"You" can help your job hunting "thank you"
Which “thank you” are you more likely to read? The note that opens with 1) “Thank you for meeting with me” or 2) “Your company’s disciplined approach to…”?
Number 1 makes me yawn. “Another lame thank you note,” I say to myself, although I’m impressed the writer bothered to write when so many people don’t.
Number 2 makes me think, “Hey, this person listened to me! They’re writing about one of my company’s key messages.”
Recruiters and career counselors tell job hunters their communications should focus on the company that they’re pitching instead of on themselves. One way to achieve this is to start your “thank you” note with the words “you” or “your,” and then convey your appreciation later.
A friend tried a variation on this when requesting an informational interview from a senior executive. He opened by citing an article that had quoted the exec. “You said ‘…’ in this article, which interested me because…’ ” He got the interview.
The power of “you” isn’t just for job hunters. It boosts the power of most communications–blogs, brochures, articles, websites, white papers, and more. Try it and see!
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* Which topic should you discuss in your client email’s first paragraph?
* Your mail has three seconds to grab your reader’s attention
* To “dear” or not to “dear” in your email
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Susan B. Weiner, CFA
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Copyright 2010 by Susan B. Weiner All rights reserved
