Are you forgetting to follow-up on potential leads? Here’s how I’ve dealt with the same issue.
Dear Interview Doctor,
HELP! I realized the other day that I forgot to follow-up on an important lead that a high-value contact gave me. I feel so stupid. I know this will reflect badly on me. I am not sure how to fix this. Any ideas?
Thanks, Forgetful
Dear Forgetful,
Been there, done that. The month following my father’s death, I completely forgot about an important interview. Just blanked on it. And I worked so hard to get that interview. That morning, the hiring manager called and asked if I would be joining them. I had to reschedule for a week later, then dragged myself into the meeting. Needless to say, I did not get the job. Your situation doesn’t have to be like that.
Sounds like you need a better tracking system to remind yourself of important activities. You need some sort of CRM or a detailed spreadsheet so you know who you need to talk to or follow up with. This is something we help participants in our Job Search Marketing Plan Training program – we have a tracking tool, to help in a job search.
In the meantime, let’s look at some ways to recover from this situation. Everyone forgets now and then so, first, take a deep breath and stop feeling so bad. If this happened to me, I would reach out as if nothing had happened. It is ok to pretend you didn’t forget to follow-up. Reach out and explain who you are and who referred you as if there was no delay. Then follow-up with the person who gave you the referral to thank them and keep them appraised of your action.
This actually happens to me with LinkedIn. Sometimes I get behind in responding to my invitations. I am tempted to beg forgiveness and offer explanations to cover my disrespectful behavior. Then my good sense takes over. I just respond to the invitations and messages as if I just received the invitation. I try very hard not to drop the ball over the next portion of the correspondence. It works for me. It might work for you.
If you are looking for a new job, or want to make a career change, you need to know the ins-and-outs of a modern job search.