Although you don't want to become a pest, most employers are favorably impressed with a job seeker who follows up by phone. Most job seekers are not nearly as assertive as they should be in staying in touch with an employer following an job seeker. Use these tips to improve your results when following up with phone calls:
• Ask when would be a good time to call. Before you leave the interview, ask when would be a good time to call back and note that time on your schedule.
• Phone when you said you would. Call back on the day and at the time the interviewer suggested. By then, if you do as I suggest, he or she will have received your thank-you e-mail and note. This will likely create a good impression, as will your calling back.
• If there is an opening, ask for it. If you want the job, say so. Tell the interviewer why you want it and why you think it is a good fit for you.
• Be brave; call back on a regular basis. If the employers you are meeting with don't have an opening now, ask to stay in touch. Make it clear that you are interested in working for them and would like to call or e-mail them back on a regular basis to see how things are developing. This kind of contact will keep you in their minds. As positions come up that fit your skills, these employers are more likely to consider you before they advertise the job. But this will happen only if you stay in contact with them on a regular basis!
• Ask for referrals. Each time you contact employers, ask whether they know of anyone else who might have a job opening for someone with your skills. If not, ask whether they can give you names of others to contact to see whether they have openings.
• After an interview, write down important items from the interview, plan your follow-up, and start writing your thank-you notes.
• Whether sent through e-mail or regular mail, thank-you notes are a friendly and effective way to demonstrate your good manners and create a positive impression in the minds of employers.
• In some situations, you may want to send a follow-up letter to provide the employer with more information, present a proposal, or clear up any issues that came up in the interview.
• Staying in touch with an employer by phone can be a good way to ask for the job you want, find out about future opportunities, and get referrals to other potential employers.