Since when is Thank You not important?

Considering today's competitive job market, it blows my mind how many people don't send a thank you note. If you get the interview... you should thank them for their time and consideration. In fact, according to a recent study by TheLadders, 75 percent of interviewers report that getting a thank you note impacts their decision. Yet, still 10% do not send one and 21% only send a thank you sometimes.

There is the evidence folks and it takes so little of your personal time to do so. Furthermore, it gives you the perfect opportunity to reiterate why you are the perfect person for the job and touch on the statements they made during the interview that resonated with you personally/professionally.

My advice: No question, you must write and send a thank you note after each interview within 24 to 48 hours. This is per person and tailored specifically to that meeting. Additionally, make sure you have someone proof it, because typos can have the opposite effect you are trying to accomplish.

What about other important Thank You opportunities?

• Your customer's loyalty.
• Your customer giving you a foot-in-the-door.
• Your coworkers assistance when you were out sick.
• Your colleague in another department gave you speedy support on something that was critical to meeting a deadline.
• Your neighbor being kind by shoveling your portion of the sidewalk or bringing in your trash bin from the curb.
• Your family member who willingly watches your child.
• A friends help on a DIY home project.
• Your spouses ear when you need someone to lean on and vent to.

Everyday we have opportunities to thank people. A little bit goes a long way. These relationships (all of the above) enhance your life in ways that we rarely stop to consider and appreciate.

Now is my turn... I want to say THANK YOU to all my blog readers! I don't get a lot of comments, but the numbers of clicks, views and private messages shows me the tremendous support you give me. I appreciate it and hope that I will continue to provide valuable content in 2014.

Take Down the Fences!

For years I've said that life is all about decisions. The good.. the bad and all of the outcomes. I personally try to learn from my decisions, but that doesn't mean I have always made the right decision.

Today I came across this pic posted on LinkedIn (see below). It made me think about decisions again, but in a broader scope. See... admittedly, I have a hard time with decisions where I am not confident that I can predict the outcome. Decisions involving risk seem to be the most difficult. You get to a point in your life where you can sit back and go..

 Ok... I got this. I have control over my life.  Maybe so much control is not a life fully lived?

There is a great quote by: Kenneth S. Davis - "Any life truly lived is a risky business, and if one puts up too many fences against the risks one ends by shutting out life itself."

This quote can definitely be applied to the bullets in this picture. This quote can definitely be applied to the difficulty of letting go control and allowing yourself to make decisions in the face of all the risks ahead.

Decisions, Outcomes, Learning.... move forward and take down the fences!!!!

Hmmm...  sounds like a good new year resolution.