thank you cards

How to Thrive Before, During, and After Job Fairs

Daniel Packer — Tue, 10 May 2011 10:24:13 +0000

I remember my first job fair very well. During my senior year of college, I entered the large room with a folder full of resumés and a map of where in the room each employer was located. As I looked at the map, I realized two things: I had no idea what any of these companies did, and I had absolutely no plan. Panic started to set in.

After some wandering, I made up a pitch about my experience and goals and headed over to a table that surprisingly had nobody waiting in line. After giving my 30-second life story, I found out that the company was only interested in graduate students. Rejected! The only positive that came out of it was that I gained some practice without ruining and potential opportunities. But it showed just how unprepared I was.

After having little success, I went home dejected. Three months later, I was given another opportunity, and this time, I wasn't going to let it go to waste. So I developed a plan of attack. Mission — find a job.

Here are tips I used for that job fair, and ones that you can use to ace your job fair experience.

Research, Research, Research

As much as a suit and great resumé will help, knowing which companies are going to be there and how you could fit in is much more important. (See also: Standout Stuff for Your Resumé and LinkedIn Profile)

Make a list of companies you are interested in, find out what they do, and if you can, go a step further and find positions you are well suited for. You'll really impress them if you bring up a position you have skills for and describe how you would be a perfect match.

Mark the companies you like on a map. You'll spend less time wandering while looking clueless, and you'll maximize the time spent talking to employers.

Interact

The goal of a career fair is not to simply hand your resumé to a company representative and walk away. There are no prizes for giving away all of your resumés, and you want to make an impression that will last all the way through the review process.

Ask questions! You're not simply hoping to get hired, you're also looking for a company that you want to work for. Bonus points for targeting questions to specific companies. At the end of the conversation, ask for a business card or contact information so you can follow up later.

After leaving an employer's station, spend a few moments taking notes. Write down positives, negatives, and the things discussed before running off to another employer. This will help you later when you're trying to remember which companies you'd like to continue pursuing and which ones you shouldn't waste your time with.

Follow Up

In about ten minutes, you can craft a personalized email or better yet, a handwritten letter. Sending a note a day or two after the fair will show you're genuinely interested, and thanking someone for their time is always polite and sheds a positive light on you. Try to incorporate some part of your conversation (that you took notes on!), and you'll show that you were paying attention and would be someone great to work with!

As it turned out, I was interviewed by one of the companies at the job fair, and that ultimately turned into my current job. Mission accomplished.

This article is from Daniel Packer of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

25 Ways to Say Thanks

Meg Favreau — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 13:36:33 +0000

"Thank you."

Those two little words (or "thanks" if you want to be quick about it) can mean a lot. Or, depending on how you wield them, they can mean almost nothing. Just like "How are you?" or "I love you," "Thank you" is a phrase that can hold great weight or have all the heft and permanence of a morning fog.

I've been thinking recently about how I say thank you. Like many people, I was taught growing up that when someone gave me a birthday or Christmas gift, I had to send that person a thank-you note. Writing those notes a child, I don't remember thinking much about how I was actually thankful for the gifts; rather, I considered the process of writing thank-you notes akin to brushing your hair. It wasn't something I wanted to do, but it was one of those things that people just did.

Recently, though, I have both received some thanks that really touched me and wanted to show my appreciation to people in a way that resonated, which led me to compiling the list below. With every single one of these ideas, I would say there are two important things to always keep in mind: Be sincere and show that you care, just as someone recently cared for you. (See also: You're Doing It Wrong, Moron: 5 Tips for Giving Better Compliments)

1. Write a Note

For all of my grumbling about writing thank-you notes as a child, I believe that a considered, personal thank-you note is almost always a great way to show gratitude — especially if it's written on real, made-from-wood-pulp paper. Saying thanks over email or in an e-card is increasingly prevalent because it's easy. But the effort it takes to make or buy a card, or even just write on a piece of lined paper, shows that you really care.

2. Give Food

Sweet or savory, homemade or store-bought, food is always a good way to say thanks. Whether you're making dinner or buying cookies, do what you can to find out what the person you're thanking likes. While the gesture is still, erhm, "sweet," your thank you will be a little awkward if you make peanut-butter cookies for someone with a peanut allergy.

3. Clean Something

A room, a car, a house, a dog — the gift of your time and elbow grease is a great way to show your appreciation.

4. Return Items in Better Condition Than When You Borrowed Them

If someone lent you something, show how much you appreciate it by taking better-than-good care of it. Similarly, if you were given something in borrowed Tupperware, return it with food in it (and I'm not talking about old leftovers).

5. Say It as a Surprise

One of the sweetest thanks I ever heard of was from an old college classmate. While we were working in the photo lab one day, she reached in her pocket and pulled out a note her boyfriend had put there for her to find.

6. Say It in Public

Everyone likes to be recognized (well, most of the time — please don't surround me in a circle of clapping waitstaff if I am celebrating my birthday at your restaurant). Whether at work, on your blog, or in front of a group of friends or family, share why you're thankful for the person or people.

7. Return the Favor

Performing favors shouldn't be an eye-for-an-eye situation, but if someone gave you a ride, watched your kids, or helped you out in another way, do the same or look for another favor you could do.

8. Give a Little Gift Card

Give an unexpected gift card of $5 or $10 to a coffee shop or bookstore. Just don't purchase a little gift card to something like an expensive restaurant. That's like saying, "Thanks, now go spend a lot of your own money to use this gift." Kind of weird.

9. Pick Up the Bill

If you're out for coffee or a meal, pay the tab.

10. Say It on the Phone

Hearing someone's voice can be powerful. Call before you email.

11. Do It Face-to-Face

Even better than on the phone, say thank you face-to-face. Showing that you're making an effort is touching.

12. Donate to a Charity

Instead of spending money directly on the person you'd like to thank, donate that money to the person's favorite charity in his or her name.

13. Be Happy

Did someone do something that made you happy? Say it, and show it. There are plenty of other times to whine and worry. Remember to be grateful and enjoy what you were given, and the person will be happy that he was able to brighten your day.

14. Organize Others

If you're part of a group thanking an individual or another group, be the one to organize everyone, whether it's all signing a card, pitching in for a gift, or arranging a get-together. Don't wait for someone else to do it. If you're not the person who "should be" in charge of such a rally, reach out to the person who would be (such as a boss) and ask if you can arrange something. There's a good chance that person will agree — and be thankful someone else it taking care of it.

15. Give an Award

This can be as big and serious or as easy and silly as you want. On the easy and silly side, draw a certificate, create a trophy by gluing together thrift-store finds, or buy an award ribbon — many designs are available for around a dollar at party stores.

16. Take a Picture

Snap a picture showing how you're using someone's gift, and send it over in an email or a card.

17. Make a Recommendation

If a coworker really came through for you, tell her boss or offer a recommendation on LinkedIn. You might just help her get a raise, promotion, or new job.

18. Teach a Skill

Offer to teach something you know, whether it's cooking, knitting, or something less practical but amusing like how to say curse words in another language.

19. Pay It Forward

Say thanks by doing something nice for someone else. This isn't the most direct thank you, because you certainly don't want to go reporting your good deed back to the person who did something for you and sound like you're looking for approval.

20. Make Art

Find a decorative way to say thanks. This can be as intensive or as easy as you like, from cross-stitching and framing a thank-you note (you crafty person, you), to drawing a doodle that someone could tack up in a cubicle.

21. Give Flowers

Flowers are unnecessary, temporary, and certainly not useful — but that's part of why I love them as a thank-you gift. They're absolutely lovely to have around and an indulgence that most people never purchase for themselves. Plus, since they have a limited life, flowers won't sit around adding to an accumulation of stuff. You can also go the long-lasting route and buy a small potted plant like an African Violet or even an herb for the kitchen.

22. Ask About Needs

While it might ruin the element of surprise, asking people what they need also ensures that you're giving them something they really could use.

23. Give Something Useful

Too often, thank-you gifts are needless stuff that while appreciated, just tends to accumulate. Instead, say thanks by giving something that can be used. I've received reusable shopping bags as wedding favors, awesome metal water bottles from employers, and a personalized notebook from a friend.

24. Make Time

Schedules are hectic. There is always, always something else to do. Simply making time for a person — to talk, to help out, to even just watch a movie together — is a great way to show that you care.

25. Just Say It

While I love meaningful, considered thanks, be careful not to over-think it. If you hem and haw too long about how to thank someone, there's always the risk that you just won't. Even if it's just an email, or a moment while you walk by in the hallway, let people know how much you appreciate what they did.

What is your favorite way to say thanks?

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This article is from Meg Favreau of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The Importance of Friendly Letters

Little House — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:00:06 +0000

Today's youth are experts when it comes to using technology to keep in touch with their friends and family, but they are lacking some important etiquette skills like writing friendly letters. Of course, some could argue that friendly letters aren't a necessity since email and text messaging are such prevalent ways to communicate; they are quick, easy to use, and don't require good grammar or paragraph formatting.

However, after many years of teaching, I still teach my students how to write a friendly letter. Writing friendly letters to friends and pen pals adds a more personal touch than sending a quick text message or email. Friendly letters require the writer to think about a main idea, details, an introduction, and a closure. Thinking about the topics that need to be included makes a letter much more personal, and there are many times when a friendly letter is much more appropriate to send than an impersonal electronic message.

Family Update Letters

Once a year, I receive traditional family update letters tucked inside holiday cards from a few relatives and friends. Since they're meant for a broad audience, they're a little less personal than a letter meant only for one reader. Yet they're a great start to begin a renewed pen pal correspondence and catch up with those who don't live nearby. These letters often share events or milestones that are easier said through a letter than a phone call or quick email. And since the writers have a choice of stationery and can decide if they want to personalize the letters further using their own handwriting, the letters can convey the writers' tone more effectively.

Personalized Thank You Notes

From baby showers to wedding showers to other gift-giving occasions, thank you cards are still a great way to show appreciation for a gift or someone's thoughtfulness. There are plenty of thank you card designs to choose from at your local grocery or stationery store, but adding a special message on the inside of the card is a great way to make the generic card more personal.

Letters Rejuvenating Long-Lost Friendships

Facebook has provided an impressive service for finding old friends that I've lost touch with; whether I wanted to find them or not, there they are. However, what I've found is that though I can view my long-lost friend's newest profile picture or read what they've posted on their wall, I haven't really reconnected with them on a more personal level. To do so requires a bit more effort, and what better way to reconnect and catch-up with each other's lives than through a letter and follow-up phone call? Depending on how many months or years have passed, a letter can provide a way to bridge the gap of missing years. Obviously you don't want a friendly letter to become your autobiography, but beginning a pen pal correspondence would help fill in some of the milestones you've missed in each other's lives.

With the holidays approaching, what better time than now to include personalized notes or a friendly letter in a few close friends' and relatives' holiday cards? Even a few quick words can make the card more special and create a stronger bond.

This article is from Little House of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: