual strategic plan keeps you continually contributing and continually learning.

Who Sets Strategy?

What if you feel the need for some strategy and your organization isn’t working on a plan? Identifying an individual or departmental strategic plan is the answer. If you aren’t getting any strategic direction from the library, think about the vision for your department. Formulate some well planned goals for your area or even yourself. Keep your departmental or personal strategy aligned with your larger organization. While your library may not have a formal strategic plan, write your own goals with your library in mind to create a personal or departmental plan that is aligned with wider goals.

How Do You Identify Strategy?

Strategic planning can be as large or small an undertaking as you or your organization wants it to be. Some organizations engage in a full scale strategy process. More recently, organizations have questioned the value of investing time and resources into a set plan when the landscape changes so quickly. Tools like Lean Social Canvas can be really helpful to developing a quick and nimble plan. Here are a few steps toward strategic planning:

Gather data. Take a look at all the data that may suggest ways in which your organization, department or yourself can contribute.
Consider values. What is at the heart of what your organization, department or yourself does?
Develop the vision. Where do you want to be in a year? Three years? Five years?
Align your goals. Consider the strategy of your parent organization and ensure that your plan supports it.
Create your plan. Identify the goals, actions, projects and initiatives that will get you to your vision.

Depending on the complexity of the plan this may take some time. I have seen plans of complex organizations that have taken months to write. Departmental and personal plans may take much less time. I have seen departmental and personal plans that can be completed in a day, or even an afternoon of hard work. The best plans usually have 3-5 goals that support the organizational objective. They also include clear tasks to support the goals, and ways to measure success.

What Does Winning an Argument Actually Mean?

Posted on February 26, 2016 by admin

Winning an argument: The History:

A few months back I wrote a post for Letters to a Young Librarian on the very human tendency to dismiss other people’s viewpoints. In it I describe some experiences I have had on both sides of this issue and an easy strategy from Roger Martin’s The Responsibility Virus for pausing this counter-productive instinct. I won’t repeat what I wrote here. The info graphic basically tells the story and LTAYL is a great blog you should check out. winning an argument

Winning an Argument: Does it Have to be a War?

I want to build on the idea of reframing your position based on a message I received from a former colleague when he read the original post. He told me that it reminded him of the idea that a different way to think about winners and losers of arguments is that the person whose view does not prevail is actually the winner, because that person is the one to gain a new way of thinking from the argument. I’m not sure if this is where he found this idea, but there is an interesting and useful Ted Talk on that very notion.

And when we are talking about an argument, we are not talking about bickering. We are talking about an actual intellectual discussion in which there is disagreement. So the next time you argue, think about who the winner really is. I know that I would much rather have some cognitive gain than the satisfaction of knowing I am right.

Criticism Reframed

Posted on February 21, 2016 by admin

Hearing criticism in a way that can help you to learn and grow can be tough. Criticism can cause us to tense up and get defensive if not delivered properly, which means we can’t learn from it. In my coach training program I learned how to connect with someone and give what might be tough feedback in a way that will be useful to them. But not everyone knows how to deliver feedback in this way. Properly delivered criticism can be very valuable to self awareness and personal growth, but our colleagues aren’t perfect and they may not always deliver criticism in a useful way. Here are some strategies for handling (and learning from) improperly delivered criticism.

Photo by Daniel Lobo. Used under Creative Commons License

Hearing Criticism: Don Your Armor

One helpful rubric for learning from criticism which may not be delivered in the easiest way to hear is to disengage from the comments. What I mean by this is to almost pretend the speaker is talking about someone else so you can listen for the content that might be helpful. One way to think of this is to think about putting on your armor, or your thick skin. Brace yourself. I used to cringe every time I read my course evaluations. Now I still have to steady myself to read them but I do value what they say. They help me to be a better instructor. By consciously protecting my emotions–either by putting them aside or imagining they are inside my “armor” I am much better able to learn and grown from the comments I receive.

Hearing Criticism: Focus on the Content

I recently read an article from Inc about how emotionally intelligent people handle criticism. It suggests focusing on the content. Instead of focusing on a delivery that might be rude, abrupt or otherwise offensive, think about how you can use the information to learn, grow and improve. Is there some element of truth there?

Hearing Criticism: Reframe the Feedback

Properly delivered feedback is very useful for self-improvement. When feedback isn’t delivered in a way that’s easy to digest, another strategy is to reframe it so that it is closer to the desired method of delivering criticism in a useful way.

Feedback should be given in a safe, private area. If someone is beginning to share feedback with you and you are not comfortable with the location, invite them to move to another area. Say, “I’m happy to discuss this with you but I would be more comfortable if we found a more private area. Let’s see if the conference room is available.”
To be most “digestible,” there should be a ratio of 2/3 positive feedback to 1/3 negative feedback. If you are just hearing negative feedback it will be up to you to mentally insert some positive feedback. You know what you do well. Be sure to remind yourself.
Criticism can sometimes feel like a personal attack, even if it is not intended this way. Actively remind yourself that it’s not personal. See if you can gently remind the criticizer to focus on the issue rather than the person. If they say, “You are X,” reply by saying, “I appreciate you coming to me with this. So that I can better understand and improve the situation, could you tell me what it is you are observing that makes you think I am X?” This has the added benefit of providing you with more detail on the potential growth area.

Hearing Criticism: What if You Still Take It Too Personally

Criticism or negative feedback isn’t meant to be personal. It doesn’t mean you aren’t a good person or fun to spend time with or a a good parent. But sometimes it can really rock your world…personally. So how do you handle this? Affirmations can help. If you tell yourself before you receive feedback, “this is feedback on my job performance,” or “this is one person’s opinion on how I conducted x project,” it can be a lot easier to hear the helpful parts. If you tell yourself daily that you are a good person trying your best then you will come to believe it, and negative feedback won’t be so difficult to handle.

Hearing Criticism: When does it stop being feedback?

In this post I’m not talking about criticism that is intentionally over-harsh, nitpick or continual. Feedback is designed to help you learn and improve. Nagging or bullying isn’t feedback. If you think you might be in a situation where someone is being over-critical, your organization’s human resources department, staff assistance program or ombudsperson can be helpful.

Have you been successful in learning from criticism? How have you separated useful criticism from poor delivery? I’d love to hear your experiences.

Time Management: Pomodoro Meets Parkinson’s Law

Posted on February 8, 2016 by admin

Struggling with Time Management?

We’ve all heard of Parkinson’s Law: Work expands to fill the time available. It’s Cyril Northcote Parkinson’s satirical notion published in a 1955 Economist article. In the article, Parkinson lampoons the British civil service for creating more jobs and then creating more work for those in the jobs to do. These days Parkinson’s law is generally used to describe time management: our relationship with time, work and procrastination. It does seem to be a basic human tendency to dedicate more time than is necessary to a task.

Spiral Clock by Robbert van der Steeg used under Creative Commons license.

The Key to Better Time Management:

Parkinson describes the act of writing a postcard, which if you have nothing else to do, can take up the whole day. But the thing is we do have something else to do. Lots of somethings to do. So why are we still allowing small tasks to take over our days? If work expands to fill the time allowed, is the converse not also true? Can we reign in the time we dedicate to a task and therefore accomplish more in a given day? I think we can.

I will never forget my university’s opening convocation in which the Dean urged us to “use out 10 minutes-es.” What she meant was for us to not assume we couldn’t accomplish anything in short periods of time. I certainly did my share of wasting time in college, but in the nearly 30 years since I heard that speech I have come to realize that she was right.

Take Pomodoro, one of the time management strategies that I have embraced for the past few years. The basic idea is that you set a timer for about 20 minutes and get down to work. When the timer goes off, you take a very short break, then you set the timer again for more work. In addition to getting you focused and working it’s supposed to teach you how long it takes to accomplish varying tasks, i.e. “I can write a blog post in 3 Pomodoros.”

It’s true, I can write a blog post in 3 Pomodoros. I can outline a few blog posts in one Pomodoro, then write a blog post in one Pomodoro, then edit it in a third Pomodoro. Or, I can choose to not set my timer and stare at a blank page for a while, get distracted, and perhaps outline a single blog post in a day. I am always amazed at what I can accomplish in 20 focused minutes if I use the notion of time pressure.

Time Management is an Active Task:

A few years back I decided to consider how long it actually took me to complete certain tasks. I chose to look at a few tasks I hated–blow-drying my hair and washing dishes by hand. Convinced that each of these tasks must take an hour to complete, I was really surprised to learn that it was just 5 minutes. Perhaps it was how much I hated the tasks that was making me think they took much longer. Perhaps it was my notion of time that was unreliable; after all, we say often talk about time in inaccurate measurements–have you ever actually timed one minute when you are sitting still? It seems like an eternity. And it is a decent amount of time.

In a recent Lifehack.org article they suggest assigning the time that you think a task will take, then dividing that time allotment in half to actually complete the task. This seems like a worthwhile experiment. They also suggest identifying those tasks that tend to suck up a lot of time and reducing the amount of time you allow yourself to spend on them.

Elastic Time Management:

Parkinson himself wrote, “work is elastic in its demands on time.” Why not turn his theory on its head and make it work for you? Work can expand to fill the time available, but it doesn’t have to. Control the time you spend on tasks and you will have more time to spend.

Have you found ways to effectively manage your time? Do you control the time you spend on tasks? I’d love to hear about what time management strategies work for you. Are your time management skills letting you down? I can help with that. Contact me to find out how!

Overcoming Tenure Paralysis

Posted on February 3, 2016 by admin

The Stress of the Tenure Track

Feeling stressed about tenure? Whether it’s called continuing appointment, promotion, tenure, or permanent status, I have seen countless people become paralyzed at how to embark on this journey. Many of my clients come to me with this feeling, often years before their tenure packet is do. This is actually a great sign because it means that they are thinking ahead and taking their tenure evaluation seriously. So how do you turn that stress into action? Here are 5 steps to stop feeling stuck and start building a strong tenure file.

Image of the WEB DuBois Library by Step used under Creative Commons License.

Step 1: Know the Tenure Requirements at Your Institution

Tenure requirements vary from institution to institution. Mainly they include academic service, teaching and publication–and of course being excellent at your job. Your first step is to research the tenure requirements at your institution. What do the actual written guidelines say? Find out what is required and who will evaluate you. Reading the actual guidelines may not answer all of your questions, but it will help you to clearly formulate what you need to know to build a strong portfolio.

Step 2: Find a Recently Tenured Friend

Once you have read the tenure requirements you can understand them better by talking with others who have been through the process. Perhaps a friend or colleague has recently been tenured? Perhaps your supervisor is familiar with the process? Maybe the person in charge of faculty appointments can help? Talking to people who have real-world experience with the specific tenure process on your campus will help you to find out what is it takes to earn tenure.

Step 3: Seek out service opportunities

Each year, ACRL, ALA, SLA and other library associations call for volunteers. Check with your local and specialty library associations about how to get involved. This may seem an intimidating process but these groups rely on librarians at all career stages to carry out important committee work. Talk to your boss about library and campus committees you could contribute to.

Step 4: Don’t Be Intimidated by Publishing or Presenting

Submitting a paper for publication or conference presentation can be a very intimidating process. But think about it this way: the economic models of academic publishing and professional conferences would not survive without faculty librarians submitting their work. Publishers and conference organizers need you! So don’t be intimidated. Be aware of upcoming conferences and their calls for proposals. Check out the submission guidelines of your favorite journal and think about what you have to say. Perhaps you can collaborate with a colleague? Talk to your boss or mentor about your research ideas. Not sure how to get started? A coach can help you through the process.

Step 5: Get involved in Teaching

Effective teaching is often a component of the tenure evaluation. Even if your job is only tangentially related to bibliographic instruction why not volunteer to assist with the BI program? Have specific subject liaison responsibilities? Maybe there is a professor you could partner with. What about contributing to another program on campus, like faculty or staff development or new student orientation? If you prefer to contribute more broadly to the profession you can contact a local library school about an adjunct teaching appointment. If a shorter duration of teaching appeals to you approach ALA’s Online Learning or a local library association about providing a professional development course in your area of expertise.

The Tenure Track Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful

Like any large project it is helpful to keep your tenure process well organized. With each new project, accomplishment, committee assignment, presentation or publication, update your CV. Each year keep a “running” annual review draft to which you can add these things. Keep all of your professional feedback in a designated place. Take the process one step at a time, and seek out help. You were hired for a tenure track position because your organization believes you can do it. Now go show them how it’s done!

Are you on the tenure track and not sure of how to start building your tenure application? Contact me! Working with librarians on their tenure case is my coaching specialty. I offer an affordable, targeted session to help you focus your thinking around your tenure journey that is guaranteed to help.

Aside

As of today I am taking some holiday time off to reconnect with family and friends. I am back to work in early January. Wishing everyone a happy holiday season and a wonderful 2016!

Authenticity

Posted on December 16, 2015 by admin

Authenticity. There’s a buzz word if ever there was one, and a buzz word I never really gave much thought to until recently. I just got things back on track after a very rough six months. Looking back, I realize that the key to figuring out this crisis was getting in touch with my authenticity. Somehow I had lost touch with what truly mattered to me. Reconnecting with my authenticity has helped me to get my work back on track and I feel so much more confident and fulfilled as a result.

This started back in June when, after a particularly busy and successful period of work, things came to a grinding halt. Eventually I learned that Post-Creation Depression is a thing. At the time I just felt adrift and didn’t know what to do with myself, so I made a strategic plan for my work. I just kept going until my summer holiday When I returned to work in September I just couldn’t get my head into my work. It didn’t have the same shine it used to. I felt like I wasn’t helping anyone and I wasn’t interested in what I was doing. I felt a little lonely. Because of the strategic plan I had written I was very focussed on marketing and overly concerned with making a huge impact. I felt oddly competitive. I was focusing on building a reputation rather than what was important to me and what I am good at. I had forgotten about authenticity.

Looking back, I now understand I wasn’t being true to myself. I lost sight of why I do and temporarily forgot that I am passionately committed to building great libraries. While working on my strategy was the right thing to do at that time, I think maybe it clouded my vision–which is kind of weird because strategy is supposed to be clarifying. But the problem was there is no mention of my passion in this plan. It lacks authenticity!

How did I get back on track? Running was definitely part of it. I spent some time in quiet contemplation on my runs. Seeing that I could steadily improve towards a goal helped me get my confidence back. So much so that I can now write about the struggle I experienced. I also took the advice of a colleague in my Mastermind group and reached out to others in the field. And I am actively looking for new and different ways to make a contribution, which may mean leaving consulting for a more traditional job.

Watching this conversation between Marie Forleo and Elizabeth Gilbert was also really helpful. In it they discuss creativity and its relationship to authenticity and confidence. When I watched this I had mostly worked through my struggle and was feeling more at peace with my work–more authentic–but watching this definitely was the final piece of the puzzle to get me back on track.

By focusing on my authenticity I have noticed an uptick not only in the quality of my work but also the demand for it. I once again feel proud of the work I do and feel excited to do it.

I Decided to Start Running!

Posted on November 30, 2015 by admin

I feel like I have been leading a secret life for the past few weeks. Something very fundamental has changed in me. It is surprising news, and I might be the one who is most surprised by it. I decided to start running!

Runners in Vondelpark by Marnix. Used under Creative Commons License.

Why Start Running?

About 6 weeks ago, at the age of 45, I started a “couch to 5k” training program. Looking back, I’m not 100% sure why I started running. It partly had to do with some professional struggles I was dealing with (I’ll write more about that another day), generally wanting to improve my physical and emotional well being and finally acknowledging that I’m not as young as I think I am. Nor am I as fit as I like to pretend I am. I am someone who looks fit, but inside I know I am not. Or perhaps now I can say I was not. I have struggled with back pain for the past decade. I have had migraines and cluster headaches since the 1980s. These afflictions are well known to be improved with exercise. But I don’t. Or didn’t.

How to Start Running?

I’m usually the type of person to get all excited about something and tell everyone, only to ultimately decide that that exciting thing really wasn’t for me after all. So this time I didn’t tell anyone outside of my immediate family what I’m doing. I just started. And I felt great from day one! The program I use, Cool Running’s Couch to 5K program, advocates 3 workouts per week and starts with very little running. It says that this to make sure your muscles and bones (bones?) have time to build strength. Because I felt so good it was sometimes hard for me to stick to this, but I did. For the most part. Instead of 3 workouts per week I worked out on alternating days. This was a better rhythm for me and has got me though the program a little faster than anticipated. After all, I wasn’t exactly “couch” when I started the Couch to 5K. I live in Amsterdam so all routine errands are done on a bicycle, often with 60 pounds of kid or a week’s worth of groceries. So far I have remained healthy and strong.

It’s Easy to Start Running!

Running also appeals to my love of efficiency. It is flexible and convenient: I go when I want, wherever I want. And I get a complete workout in 30 minutes with minimal financial investment. The only gear I needed to get that I didn’t already have was a decent pair of shoes. I also splurged about $3.00 to buy Active’s Couch to 5K app, which has been really helpful. It tracks my workout and since training can vary each day, I don’t really have to think too much to remember what it is I’m meant to be doing.

I’m a Runner Now!

I think this running thing is going to stick, so this week I decided to go public. I am now on week 7 in the training program which is the first week of actual running for 22 minutes (plus) straight. I have not yet reached the 5k mark (3.1 miles) but at 2.98 miles I’m awfully close. And I’m proud of my 11 minute miles! A friend congratulated me saying she personally wouldn’t run if an axe murderer were chasing her. Funny, I felt exactly this way for a long, long time. When I was in high school I spent one miserable track season with shin splints (an injury I have sense learned is caused by doing too much too soon) before I realized that drama was more my thing. Since then I have looked at that as a symbolic choice about being true to myself and spending time on the things that are important to me. As a result I always looked negatively at running. But I have changed. My runs are not always easy but I enjoy them. I enjoy the time alone, the peace and quiet, challenging my body. I enjoy the improved sleeping and the idea that I have more energy to play with my kid. Most of all I feel proud that I’m finally taking good care of myself, not to mention meeting a new challenge.

The Interview Thank-You Note

Posted on November 3, 2015 by admin

Writing an Interview Thank-You Note:

The other day a former colleague contacted me via twitter with a question: what are my thoughts on interview thank-you notes. The conversation went something like this:

Colleague: Been reading your posts about job interviewing. I’m on the job market. How do you feel about follow up, hand-written thank-you notes to the search committee? They seem awfully precious to me, but lots of people do it now. Is it now required?

Me: To be honest, I hate interview thank you notes. I find them the epitome of sucking up and have always given the writer something of a downgrade when I receive one. But I’m not sure this universal. Perhaps it is the cynical New Yorker in us?

Colleague: I’m so happy to hear that. I’ll ask around. Honestly, I can’t imagine that if a candidate was so great ppl want to hire her that they wouldn’t because she didn’t send a precious hand-written interview thank you note. I don’t like to receive them either.

How Do Others Feel About Interview Thank-You Notes?

Was it just us who felt this revulsion toward the post interview thank-you note? I decided to poll the ALA Think Tank, a Facebook group with over 15,000 members, about their thoughts on the post-interview thank-you note. I simply posted, “What are your thoughts on the interview thank-you note?” I received 22 responses, the overwhelming majority were pro-thank you note.

But, these replies were largely written by job-seekers as opposed to people doing the hiring. Job seekers tend to feel that hiring managers love thank-you notes and in many cases, it is the interview thank-you note that clinched the job offer for them. Only 4 replies were obviously from hiring managers. One wrote, “I notice when I don’t get one. If the candidate was outstanding it is ok, but with a marginal candidate, it might make a difference.” Really? I personally wouldn’t hire a marginal candidate under any circumstances. A polite marginal candidate is still a marginal candidate. Another wrote that it’s a nice touch but it would only stand out in her mind if only one candidate failed to write one. A third said she noticed if she didn’t get one. The fourth hiring manager wrote, “I don’t care about them at all and wold not give any weight to whether a candidate sends one or not.”

I also received a handful of responses to the query when I posted it on LinkedIn–and every one was pro thank you note. So, what’s an applicant to do? You have no way of knowing if someone you interview with loves thank you notes or, like my colleague and me, finds them a bit distasteful and sycophantic. But maybe we just find them that way because we have only ever received sycophantic thank you notes? Perhaps if I received a genuine, authentic thank you note, rather than one that was pro-forma, I would be impressed by it, too. And this really is a question, not a snarky comment on any specific thank-you notes I received. My advice is to write a very heart-felt, genuine thank you note: sit calmly and quietly and think about what it is you got out of the day. Write an honest, genuine note of appreciation and gratitude. And probably, rather than writing a formal, hand-written note, send it via email. When it comes down to it you really don’t know how the person who interviews you feels about interview thank-you notes. Writing a genuine, informal note can’t hurt, right?

How Do You Feel About Interview Thank-You Notes?

What is your opinion on post interview thank-you notes? Please share your thoughts by clicking on the speech bubble to the right of the blog post title (or click “leave a reply” at the end of the post), then click the tiny orange speech bubble to the left at the bottom of the post. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!