Get Hired with Gratitude: How a Little Gratitude and Consideration Go a Long Way

Wildlife and glaciers are not the only things going extinct in the world; gratitude seems to be going away along with other virtues that were once fundamental tenets of decency.

Gratitude is a beautiful emotion that softens others’ hearts toward you and can be used to rebuild broken bonds. But it’s also a useful character trait to have when you’re searching for your next position or moving up in your company. Being grateful shows others that you acknowledge and appreciate something they do for you and, when felt with sincerity, makes you feel happier.

Be Respectful

Respecting someone’s time by honoring your commitment is a form of gratitude as well. If you’re late for an interview, you instantly lose points because you kept your interviewers waiting. It doesn’t just mess up the logistical planning that goes into accommodating multiple interviews in a day; it’s a testament to your potential lack of consideration of others. Most people understand that things happen even with the proper preparation, but you must handle being late with professionalism and courtesy.

Here are some steps you can follow if you are running late.

1. Communicate. Always call no matter what. Not calling shows the manager that you don’t care about their time or the position. It only makes things worse and will likely take you out of consideration for future opportunities with not just the company, but everyone at that company who may move to other organizations. The damage is exponential.
2. Give an ETA.Call and let them know where you are and what time you think you’ll be there. Your mapping app on your phone gives you an estimated time of arrival, add a few minutes for parking and getting up to the suite if your interview is in a skyscraper.
3. Reschedule if need be. If you know that you’re going to be more than 20 minutes late, ask if it’s best to reschedule.
4. Own it, but don’t be owned by it. If you’re going to be late, address it, apologize for the inconvenience and move on. But don’t dwell on your tardiness any more than you have to.
5. Take a breath. Once you’ve arrived at the location, take a few minutes to regroup and compose yourself (you’re already late, so a few more minutes won’t matter). Don’t walk into the interview as though you just missed your bus. Be calm, confident and in control.
6. Focus on the task. After all is said and done, things happen and you do what you can to make them right and show consideration. Now focus on the position and how you bring value to the hiring manager.
7. Always be thankful.No matter what happens whether you arrive at the interview late, you reschedule the interview, or you miss the interview, and they refuse to reschedule, thank them. Leave a positive impression no matter the circumstances and show gratitude for the opportunity.

The Balance

There’s a difference between caring for someone and expressing gratitude to them. Showing care for someone in a professional setting means you want them to be successful. It’s not necessarily personal, but you see characteristics in people that you feel should be rewarded and are cognizant of opportunities that may benefit such people. This could manifest itself as a boss presenting a direct report with opportunities or a peer giving perspective that may help another’s project.

Gratitude means you are thankful for what you have or are given and are ready to return an immediate gesture of kindness. Typically it takes just two words: “Thank you.” But you can take gratitude a step further, depending upon the situation, by sending a handwritten note or a small token of appreciation.

Remember That You’re Dealing with People

In a time when our inboxes are flooded with auto-generated emails and replies, you get used to not replying to emails. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all rule to responding to emails. We forget that when the sender is a human, they deserve the courtesy of a polite reply, regardless of the context. If the email is from an employer, the slightest show of gratitude can take you places.

We understand that the interview process can be daunting. Don’t forget what your parents taught you about saying “Please” and “Thank you.” Always send a thank you note—hand written if you can—and keep in touch.

Brookwoods Group is one of the leading executive recruiting firms in San Antonio. We help companies find perfect-fit candidates for their professional positions. If you’re looking to make a job switch, check out our openings here.