Just because the job market is a bit tight right now, it’s important to keep your salary demands where they should be once you start negotiating the offer. Employers who are hiring, need to hire good people. It’s important to remember, that employers know what they can pay, and they wouldn’t be talking to you if they didn’t know what you were worth.

Don’t low ball yourself, just because you think that they company can’t pay. If you feel that their offer is low, ask how much room there is to negotiate, and find out where they can negotiate. I have had numerous conversations with clients who will accept a salary at a lower level because they’re afraid to ask for more because they think the company will go to the next person. It’s important to establish your needs too.

I’ve worked with many clients who feel like they’re caught between a rock and a hard place. They’re in a position where they desperately need a job, but stuck with an offer that’s too low. Other times they consider taking a position that might not be the best opportunity, or even yet, a career demotion. Remember this, if it’s right, you’ll know it. If the job offer isn’t right, you’ll only be second guessing yourself within a matter of months.  Perhaps you won’t be able to fully dedicate yourself to the position and will continue looking for another job. You’ve got to be fair to yourself as well as the employer. In some cases, you may find yourself unemployed again within six months due to unsatisfactory performance or voluntary resignation.

Ok, so I guess you need a solution, that’s what I always try to provide. The solution here is to perform an individual assessment of your career goals, determine the hard core values and strenghts that you bring to an employer, and place a fair dollar amount on yourself. Then you assess the company’s goals, how you fit into the picture, determine if the core values of the company match yours, and see if there’s a match. I’m not trying to over simplify this, I realize that there are many things that factor in to that; it’s not a black and white issue. The point to remember is that you need to know what you are worth, set your standards, and command the salary that you require for your level of experience. In a nut shell, keep your salary demands where they should be.

Thanks for reading,

Beth Colley, Chesapeake Resume Writing Service

Thank You Notes are a crucial part to the interview process that far too many people overlook.  Writing a proper thank you note following the interview can provide a much needed boost in positioning you over another candidate for a position. Some of the most often asked questions that I receive include What do I say in a Thank You letter? and How do I send it?

Let’s start with what should you say.

1. For starters “Thank you for taking the time to interview me for the (fill in the blank) position on (fill in the date).  Hiring managers are very busy people. When they are down a person or two they may be required to pick up the slack. Their time is extremely valuable.
2. Reiterate your understanding of the requirements of the position. This shows that you have a clear understanding of their expectations.
3. Show how you can meet their expectations while providing solid examples of how you have exhibited those particular skills and knowledge in real life situations; ideally professional situations.  Career changers should list examples of how they have demonstrated these skills in other leadership scenarios.
4. Draw on a connection made during the interview. Whatever connection you were able to make during an interview, whether it was a mutual friend, a reoccuring technical problem related to the job, former employer, alma mater, interest in a sport/favorite team, social organization…whatever; just draw attention to that connection or common interest.
5. Indicate level of interest — Caution, be original. Don’t just say you are very interested in the position…indicate why you would be a strong fit for the position. Show your level of experience and interest in the position by giving valid reasons as to why you are a good fit citing company culture, business motto, work ethic, or other valid reasons for your enthusiasm.
6. Keep it Brief — there’s no clear written rule on this, but in my opinion, 8 sentences should suffice.  They already should know all about you…you are simply showing gratitude for their interest in you as a candidate.

The next question I typically encounter is, How do I send it?  With so many methods of communication available to us today, what form is the most acceptible means of communication?? 

1.  Hand-written notes win the points with more experienced (i.e. the over 50 crowd) decision-makers. That’s not to say that managers under 50 don’t appreciate the hand-written note; I’m just saying, it’s a generational thing. The feeling is, people rarely actually take time to hand-write a note today because we have conditioned ourselves to using email for business purposes. However proper and more formal etiquette tout the hand-written note as always being best. *Note* Make sure the note arrives within 1-2 business days of the interview.
2. Email thank you notes are certainly faster. If you know the decision is being made within 24-48 hours my personal feeling is that time is of the essence. A well-written thank-you email is acceptible in any case, but if time is crucial, any kind of heart-felt thankyou is better than none arriving at all.
3. What about a faxed note? In my opinion, the fax could work, but it could look sloppy or not get delivered. I would say Email rather than fax, because at least with email, you can request a read receipt and in some cases, you might get a response back.

Hopefully, these nine suggestions for Post-interview Thank You Notes have provided some kind of clarification as to the process.  As always, thanks for reading.