Great Impression after the Interview: Writing a Thank You Note

01/03/2010

After you’ve made it through the interview and impressed your potential employer in person, the next step is to write a thank you note to your interviewer- preferably within 24 hours. The letter should be short and succinct, no more than three paragraphs.

While you are still at your interview, make sure to get the full name and email address of anyone who interviews you. Asking the person for their business card will be the easiest way to do this. If you forget to ask for the contact information while at the interview, your main contact for setting up the interview should be able to provide you with the information.

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To Accept or Not to Accept: Evaluating a Job Offer

01/06/2010

After putting so much effort into applying and interviewing for many jobs, you might think the most important part is over once you receive a job offer. But in reality, the decision to accept or decline a job offer is the most important decision you will make. The job that you are about to take could be yours for a long time to come and you need to make sure that it is the right one for you.

What makes a job “right for you” will vary from person to person. For some the most important factor will be salary and benefits, for others it will be the company culture or even the length of the commute. You may be able to negotiate something like salary, but the company culture, coworkers and boss are factors that can’t be negotiated.

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How to Ask for a Reference from your Employer

08/12/2010

One of the great things about having a first job is that you now have a previous employer to ask for a reference in the future.

You probably had to provide personal references when you applied for your first job—people who have known you and who vouched for your dependability or character. Now you will also have a professional reference who can speak to your abilities on the job and in a workplace. Before you put a former employer down as a reference here are a few things to keep in mind:

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