expert advice plz, should i make contactI am resubmitting this post in the hopes that I can get an expert' s thoughts on my situation. Once again I find myself available for work. I had been at a temp job since Dec. ' 06 at a very large, well known company that I really wanted to work for on a permanent basis. I' d had a temp job there 6 yrs ago, and tried to get hired then. I thought that it was the place for me! After 2 months there, I now know that it didn' t work out in the past, or present for a reason,,, it' s simply NOT the place for me! That being said,here' s where I need advice: at the same time (end of Dec.) as I landing this ' dream' gig, I had been contacted by a manager at a local company who' d seen my resume posted here. We corresponded a few times via email, and spoke of setting up an off-site meeting, since this was a "hushed" replacement position. The meeting never got scheduled. No fault of either party, I think it was just bad timing. Lost in the hustle and bustle of the holidays perhaps. So, now that I' m back in circulation, I' m wondering if it is appropriate for me to send a brief email to see if he is still looking to fill that position, and/or to apologize for not getting to meet with him previously, or the "following up / just touching base" sort of thing? I feel badly that I never pursued the off-site (something which I have never been asked to do before, maybe feeling strange about the replacement situation) or let him know that I' d taken the chance at landing a job at the company that I' d longed to work at. I would like to contact him, I' m just not sure of what to do at this point. It' s ok to contact him to touch base (I am assuming you didn' t straight out tell him you didn' t want the job). Don' t mention that you were hoping to get a permanent position at the other company (noone likes being the 2nd choice). Also, don' t apologize, you' ve done nothing wrong, it just wasn' t the right time. If he asks you what happened, you could just say that you had already agreed to start the temp position at the time the two of you started corresponding, that you had a very good relationship with that company, and that, after much consideration, you decided that you simply weren' t comfortable inconveniencing them by walking away at that point. He should understand that you were hoping for a permanent position without you having to say it--after all, that' s what most temps hope for. If the position he originally considered you for has been filled, let him know that you would like to be considered for any similar openings in the future and ask if it would be ok for you to touch base with him periodically. If this person really liked you, he may turn into a good networking contact. I never turned down the job, but I feel badly that I didn' t get back to him again.... He sought me out from seeing my resume, and I feel that it wasn' t ' professional' of me to not let him know about the temp thing. One of his last emails read something like " let me know a convenient location where we could meet for a coffee or soda, and to discuss the position further" . Maybe I felt uncomfortable, since I' ve never been asked to ' interview' this way. I think it' s a smaller business, so it may be very casual in every aspect. I' m working on my draft letter to send to him... trying to keep it simple.I' m incorporating parts of your msg in it! Just a note of thanx for those who helped me w. this scenario. after painstakingly composing a brief note (Many thanx to LJ for the wise words!) I just rec' d a reply that was just as brief stating that the job had been filled. and that' s the way the world turns.... i struggled with that note for ??!! next time i' ll put my energy into the beginning of the task, and let the universe handle the rest! Sorry how things turned out, but still didn't hurt, I'm sure, to get back in touch with them. At least if the person they hired doesn't work out (which apparently happens a lot), they'll know you might be interested. Oh, and next time if the same type interview scenario should happen, don't think it's odd to interview off site like that. If it's a small firm, and the president/CEO does the interviewing and hiring, it's not all that uncommon. I interviewed on a Saturday morning at Border's one time over coffee, because the fellow who would be my supervisor didn't want to wait the weekend to meet with me. Got the job, and it was a really nice group of people. Call or email the person NOW and pick up where you left off! Don' t worry if there' s an opening now or not, just politely re-connect via phone or email. The sooner the better! I would like to know if I should reply to the following response. (Timing might be important) Hi,This is the email that I sent off last week: "Just a note to touch base and to ask if you have filled the position that was to be opening up within your company. Respectfully," This is the email that I received a little more than an hour later: "Yes, I have filled the position. Thank you for following up." What is your advice on this? Should I send a "thank you for the thank you, please keep me on file/in mind. I truly am a very hard working, dedicated employee, despite the fact that I dropped the ball on my end of this thing" response? If so, how exactly should I word it? I regret not sending this note out weeks ago, and I did not want to let it go any longer. I don' t want the fear of doing the wrong thing, keep me from doing anything at all! I feel badly about how I handled this, and at the risk of stumbling all over myself to apologize for not getting to meet w. this person previously, I don' t want to come off as being rude either. That' s not my nature. I tend to either say too much, or not enough, and always think of "what I should have said" after the fact! I' m trying hard to remember that it all works out in the end! Just as I learned at the last (2nd) attempt at that last job site. I don' t think I' m meant to work for large companies any more. It may not be in my best interest. Of course, this matter I' m seeking advice on pertains to a much smaller company, doing a job that I have really enjoyed in the past, but I just HAD to be sure about that large co. that I THOUGHT I wanted to work at! As they say "hindsight is 20/20". Live & learn, and all those other bumper sticker words of wisdom! | |
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