In the current job environment, chances are that when you find your ideal job, you will be competing neck and neck with one or two other candidates for that coveted position.  Imagine, you and your competition have equally impressive qualifications and experience, you all do well in the interview, and you all are a good fit for the company.  So, how do you get the advantage and take the lead in the job race?  One way is to draw positive attention to yourself by attending to the little things that others often ignore.  Here are a few suggestions:

1.    Wear a suit to the interview. Now that business casual has become commonplace, some career experts will tell you to sit in the parking lot of the company, observe how the employees dress, and dress slightly better than they do for your interview.  I disagree.  Wearing a suit to the interview shows that you respect the interviewer and that you are a professional who takes the job search seriously.  (Note:  Before you put on that suit that has been hanging in the back of your closet for years, make sure the suit is currently in style, that it fits you well, and that it is in excellent condition.)

2.    Send a handwritten thank you note*. If you want to send a thank you note by email immediately following the interview, that is perfectly acceptable.  Make sure you touch on one or two things that came up during the interview and try to provide an additional brief story that you didn’t have a chance to bring up during the interview that reinforces your value proposition.  But don’t stop there.  Sending a handwritten thank you note within 24 hours is another opportunity for you to get your name in front of the interviewer.  Additionally, making the effort to write a second note and getting it mailed shows that you are willing to go the extra mile.  Be sure to send separate notes to each interviewer.

3.    Follow up. At the end of the interview, ask when you should expect to hear something.  If you haven’t heard anything by that time, follow up with the interviewer.  Don’t be a pest, but follow up often enough to let the employer know that you are still interested in the job.

These tips alone are not enough to secure a job offer, but when the decision between candidates is close, sweating the small stuff may be just enough to put you over the top.

*If the company is “green,” send only electronic thank you notes.

While other job seekers are looking for ways to go around the recruiter and get to the hiring manager, I suggest you follow the road less taken and build a relationship with the recruiter. Here are the why and the how:

1.    Hiring managers know about their open positions.  Recruiters (and HR personnel) know about a lot of open positions.  When you build a positive, give-and-take relationship with a recruiter, you have created a valuable connection to numerous positions.

2.    Recruiters also know other recruiters who have jobs, so the potential opportunities are far-reaching.  Additionally, the day-to-day job of a recruiter is to match people with jobs, whereas, a hiring manager only hires occasionally.  So, if one opportunity doesn’t work out, a recruiter may continue to find opportunities for you while a hiring manager may not be aware of any.

3.    Recruiters are successful when they find exceptional people to recommend to hiring managers.  So, be the exceptional job candidate they want to place.  Ask them what you can do to be their ideal job candidate.  Ask how you can make their job easier.

4.    Do not assume that the recruiter has limited knowledge about the job, the hiring manager, or the company.  Recruiters often have valuable information but job seekers never ask.

5.    Always treat recruiters with respect.  Ask for their advice and opinions.  Ask how you can help them.  Send a sincere thank you note.

6.    If a job opportunity doesn’t work out.  Tell the recruiter you understand that the job didn’t work out, ask if they still need job candidates, volunteer to go through your Rolodex to send them good candidates, and ask for feedback on how you can do better next time.

7.    Make sure that you have a clear, concise brand and description of the type of job you are seeking so the recruiter will know when to refer you.

If you follow these guidelines, chances are you will get the same message another job seeker received from a recruiter, “I hope you don’t mind, but I heard about a job and forwarded your résumé to the hiring manager.”

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A reader writes:

I have been hearing a lot of talk about sending handwritten thank you notes versus email notes following an interview.  I have been sending email notes only.  What do you recommend?

My reply:

There is not one right answer to this question except that a thank you note must be sent and it needs to be sent within 24 hours of the interview.  The advantages of an email are (1) it gets there quickly; (2) it is typed, which is ideal for those that are handwriting challenged; and (3) there is more space to reiterate the benefits you will bring to the position.

The advantages of the handwritten thank you note are (1) you may be the only applicant that sends one, which will make you stand out from the crowd; (2) it shows extra effort on your part; and (3) an email is often quickly deleted but a card may stay on the hiring manager’s desk as a constant reminder of you.

My suggestion would be to take full advantage by doing both.  Show them you’re an overachiever and get your name back in front of them twice.  The email will get to the hiring manager the same day and the handwritten note will get there the next day or two.  (If you interview with more than one person, send separate notes to each of them.)

If you have a job search question, I would love to answer it in my blog.  Please submit your question to askterry@occupationalzen.com and look for your answer here.