How a simple $2 Investment Can Land You a Job
Daniel Botero
I help career coaches build a profitable, 6-figure business with a proven results-driven system | 86% of my clients build thriving businesses | Follow me for business advice.
It takes 5 minutes to write a thank you card, maybe 15 if you're like me and can’t spell. It costs about $1.25 for a beautiful custom stationery card, plus a $.55 stamp. That's less than $2. This measly $2 investment will help you stand out and could be the reason you land your dream job.
Here are my top 3 reasons why you should consider a handwritten card.
It distinguishes you from the crowd.
We live in a digital world and stepping outside of the digital realm with something tangible can help you stand out. Handwritten cards are very rare, and rare is good when trying to gain the attention of a prospective employer. The majority of students are sending emails to follow up and those emails are competing with hundreds of other emails bombarding the employer's inbox. So while following up right away with an email is good, sending in a handwritten thank you card on top of the email will make you stand out.
It Demonstrates Your Time and Effort to the Employer
The second reason is that people appreciate you taking the time to write it. The fact is that the most valuable resource in the world is time. For that reason, people appreciate when others take time out of their schedule to do something for them. This is especially true in our world of automation and so little personal human involvement in daily activities. The simple fact that you did not copy and paste something and instead took the time to compose a handwritten card shows that you care enough to devote your time.
“Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” -Theodore Roosevelt.
A Nice Gesture Can Go a Long Way
My third reason might sound odd in a professional business discussion, but if you really think about it, you will probably agree. The majority of the mail people get is either junk mail or bills. So when the person is checking the mail and something positive like a thank you card is in the middle of the pile, it's a pleasant surprise. I don't know about you but when I get something in the mail that is positive or I have been waiting for I open it first!
In the end, in order for you to graduate college with a job, you will need to stand out amongst the crowd and this little $2 investment is the perfect tool to add to your arsenal. If executed properly it will help you make a very positive impact on each individual you meet. Remember, it is not so much what you know or who you know, but who knows you!
Thanks for reading!
Daniel
President and CEO, Millennium Global Business Solutions Inc. USA (Senior Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt)
5 年High or adequate hand writing exercises during one's formative years significantly contributes to this behavior in such an environment. Writing by hand sharoens thinking (to some extent writing artcles, posting content, or even plan constructive commenting) thereby sensitizng people to developing their heart-set. That in turn generates a de-selectve behavior of performing in excellence (not perfection) mode while interactng with others. Such folks are articulative (they go beyond saying yes, no, hmm, aahaa, and so forth) and share their thoughs openly instead. They aren't vague in their communications and have a clear vision and mission in what they set out to do. Since such habits are long gone to a large extent, communication issues at workplace and home occur more frequent than ever as we are all busy texting, not writng.
Managing Director @ Kyler Professional Search | Connecting Top Talent with Great Companies
5 年From a Recruiter perspective, this is something I always coach my candidates to do as a follow up to interviews.? It absolutely is a differentiator and sets you apart. ? Many people rush to send an email thank you, but never the same as getting something in hand that you took the time to write and mail. Great advice Daniel!
Make smarter, faster, more confident decisions about your people with our predictive insights. ? CEO of Launch Consulting | SHRM-SCP | Kolbe Certified Consultant
5 年I make it a habit to write thank-you notes in business. I can't tell you how many people have thanked me for my thank-you card. And I've had some tell me they filed it away!
Lead Accountant - MBA Candidate UCF
5 年I keep thank you notes in my bag all the time! A good habit acquired from UCF College of Business!
Alumni Experience @ Conestoga | Change Management, Facilitation & Training in Higher Education | Certified Coach | Intentionally Out of Office Podcast ???
5 年Yes! I 100% agree with this approach and can say that it has made a difference in my career path.