Remember the childhood game, "Follow the Leader?" Well, its not just for kids. Its for adult job-seekers too! Think of the hiring manager as your leader. Follow him or her right into the position you want to fill. How? By keeping communication open. Follow up every lead, contact, phone call, letter, or interview with a sizzling post-interview cover letter that puts your name on the top of his or her list. FEW people stop and say in writing, thank you, I appreciated meeting you, I m grateful for the time you gave me today, If I can provide further information, please let me know.

But what a difference these few words can make, especially when hand-written and mailed directly to the hiring managers attention. After all, he or she is a human being just like you, who likes to be remembered and acknowledged. Follow-up letters also show what kind of person you aresomeone who is aware, available, and appreciative.

TWO chances to make a great first impression!

Follow-up cover letters and resumes will land you more quality job interviews.
Post-interview cover letters will increase your number of job offers.

You can follow up with a phone call, e-mail, or a Fax, but a personal note in your own hand is the most effective post-interview cover letter of all. Everyone likes to receive mail with his or her name hand-written on the envelope. That alone makes not only a first impression but a lasting one.

Heres a sample of a short post-interview cover letter that does the job:

Dear Hiring Manager:

I am very grateful for the time you gave me yesterday. It was a pleasure to meet you, and to have the chance to share why I believe I am well-qualified to step into the position of [fill in job opening title here]. After meeting with you, Im even more excited about this opportunity. I look forward to hearing a positive response. Thank you again.

Sincerely yours,

Fred Follow-Up

So, whenever you complete a successful job interview with a company youd like to work for, send a post-interview cover letter ASAP and watch your name soar to the top of the must hire list.