The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide: Success Secrets of a Career Coach

8. Write On: Effective Career Correspondence

Managing your job search is essentially about developing a communications strategy. You use a resume to capture the key themes that define your career. You practice interviewing to ensure that you present your qualifications and knowledge in a way that distinguishes you from other candidates. You correspond to establish and nurture relationships. There are a number of moving parts, and it may sometimes feel like you’re cajoling a herd of elephants up a hill. Collectively, it’s a time-consuming, labor-intensive process. That’s why you need a few shortcuts to speed you along.

Correspondence is often the missing link between success and failure in job search. Let’s refer to it as “failure to follow up.” ...