"Let's keep in touch" Ain't Good Enough!

So you've interviewed for a job, or held a networking conversation. Well done! However, in this competitive employment climate, you need to work harder than ever before to land that job. Everything from your materials to your interview, to your relationship-building skills needs to be on-point until you accept that offer.

As a best practice, you should always end the interviews with the desire to stay in touch. Many times the interviewer will tell you about next steps and timeline for them, but if not, you should ask. Furthermore, when you hold a more casual, "exploratory" conversation (e.g. an informational interview with an organization, a chat with your cousin about their company and if/when they might have openings, reconnecting with an old coworker, etc.) ... "May we keep in touch?" simply isn't good enough.

It has to be, "May we keep in touch?" "Great, thank you. What works for you? May I email you monthly just to check in?" Or, "Could we grab coffee (or a virtual happy hour) maybe every quarter? Etc." Make sure to drill down how exactly you'll keep in touch. It's all about accountability and ensuring next steps. Accountability leads to results. And here, the result you're seeking is to stay in touch and land some interviews. Make sure that happens! #BeCareerForward