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This is a guest post by the kind folks at GlobalPitch

What’s the best way to send a Thank You note after an interview? The big debate — should you send an email, or go the traditional route and hand write a note?The best approach is both. Candidates like the immediacy of sending an email thanking the interviewer for their time. However, we all know that this is seen as impersonal at best; and at worst it’s seen as the easy way out. Handwritten notes are always appreciated, but the downside is that it can take several days to work its way to the hiring manager’s desk. Simple solution — send both. We recommend that you send a same-day Thank You note by email, and also drop a handwritten Thank You in the mail.A few things to remember:

• Always ask the interviewer for their card so you’ll have both their email and physical office addresses.
• Thank You notes need to be well written and include a reference to something that you discussed during the interview.
• Keep it short and sweet.

ite-em-twice

• Tell the interviewer that you appreciate their time and that you look forward working with them.

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The one-two punch of an email and a handwritten note shows that you are interested in the opportunity and that you are organized, thoughtful, capable of following through and that you exceed expectations.

Everyone intends to send a Thank You note, but very few get around to doing it. By carefully and thoughtfully following up, you will separate yourself from the stack!

Got get ‘em!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Popularity: 33% [?]

Recently I sold an item on eBay and the customer paid with a money order (yes, she was one of the 13 people left on eBay who don’t use PayPal). Anyway, to make a long story short, she didn’t tell me until after I had deposited the money order in my checking account that she had put a stop payment on it because she thought the money order had been lost in the mail. So, needless to say I knew the deposit of the money into my account would be reversed sooner or later. What I failed to account for was the addition of those pesky little things called Bank Fees. So, when I opened my mint.com account yesterday to check on my transactions, I was pretty taken aback when a $10 transaction fee was there staring me in the face.

I’ve had a long history with my bank and have always been a good customer. I’ve incurred no other fees and have no blemishes on my accounts (besides them being far too small, but that’s neither here nor there). So I decided to call customer service and see if there was anything that could be done. After briefly explaining the situation to the customer service rep, low and behold - the fee was waived!

photo credit: Johnny Vulkan

How’d I do it? The key when trying to get a fee waived is to remain calm and level-headed for the duration of the conversation. Do not yell, get angry or accusatory. If you remain pleasant and nice to the person you’re talking with, they’ll be a lot easier to deal with and you’ll have a much better chance at getting what you want. Remember: the power to waive the fee is entirely in their hands. So be appreciative and say “thank you”!I pointed out that the situation was not my fault and that I was a long-time, loyal customer without any past fees on my record. She gladly waived the fee as a “one-time gesture”.

Of course the easiest way to avoid bank fees is to not do anything to warrant getting them in the first place. Know your balance and don’t go over. But if one accidentally occurs — as it did in my situation — do not panic or get angry; but also remember not to just settle for the fee because it came for an institution like a bank. A bank’s customers is its lifeblood and keeping them happy is important (unhappy customers means loss of revenue). In a situation like this, all you have to do is ask. The problem is that so few people actually do!

Popularity: 25% [?]

I had a conversation yesterday with someone who works in the Human Resources department of a local company here in Portland about their hiring process. The company is pretty new to town and Portland is a town of well under 100,000 residents. And yet - her company receives a few hundred resumes every day! In fact, things have gotten so overwhelming there that now what may seem like an innocent mistake to you will grant your resume a one-way ticket to the recycling bin. Here are five easy steps you can take to at least keep your resume in the consideration pile (the rest is up to you):

1. Follow Directions. All the resumes and cover letters are quickly scanned; any applicant that didn’t follow the directions set forth in the job posting exactly ends up in the trash. The director of H.R. figures that if you can’t follow simple directions properly, there is someone else in the stack of 100 resumes that can.
2. Proof-read everything you write before you submit it. Last week the same H.R. department received a cover letter from a recent grad who likes to “work in a fast paste environment”. Their resume is now highlighted and posted on a board for the whole company to get a kick out of. Do you want that to be you?
3. Apply for the positions you are qualified for. If you’re applying for your first job out of college, you need to begin in an entry-level position, just like everyone else. Applying for an upper-level or management position is a waste of your time and of Human Resources’ time. But further more - if they see that you’re applying for positions way out of your league, it looks like you’re simply not paying attention. It is unlikely that they would consider you for a job you might be qualified if you’ve already wasted their time.
4. Appear professional. I’ve said this before but it bears repeating - if you’re applying to work in an office, its important to at least appear like an adult. De-tag drunken pictures on FaceBook; Record a professional voicemail greeting on your cell phone; and change your email address to your name or something appropriate. The same woman from H.R. mentioned above spoke to a candidate on the phone a few weeks ago who kept repeating just how qualified he was for the job he was applying for. At the end of the conversation she thanked him and asked for his email address; his response: exaggeration17@hotmail.com
5. Follow up. Again, pay attention. If the job posting said “no phone calls, please” than don’t call. But do follow up. Send an email making sure your resume arrived alright (if there are 100 resumes arriving each day, you want to make sure your’s is at least one of them) and checking on the status of your application.

These stories seem a little far-fetched but I can assure you they’re true. And while some of their reactions may seem a little cruel, they’re all too common in any office you set foot in, and you don’t want to end up as one of H.R.’s stories. But more importantly - if a mid-sized company in a mid-sized city is receiving over a hundred resumes a day, how many is the company you’re applying to getting? If you want to even have a shot at an interview, make sure to avoid these seemingly insignificant (but easily remedied) yet costly mistakes.

Technorati Tags: resume, job application, graduation, college, entry-level job

Popularity: 31% [?]

This is part four of a five-part series on solving all-too-common roommate issues that arise when you move into your first apartment after graduation (click here for part one, part two and part three).

The fourth common roommate problem to tackle is the topic of: differing lifestyles. Even if you’ve known your soon-to-be roommate for years and your friendships run deep, if you’re about to move in with them, chances are you’re about to discover some things you didn’t know about them. If you’ve never met your roommate before: you’re definitely in for a surprise. She’s a partier, You’re more “chill”; He’s really into music, You’re really into sports; She likes to go to bed early, You like to stay up late… Anyway, you get the point. While these differences might have been easy to overlook while you were just friends, when you move in together, there’s a good chance they’ll get in the way.

photo credit: Lush.i.ous

So, what do you do? Respect and tolerance are of the biggest importance here. Remember, you’re roommates but no one ever said you had to be best friends. Many people actually enjoy living with someone different from them because you learn so much.

photo credit: Travis Seitler

Everyone has likes and dislikes, just as everyone has expectations of their roommates. It all comes down to being respectful - if there is something your roommate does that really bothers you, bring it up. Just be sure to address the issue sooner rather than later.Stay tuned tomorrow for the final installment of the “Solving Common Roommate Problems” series.

Technorati Tags: renting, roommates, college, graduation, the real world, apartments, party, lifestyle

Popularity: 28% [?]

This is a guest post by Gene Leshinsky of www.boston-technical-recruiter.com

How many connections do you have on Facebook? Oh like 400… How many do you have on MySpace? Another 500… How about LinkedIn? Huh? What’s that?

LinkedIn is the most important networking tool every college student must have. Why? Because on no other social network will you encounter the number of professionals and hiring managers who are open to having conversations and networking with you.

Myspace has long been seen as the popular network and while networking for job opportunities is possible, you don’t always want your employer to see your profile. In fact, you most defiantly do not what that to happen. How about Facebook? Same story. It’s too personal, too college oriented. Networking and keeping in touch with college friends is nice, but where will that get you after graduation?

LinkedIn is a professional career fair with experts willing and ready to answer any question you may have, recruiters trying to access your college networks, and managers looking out for fresh talent.

You will not find a better pale to search for internships during school. Every single Fortune 500 company is represented on LinkedIn. So why do so few college student know about LinkedIn? Perhaps, because LinkedIn originated as a tightly knit professional network with little concern for the younger people.

Check your Facebook profile, but build your LinkedIn page, you will not regret it!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Popularity: 24% [?]

This is part three of a five-part series on solving all-too-common roommate issues that arise when you move into your first apartment after graduation (click here for part one and part two).

Today I’ll tackle the sticky subject of: Mooching. All too often one roommate may think it is fine to eat another roommate’s food or use your shampoo, while someone else in the apartment is very protective of their stuff. So, what do you do? Just like with almost all other roommate disputes, communication is of the utmost importance.

Have a talk early on when a roommate moves in (try having a big potluck dinner the night they move in) to set the ground rules and explain pet peeves - explaining that you don’t want your things messed with at this point in time, will come off as a warning, not accusations. Having the talk early will prevent bigger explosive arguments down the road.

And remember: if you’re already living with roommates, don’t assume that it is okay to use their belongings. Check with them first to make sure it doesn’t bother him or her.

Stay tuned tomorrow for part four.

Technorati Tags: renting, roommates, college, graduation, the real world, apartments, money

Popularity: 22% [?]

This is part two of a five-part series on solving all-too-common roommate issues that arise when you move into your first apartment after graduation (click here for part one & part two).

Today’s common problem is one we’re all familiar with: Money. We all know how tight finances can be right after graduation - you’ve spent all of your hard earned savings in the weeks between graduation and starting work. You’ve spent money on a security deposit, your first month’s rent, and furnacing your new digs. Money’s tight and you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck. If that situation sounds familiar than you probably know that few roommate issues are tougher to deal with than money. If your roommate(s) isn’t paying their half of the bills on time, your temper will understandably flair.

photo credit: Ianan

Here, just like with all other roommate issues, communication is key and nipping the problem in the bud early will prevent a lot of headaches down the road. If you don’t want to continuously remind your roommate to pay up until everyone (including yourself) is sick of hearing about it, try keeping track of who owes who money (and how much) on a dry-erase board. Put it somewhere visible, like the side of the fridge, so everyone is aware of their financial situation and are constantly reminded to write those checks.

Or, if you’re comfortable enough with it and know that everyone living in your house will continue to live there for a long time to come, try opening a joint checking account. Have every roommate deposit the same amount of money into the account each month, so that when it is time to pay bills everyone pays equally without any hassle.

What have you tried? Did it work?

Stay tuned tomorrow for part three.

Technorati Tags: renting, roommates, college, graduation, the real world, apartments, money

Popularity: 21% [?]

This is the first post in what will be a five-part series on dealing with roommate issues. While having a roommate — and thus dealing with roommate discrepancies — is something that’s familiar to most college grads, when you’re on your own in the real world (and are dealing with real world issues), any discrepancies seem to be magnified at least ten-fold. Today I’ll try and tackle issue number one: Messiness.

photo credit: miss pupik

Messiness is a common dorm room problem - in fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a college dorm room that isn’t at least a little messy. But all too often, graduates bring their messy habits into post-grad apartments with them. If you find your roommates clothes piling up in the living room, their dirty dishes sitting for days in the sink, or their toothpaste seeping out all over the sink don’t panic and don’t throw their clothes out onto the front lawn. Begin by letting your messy roommate know that their behavior isn’t cool with you; as with every problem — big or small — the two (or more) of you have - communication is the most important key to long-term success. After all, if you don’t tell them, your roommate may not even know that this behavior annoys you.

If the reverse is true and you’re the messy roommate, remember to be respectful of your roommates’ space and your shared common space. You’ll soon learn that, just like your dorm room, space in your new apartment is all too limited. Pick up and clean up after yourself and hopefully you’ll get the same service in return from your roommates.

Stay tuned tomorrow for part two.

Technorati Tags: roommates, real world, apartments, renting, college, graduation, mediation

Popularity: 22% [?]

Entry-level job site CollegeGrad.com announced yesterday the top 500 U.S. employers hiring entry-level positions for 2008. The best news: the site is claiming that entry-level employers are increasing their hiring by 11.8% this year, which bodes well for the class of ought eight. This is the largest projected increase in entry-level hiring since 2005.

The ten top companies doing the most hiring (although I excluded Americorp, Teach For America & the Peace Corps — who rank number two, six & nine, respectively — since none of these are permanent and they hire recent grads almost exclusively) are:

Employer Name Projected / 2008 Entry Level Hires

1. Enterprise Rent-A-Car / 8,500 hires
2. Walgreen Company / 5,924 hires
3. Internal Revenue Service / 5,000 hires
4. Progressive Insurance / 4,208 hires
5. Deloitte & Touche USA LLP / 3,500 hires
6. Target / 3,358 hires
7. Ernst & Young / 3,180 hires
8. PricewaterhouseCoopers / 3,117 hires
9. KPMG / 3,100 hires
10. U.S. Department of Agriculture / 3,000 hires

The list of the top 500 companies represents more than 165,000 jobs for this year’s graduates, and is available online at www.CollegeGrad.com/topemployers.

Technorati Tags: entry level jobs, employer, college, graduation, 2008, hiring

Popularity: 13% [?]

Moving into a new place after graduation can be one of the most daunting parts of your “Real World” transition, especially if the apartment is your first, in a new and unfamiliar place or if you’re moving in with a girlfriend or boyfriend for the first time (but dealing with that is a subject for another post). But, when you come prepared, renting is far more manageable. Here are ten things to consider when you begin looking for a place on your own:

1. Bring your paperwork. Showing up prepared is the single best way to impress a new (or would-be) landlord. Showing up with a completed rental application; written references from landlords, employers, and colleagues; and a current copy of your credit report (which landlords have the right to see) all show enthusiasm and preparedness, which goes a long way.
2. Review the lease. Carefully review all of the conditions of the tenancy before you sign on the dotted line. This may sound obvious but make sure you go over your lease with a fine tooth comb and ask questions. Never agree to anything you don’t understand and, if there is a caveat of the lease you’re unhappy with, try and (politely) negotiate a compromise.
3. Get everything in writing. This one cannot be stressed enough. To avoid disputes or misunderstanding down the road, make sure you get all correspondence with your landlord in writing and follow up any oral agreements with a letter, setting out your understandings. If you ask your landlord to make repairs, put your request in writing. If the landlord agrees orally, send a letter confirming this. And don’t forget, always make a copy of the letter for yourself!
4. Know and respect your right to privacy. Be fully aware of the rules for landlord entry into your apartment as stated in your lease and remember that a landlord is only allowed entry into your apartment to make needed repairs (or in some states, just to determine whether repairs are necessary); in cases of emergency; or to show the property to prospective new tenants or purchasers. And remember, with the exception of a case of emergency, landlords are required to provide advance notice (usually 24 hours) before entering a rental unit (to see the laws for your state, check out: Notice Requirements to Enter Rental Property, State by State).
5. Demand repairs. If your building isn’t up to your standards, demand they be fixed. Your landlord is required to offer you livable premises - including adequate weatherproofing, heat, water, and electricity; and clean, sanitary, and structurally safe premises. If your building is not up to snuff in any of those categories, your options range from paying for repairs and deducting the cost from your rent, to calling a building inspector yourself, and even breaking your lease without any risk of an early termination fee.
6. Talk to your landlord. This is one of the easiest things you can do to ensure a smooth living experience. Tell your landlord about the good things as well as the bad, and create a mutual trusting and open relationship. This way, if a problem does arise, it can be brought up and discussed calmly and rationally before anything gets out of hand.
7. Buy Renters’ Insurance. Your landlord’s insurance policy will cover the building but it won’t cover your losses due to theft or damage. Renters’ insurance also covers you if you’re sued by someone who claims to have been injured in your rental due to your stupidity. Renters’ Insurance is very inexpensive — I think mine costs me a whopping $80/year — and while you may never need it, if you do, you’ll be thankful you spent the few extra dollars.
8. Protect your security deposit. One month’s rent (the usual sum of the security deposit) is a lot of money and you’ll want to ensure you’ll get it all back at the end of your lease. So make sure you (and your lease) are clear on what will happen to that money when the lease is up, including any allowable deductions. When you move in, do a walk-through with the landlord and record existing damage to the premises on a checklist and include it with each copy of the lease.
9. Protect your safety. Learn about the building and the neighborhood you’re moving into. Are they safe? What can you expect your landlord to do about it if they’re not? Find out if there are state or local laws that require safety devices such as deadbolts and window locks in your apartment; see if you can discover any venerabilities or weaknesses to your building; and ask if any problems have occurred in your building in the past.
10. Deal with an eviction properly. This would be, of course, one of the worst things that could happen to you after you move into your new place, but it could happen. If it does, be sure and know when to fight an eviction notice and when to move. If you feel the landlord is clearly is the wrong (for example, you haven’t received proper notice of your eviction or if your apartment is uninhabitable), you may want to fight the eviction. But you’ll get nowhere in that fight without the proper documentation to back it up, so once again - get everything in writing and make copies!

If you follow these simple but important steps, moving into your own place — either with a roommate, a girlfriend, or by yourself — after graduation can be one of the most rewarding & liberating experiences along the journey to the “Real World”

[image by benprks]

Technorati Tags: renter’s rights, renting, signing a lease, apartment, rent, college, graduation

Popularity: 16% [?]