For the past eighteen years, I have spent most of my days communicating with candidates and offer the following suggestions that I think (hope!) will help with your job search. The typical position has numerous candidates, and these tips will help you stand out from other candidates during the job application process by demonstrating your professionalism while highlighting your assets and qualifications. Little tweaks in your communication style can make the world of a difference.

I suggest you do not text to introduce yourself to an agency or client. Go online, find the agent’s (or client’s) direct email address, and send them a note there (attach your resume, reference letters, and credentials). If you cannot find a direct email address, use the agency’s general email address to introduce yourself. In my experience, texting is too casual for the professional search process. The only time that I believe texting should be used is for emergencies – ie: a flat tire on your way to an interview to advise the person that you are running late. If you want to check the status of your application or want to follow up about your interview, I always think that an email will be most appreciated.

Always use “Dear” or “Hello” when communicating with clients and their assistants/teams (and agencies!) While some emails can take a little more time, please remember to be as professional as possible. This does not require a long, paragraph response, but proper greetings and “Thank You’s” are always appreciated. Remember that the client’s team are their eyes and ears during the entire process, and they will most likely support someone who has been pleasant and professional to communicate with.

When scheduling meetings via email, always be specific when coordinating times and dates. When asked for your availability, do not respond with “any morning this week” or “I can do Tuesday afternoon.” These vague timeframes (“morning”, “afternoon”) could mean before 9a to one person or before 11a to someone else and can frequently cause confusion and require additional back and forth between you, the agent and the client’s team. Always give exact times: “I am available between 8a-11a.”  I also suggest giving as many options of availability as possible to look as helpful as possible. And please make sure you will in fact be available during those times—a sudden lack of availability will have a negative showing of your reliability and professionalism.

An email response for coordinating interview might look like this:

Dear Betty, 

I can be available on Tuesday between 8a – 11a PST; hopefully this date and time works for you. I look forward to meeting you and learning more about this very interesting position. Thank you for your help setting this up.

Best,

Melissa

Thank You notes are highly underrated and have become a lost art, especially during a job search. They are an excellent way to show your interest in the position and appreciation for someone’s time. I encourage candidates to write “Thank You” notes after every meeting. Be specific in your note and touch upon a particular topic or an area about the role that was discussed in the conversation. I also think adding something personal is a way to show the other party that you were paying attention to what they were saying. A quick note showing gratitude will positively represent who you are and how you would act as an employee.

Dear Betty, 

Thank you for your time today. I very much enjoyed learning more about the Personal Assistant role and what the client is looking for. I feel my experience could be an excellent fit for keeping the client’s professional life running smoothly.(as well as making sure they have their favorite Peet’s coffee every afternoon!) Please let me know if you have any additional questions for me. Enjoy your time in Napa this weekend! 

Best,
Melissa

I hope this gives you some things to consider and will help you put your best self forward so that you can land your DREAM JOB!