Be. Aggressive. Be. Be. Aggressive. (but courteous)

It's official. Summer 2012 has begun! It's finally okay to relax and no need to stress about papers, assignments, exams or groups projects.

Although... now you may be experiencing another type of anxiety: waiting to hear back from the internships you've applied for.

So what do you do if you've been waiting so patiently for a response for days now and you don't hear back? How aggressive can you be in demanding a response, and how do you request it? How aggressive is too aggressive?

You have to keep in mind that not many employers will notify you if you do not get chosen. So, if its been more than 2 weeks past the deadline to apply, chances are you did not get chosen.

But if your mind will not be at rest until you hear back directly from the employer, follow these tips in requesting a response:

• Be sure to wait until the deadline of the application. Most employers may review on a rolling basis but if their posting had a deadline, wait until the deadline (at least 3 days after) to contact them.
• Follow up with a phone call to the contact information provided on the application or website first to ask if they can provide any information on the decision making process (ie, ask if they know if the position has been filled, or if they have a rough estimate of when the decision will be made) You may also ask if they send out notices to those who did not receive the position.
• A nice way to phrase it might be, "Hello, I'm calling to check on the status of my application for _____ position."
• If there was no contact information on the application, do some research and call the company's general information line and nicely request the contact information of the hiring manager for the position you are interested in.
• If indeed, you find out that you did not receive the position, maintain your courtesy, professionalism and above all positivity! Don't let it get you down and begin applying for other positions.
• In some cases (like if you received a personal phone call or email notification that you did not receive the position but got as far as an interview in the application process) it may be appropriate to ask the employer for his or her feedback on your interview and certain aspects you can improve on.
• Just remember: 
• Life is a learning experience. Focus on the positive lessons. 
• Successful job search requires a delicate balance of patience and perseverance, so don't be afraid to be aggressive, but be sure to uphold professionalism at all times.

~ Rosie ~

Don't Forget Your Manners...

A common theme has been arising in drop ins lately: SUMMER INTERNSHIPS.

It is great to see that many students are actively searching and applying for summer internships that will add to their resume experience! Many students are coming in for a resume review for that ideal summer internship, some are coming in for a cover letter review, a few for interviewing tips, and one student came in for a review on his THANK YOU LETTER!

Thank you letters are a small detail but a very important part of your job search process, nonetheless. Unfortunately, following up with a thank you letter does not get done as often as it should. It is imperative that you send a thank you letter soon after every interview, especially if you want to be remembered in a more positive way. In fact, many employers have stated that they will hire the person who sent the thank you letter over the person who did not.

The preferred method to send a thank you letter is as a greeting-card style in your own hand writing sent via snail mail. A thank you e-mail may be acceptable in certain situations though, when your handwriting is not legible or it simply slipped your mind to send the card and more than a week has passed.

Here is a sample on what to include in a thank you letter.

And as always, you are more than welcome to come in to a drop in for us to help you review your thank you letter.

Good Luck!
 ~ Rosie ~