My clients are sometimes my best teachers.
One of my clients, Sarah, is a master at doing the little things that make a big difference in the job search. Sarah first came to see me as a result of being laid-off from her employer of the past seven years. She was justifiably upset about the layoff, but instead of lashing out at her former company, Sarah processed through her anger, and chose to look at this turn-of-events as an opportunity for growth.
She wrote a carefully worded note to her old employer, thanking them for her years of employment and wishing them well for the future. Although this was a difficult letter for her to write, the act of expressing her thoughts on paper helped to free her negative energy and enabled her to focus more fully on moving forward. Not only was it liberating for her on an emotional level, but it also left a powerful and positive impression on her former colleagues, who are bound to speak highly of her to any potential references.
Recently, Sarah used the power of thank you again, when she was turned down for a job at a prestigious university near her home. Upon receiving her rejection letter, Sarah wrote back to the university, thanked them for considering her candidacy and expressed appreciation for their kindly worded rejection note.
A few days later, Sarah received a reply back from the hiring manager expressing her thanks to Sarah for taking the time to write such a lovely letter. She also indicated that she would be saving Sarah's application for consideration for future openings. With just one brief note, Sarah distinguished herself from the competition.
As Sarah's story illustrates, saying thank you is not always easy, but it is almost always appreciated. You never know when those two little words might make the critical difference in your job search.
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