The End of the Road

...but not the blog.

This will be an overview of what we covered in the interview/recruiting process this summer:

I looked at the following:

-How to properly prepare for an interview

-Resumes, guidance with resumes

-Getting called to interview

-Dressing for success

-Be wary of Facebook and Myspace

-Hand shake (Two times, you didn't realize they were so important)

-Including Humor

-Containing Humor

-Showing the right attitude

-Behavioral/Traditional interview methods

-Ethics

-6 factors that can cost you the job

-17 ways to annoy the interviewer

-Thank yous

-Final questions to ask the interviewer

-Waiting for the job offer

-Acknowledging the job offer

-Making the decision

-Declining the job

-Accepting the job

That brings us to today. In the future I have plans to address working in your new job. It'll be interesting as I begin my own career soon.

Accepting the Job Offer!!!!

This summer I've looked over the interview process from writing your resume all the way through accepting the job offer, today's post. I'll provide a wrap up post for the class in a day or two, but here is some advice I found about how to accept a job:

When you accept the offer:Verbally confirm your acceptance of the offer, and follow up with a written confirmation letter which reiterates salary, start date, and position title. Express your appreciation for the offer and state that you are looking forward to joining the organization. If applicable, specify when you will meet additional conditions of employment, such as a completing a medical exam or sending required documents. Withdraw your candidacy from all other organizations. If you are participating in on-campus recruiting, notify the staff of the Career Service's office. "http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/cso/achieve/evaluating_job_offers/"

Declining a Job Offer

When I began my job searching I didn't even hope to be in a situation where I would want or have to decline a job offer. As it turns out, I did get in such a position. I had to offers and obviously couldn't go to work 120 hours a week during busy season as an accountant so I needed to make a decision.

When I decided which job to accept and was able to enjoy the employers excitment at my choice, I still had to let the other firm know I wouldn't be able to join them. I wrote the hiring authority who had interviewed me and contacted me previously a letter thanking him for extending me an offer and voicing my gratitude for how they treated me. I then wrote that I was accepting a position with another firm, etc. With that typed and ready to go in the mail, I gave the hirer a telephone call. Upon reaching him I explained to him my position again thanking him for the offer. After that conversation was over I sent the letter in the mail. It is important to note the sequence of events. You want to make sure that you talk to the person before they receive your letter. At the same time, you want to make sure that your letter is ready to be sent as soon as you are done with the call.

Here is an example of how to decline a job offer accessed at http://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/Declining.htm .

Declining a job offer

If you choose to decline a job offer, do so courteously, in writing, after making a phone call.

Never say anything negative in writing about the employer, even if you had a negative experience.

If you had a very negative experience, discuss it with an advisor in Career Services.

A decision to decline an offer is usually based on the fact that another offer is a better fit for your interests and goals. It is fine to state this, without giving details about why the declined offer is not a fit.

It is not necessary to state whose offer you accepted, but you may do so if you wish.

Remember that this employer may be a contact for you in the future. Maintain professional, courteous relations.


Sample (below):

Sample 8.1: Declining a job offer


Also see:

Accepting an offer and withdrawing from the job search

Ethical issues



Sample 8.1: Declining a job offer

900 Town Road

Blacksburg, VA 24060

(540) 555-9009

email: myname@vt.edu

April 20, 2006

Dr. Joan Swietzer

Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs

343 Third Street, NW

Washington, DC 20201-0343

Dear Dr. Swietzer:

Thank you very much for your telephone call and letter offering me the position of Assistant Project Coordinator with the Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs. While I believe firmly in the mission of your organization and appreciate the challenging opportunity you offer, I have had another offer which I believe more closely matches my current career goals and interests. Therefore, although it was a difficult decision, as I explained when we spoke by phone this morning, I must decline your offer. I do appreciate all the courtesy and hospitality extended to me by your office, and I wish you well in your endeavors.

In the position I have accepted with Public Policy Watch, I will occasionally be on Capitol Hill to attend hearings and monitor legislation, so I hope we can get together again and talk about common interests.

Best regards,
(your signature)

Chris Hancock

Making a decision, some questions to ask

After you have received a job offer or two, you need to make a decision as to which job offer to accept. Sometimes the answer can be clear, you live in Chicago and you want to stay there and the job is in Chicago while another job is in Tampa. For location reasons you'll choose the Chicago job. But what if both jobs are in Chicago? What if both jobs are offering you a very similar starting wage and both as staff at an accounting firm? Then the decision may become more difficult. Now it is very important to look at the characteristics of the companies and the people that work there. Do you see yourself fitting in better with one company versus the other?

I found these other questions to ask while evaluating job offers. Even though they were written in 1997, the questions are still relevant today. :-) They address such concerns as the position itself, management, future opportunities, educational advances, and the values of the company. Each person may have one section that they are more concerned about than another, but they are all good questions to think about.

Questions to Ask to Help Evaluate Job Offers
Adapted from Planning Job Choices: 1997 by Keith Johnson

The Position
Why is the job open?
How long has it been open?
What happened to the previous incumbent?
What would your specific responsibilities be?
Are the goals set for the position realistic and attainable?
Can you successfully accomplish the responsibilities of the position?
What is your growth potential in this position?
How does this position fit into your short-term and long-term goals?
Do the daily work activities appeal to you?
Will you be developing new skills and experience?
Are the demands of the job compatible with your desired lifestyle?

Your Supervisor
How long has he/she been in the position?
To whom does he/she report?
What is his/her growth potential?
Do you think you can work well with this person?

Future Opportunities
What might I expect to be doing over the next three to five years?
How much freedom do employees have to determine their own job movement and duties?
What could be done if an employee does not feel challenged or satisfied?
Are lateral or rotational job moves available to provide broader experience?
How do promotional opportunities become available?

Employer's Continuing Education Programs
How are employees able to stay current on changes and trends in their field?
How are employees encouraged to continue their professional development over the long term?
How have employees taken advantage of employer sponsored continuing education programs?
What kind of training is provided for prospective supervisors or managers?

Quality of Management
What is the quality of the company's management?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of management?
What are management's basic philosophies in managing the business and employees?
What do your employer's managers and supervisors have in common?
How does a person become a manager or supervisor at this employer?
Does the management team consist of new hires or people promoted from within?
Does the company have a high retention rate of employees or a problem with attrition?

Employer's Values
What are the employer's values? What does the employer stand for?
How are the employer's values reflected in everyday activities?
What kind of people are most successful or satisfied at your company?
Employer's Compensation Philosophy
What is the employer's compensation philosophy compared with other employers?
What kind of increase might I expect over the first several years?
How are individual increases determined?
How are changes to the benefits package made to keep it up to date with employee needs?

(http://www.jobweb.com/resources/library/Salary_and_Benefits/Questions_to_Ask_to_76_01.htm)

Acknowledging a job offer

You've received a job offer, it is everything you ever dreamed it would be, yet you aren't quite prepared to make a final decision...I had not realized that acknowledging that you received the job offer was important before, but here is some good guidelines about acknowledging that you received a job offer:

Courtesy dictates that you acknowledge a written job offer, even if you are not ready to accept or decline it. Take note of the details of the offer, as specified in your offer letter, and respond appropriately.

Items to remember:

•Thank the employer for the opportunity presented.

•Indicate that you understand the terms of the offer, or if you don’t, ask for clarification.

•A smart employer will know that you need to consider various employment options in order to make a wise decision; you may need to compare the offer to another pending offer.

•However, you may need to make a decision before you know whether or not you will receive another offer.

Here is a sample:

Sample 6.1: Acknowledging a job offer, neither accepting nor declining

444 University Road

Blacksburg, VA 24060

(540) 555-9876

email: gguthrie@vt.edu

July 1, 2007

Mr. Chris Afton

Grand Hotel Inc.

8899 Jefferson Street

Roanoke, VA 24022

Dear Mr. Afton:

I am acknowledging your letter offering me the catering and sales representative position with Grand Hotel, Incorporated. Thank you very much for offering me this exciting opportunity. The terms of your offer are clear, and I am certain I will be able to give you a response by your requested deadline of July 16. I appreciate your allowing me ample time to consider your offer so that I can be sure my decision will be in the best interest of both my career goals and the needs of your corporation.

In the meantime, should I have any questions, I will call you. Please do not hesitate to call me if I can provide you with any needed information.

Yours truly,

George Guthrie

(http://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/Acknowledg.htm)

Waiting for the Job Offer...tips from Linda Matias

The following article by Linda Matias discusses how to wait and what to do during the wait for a job offer. She also has a website (http://www.careerstrides.com/) with much valuable information. Just as last week's post mentioned, knowing what the next step is when leaving a job interview is imperative.

Interview Tips

Waiting for the Official Job Offer
by Linda Matias

At the end of the third job interview, Helene was told by the hiring manager, “Congratulations, I am going to recommend you for the position. Expect a call from HR.” Helene breathed a sigh of relief because her job search of six months was finally over.
Helene went straight home and waited by the phone all day. The phone never rang.
As the week drew to a close, Helene began to get nervous. She hadn’t heard from HR. She wondered what had happened. She convinced herself that everything was fine, that the HR department must have been swamped. She wasn’t exactly sure what would be more important than calling and welcoming her onboard, but she knew the HR department had a good reason. After all, Helene was the most qualified candidate; the hiring manager told her so.
Days went by and still Helene heard nothing. Confused by the situation, she anxiously glanced through the Sunday morning classifieds wondering what had gone wrong.
Unfortunately, this happens to many jobseekers. They are offered the position by the interviewer and they never hear from HR or it takes months before a firm offer is made.
But there are steps that you can take as a jobseeker to minimize your risk of being strung along by an employer.
An easy and often neglected step is to find out what comes next after each interview. Establishing the next step gives you some control over the hiring process, and helps avoid the guessing game. Make it a point to leave each interview with a clear understanding of what you are supposed to do and what the hiring manager is supposed to do.
E-mail, fax, or snail mail a follow-up letter thanking the interviewer for the job offer and that you are looking forward to hearing from the HR department. Sending a note stresses to the interviewer what you heard and if there was any confusion on your part, compels the interviewer to contact you and address the misunderstanding.
If you haven't heard from the employer in a timely fashion, call to reiterate your interest in the position. Here’s an example of an effective follow-up call: "Thank you for your time and for a very informative interview last week. Based on our last discussion, you are seeking an Executive Assistant who can effectively serve as a corporate liaison, manage administrative affairs, and support organizational goals. After a series of interviews, you were enthusiastically going to recommend me for the position but I have yet to hear from the Human Resources department. The Widget Corporation is my #1 choice and I am very interested in joining your team. Unfortunately, I will be forced to consider other options if I don’t receive an offer in writing by Friday at noon."
By providing a timeline you create a sense of urgency and put the employer on notice that you are in demand. This may encourage them to move the process along. But only use this tactic if you really do have other options because setting a deadline that an employer is unable to meet could get you dropped from consideration.
Although I recommend that you follow-up with a phone call, don’t become a nuisance and call everyday. If you reach out to an employer several times without receiving a courtesy response, stop calling and move on.
As frustrating as it may be, you must always remain professional. Keep in mind that, until you are officially hired, every conversation you have with the employer is part of the interview process.
In conclusion, realize that a definite maybe does not qualify as a firm job offer. Therefore continue job searching until you receive an official offer. If an employer is interested in you, they will respect your time, return your phone calls, and make a concerted effort to keep you updated.
Don’t waste your time waiting by the phone. You deserve more than that.

Linda Matias is President of CareerStrides and The National Resume Writers' Association. She has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, New York Newsday, Newsweek, and HR-esource.com. Visit her website at www.careerstrides.com or email her at linda@careerstrides.com.

(http://www.careerknowhow.com/interviewtips/waiting.htm)

Interview...Final Minutes

In the final minutes of the interview it is time to pose any questions that you might have not that you have not voiced yet. These questions can relate to "what to expect next." It is important to know what to expect next. For instance, if you are participating in campus interviews the interviewer may tell you will hear back from them within two weeks at which time they may ask you to come for an office interview. You need to know what is the next communication and how it will occur. However, a question that may be frequently asked but is just as frequently discouraged: "Do you have any concerns about how I would do in the position" (it may be worded different, but that is the gist of the message), only provides the interviewer with time to stop and think of all the 'bad' things that happened. It really doesn't serve a positive purpose for the interviewee and more dangerous than being neutral it can also be negative.

Immediately after interviews it is also helpful to take a few minutes, collect your thoughts on what you thought went well and what you can improve on for the next interview. An interview need never be wasted, but can always be a learning experience.

(References - Communication, for Business and the Professions by Patricia Andrews and John Baird as well as personal knowledge)