Just finished up an interview and think you can just sit back and wait for the employer to call and offer you the job? Think again! It is critical to write thank-you notes. They can be hand-written or emailed. During the interview gather as many business cards as possible so you can make your thank-you note more personal. Most hiring professionals say the correct thank-you note can impact their hiring decision and the wrong thank-you note can cause you to lose the job offer. TheLadders.com recently listed 5 mistakes to avoid when writing thank-you notes:

It’s riddled with mistakes.

When you’re competing with a vast candidate pool for a position, the smallest error can be used to eliminate you from the pile. These days, we’ve grown accustomed to using short-hand for texts and tweets, and have become all too reliant on spell-check. It’s very easy to overlook the little mistakes, such as using “higher” when you really meant to say “hire.” Don’t let these little details derail your candidacy.

Carefully proofread your thank-you note. Then read it again. Then have a friend proofread it. Make sure everything is spelled properly (including the interviewer’s name and title), and correct all typos before hitting “send.”

The message is generic.

Sending a general thank-you note to all of your interviewers is just as bad as not sending any thank-you message at all. Remember, the goal of a thank-you note is to help differentiate yourself from the other candidates by demonstrating your genuine passion for the position and reminding the interviewer of your unique qualifications. It’s really difficult to do that if you’re not personalizing your messages.

It gets too personal.

There’s a fine line between personalizing your message and coming off as inappropriate. No matter how comfortable you felt during the interview, it’s important that your note remains professional.

You didn’t send it right away.

In the job search, timing is everything. The last thing you want to do is send your note out late and damage the professional image you so carefully presented during the interview.

Send your thank-you messages to each interviewer within 24 hours of the meeting. Make sure to collect business cards or write down the proper spelling of interviewers’ names and email addresses during the interview process to ensure a timely and accurate follow-up.

The note is two pages long.

Keep your thank-you notes succinct. If you’re second-guessing the length of your message, ask yourself, “Would this message fit in a standard thank-you card I’d buy at a stationary store?” If the answer is no, reevaluate your note.

A carefully crafted thank-you message creates an opportunity to reconnect with employers, build a relationship with interviewers, and keep your candidacy top of mind. Avoid these mistakes when writing your next thank-you note and you’ll be one step closer to the coveted job offer.

This blog was adapted from this article on TheLadders.com

Previously in this blog, we’ve spoken about the difficulties that ex-offenders face when trying to find an employer willing to hire them, despite their record. Today, we’ll talk a little about what to say and do once you’ve located that employer. This post has been adapted from an article linked below from Career One Stop.

Be honest. Don’t lie. It will come back to hurt you later.

Keep it simple. Address any concerns the employer may have, but always bring your answer back to a positive place, highlighting your job applicable skills.

Emphasize the positive. Don’t begin or end with negative stories, and stress the positive parts of your past and emerging future.

Focus on current activities and future plans. In addition to following the above suggestions for answering questions concerning your past transgressions, it’s also vital that an ex-offender job seeker pay very close attention to their non-verbal communication. Formerly convicted individuals often need to work harder to make a good impression to counteract the negative reputation associated with incarceration.

Have good eye contact, without staring.

Stand and sit tall. Don’t sit too casually as this implies you don’t have strong interest in the job.

Smile. Be genuine. A genuine smile will show the employer that you’re a friendly person they want to work with.

Shake hands firmly.

Show interest through your facial expression. As the employer is talking, nod your head and smile, when appropriate. Sometimes trying to look too serious can translate to an employer as angry or bored.

For more information on how to talk to employers as an ex-offender, visit Career One Stop’s website.

We’ve heard them all – You catch more flies with honey than vinegar! Attitudes are like flat tires, can’t go anywhere with it until you change it! And my favorite, no one ever got rich with a poor attitude!

It’s all true! Employers are more likely to hire someone who may not meet all of the job qualifications if they possess a positive attitude! Geoffery James of Inc.com sat down with the executives at Chipotle and compiled a list of their 13 more desirable traits for their employees (even those who don’t work with customers!)

Conscientious. Great employees complete tasks without being asked or overseen. They take personal responsibility for finishing the job and finishing it right.

Respectful. Great employees have too much self-respect to kowtow to authority, but they respect and appreciate the contribution of their bosses and leaders.

Hospitable. Great employees welcome the opportunity to work with coworkers and customers and express that welcome with words and actions.

High Energy. Great employees don’t depend upon managers or coworkers to “pump them up.” They bring their “best game” to anything that they do.

Infectiously Enthusiastic. Great employees are optimists, they search for the good in a situation and they seldom complain about what they can’t change.

Happy. Great employees take responsibility for their own happiness. They realize that happiness comes from how you see the world, not what happens in the world.

Presentable. Great employees don’t need to be told that it’s inappropriate to show up for work looking like a slob or a slattern. They dress appropriately at all times.

Smart. Great employees don’t have to be Einsteins, but they must know how to use the intelligence they’ve got to contribute the overall effort.

Polite. Great employees know that rude behavior is selfish and stupid and that common courtesy is the best way to get along with coworkers and customers.

Motivated. Great employees don’t need carrots and sticks to get them moving. They’re committed to excel at their job, regardless of the job.

Ambitious. Great employees want to grow, which in business means growing into new responsibilities and new levels of authority.

Curious. Great employees want to know the “why” behind the “what.” They seek to understand people, technology, and ideas beyond their surface characteristics.

Honest. Great employees don’t need Big Brother staring over their shoulder because they do the right thing even when nobody is watching.

What do you think of their list? Do you have all of these characteristics? Is there anything you would add?

To read the full article or other articles written by Mr. James, please visit http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/chipotle-13-attitudes-of-great-employees.html

It would be great to post a list of employers who are willing to hire people with criminal records. Unfortunately, that list doesn’t exist. Not only do employers fear the customer backlash of being known as “felon friendly”, but employers can also be a little skittish about hiring not knowing if they’ll be strong workers. It’s usually up to the job seeker to show the employer that isn’t true. What can you do to increase your chances of getting in front of an employer willing to hire you?

Contact a community organization. Pinellas County Ex-Offenders Re-entry Coalition can be a great resource as they expand their employment department, as well as the Pinellas County Urban League and your campuses’ Career Centers. Community Organizations will often have access to previously gathered information saving you a lot of time.

Use multiple ways to connect with employers. Using your friends and family as your network, let them know what sort of work you’re looking for and ask for leads. Also, watch out for job fairs or any other employer meeting events. Once you hear about an employer, reach out to them via phone, email, or in-person to talk about current open positions.

Talk about the tax benefits. If an employer seems interested in hiring you, but still unsure, encourage them to look into the Work Opportunity Tax Credit employers receive for hiring low-income ex-offenders and the Federal Bonding Program to protect their business against any potential loss.

For more information on finding employers and how to make that connection, visit Career One Stop’s Ex-Offender website.