Re: Job Search Etiquette

[Kevin Tarr]

1. Thank you notes: I wouldn't send a thank you, but only my view. I wouldn't want to be hired by a place that marked me higher because I thanked them for interviewing me.


2. Contacting persons directly: Are you talking about companies that are not advertising at the moment? This may be a good idea for those types, you'd get a call that will save them time and money actually advertising for applicants. OTOH some places have specific policies to guard against friends being hired, so they must advertise for any job. This brings up a third point: do you have any friends that work at places you'd like to get hired at? Three of my seven major jobs I got because I knew someone, I was called before the job was advertised.

If it is a place that has an ad out, I'd follow their procedures. I'd rather work for a place that followed it's own rules.


3. Supervisor: I would not list that on my cover letter. If it comes up in an interview, then I would share. This is the great bugaboo about the work world. A former employer almost can't give you a bad recommendation unless you were fired for a criminal offense. A few applications I filed out stated to not put former supervisors down as references. For one job, there was a person who was my supervisor when I was hired, but not when I left. He told me I could use him for a reference, but for the job I have now he refused to recommend me, directing the call to the HR department.



I don't know why you are leaving the DoD or where you live, and it may be tough to do in a recession, but I'd look for another federal or state job if you can. You can use the years already worked towards retirement. Of course if you are leaving because you want to make a lot more money, this would not be the way to go.


Kevin T. - VRWC
One year down, 29 to go. I love my job, I hope to never have to look for another.

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