Gary Will's WORKSEARCH:
Selling Yourself To An Employer
Chapter 22: (continued)
Following up without being a pest
From the book How to Prepare for an Employment Interview.
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[Chapter 22: continued from here
] ..."I am drawn to the professionalism and dedication that you and Ms. Whitney exhibited."
"You demonstrated an ability to be precise when you answered my question... That gave me confidence in both you and the company."
"Thank you for the wonderful experience of meeting with you."
Can you take these lines seriously? How could an interviewer exhibit "dedication" in the 45 minutes you were with them? Why would anyone have confidence in a company because of a single interviewer's answer to one question-even if it was "precise"?
I imagine that some interviewers might choose to offer the position to someone else just so you don't think they were taken in by this nonsense. Even if you truly mean what you say, it will almost certainly be perceived as insincere bootlicking.
If you're going to follow up, skip the personal flattery. Stick to discussing some of the benefits that you would bring to the organization. You could tie this in to something the interviewer mentioned, or just to your perceptions of what would be important for success in the position.
If you sincerely have good things to say about the organization, you may certainly say so. You can even acknowledge your interviewer's role in making the company a success. But this must be sincere. Grasping at straws to butter up the interviewer and trying to manipulate them into liking you is a repugnant technique-no matter how many interview books recommend it.
Writing a tailored proposal ... [continued here]
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