The Puzzle: Blog

In our digital age, a huge part of any job search is done through email. From referrals sent by your Placement Team and letters of interest (cover letters), to sometimes serious conversations around feedback from a campus visit and even job offers, email is the default method of communication. And why wouldn't it be? It's easy, instantaneous, and accessible anywhere.

With email, however, comes the challenge of managing it. Because literally everything in our lives involves email, it's easy to get inundated with hundreds of messages, many of which get lost in the noise (and our inboxes). And when it comes to your job search, missing an email could mean a school moves onto another more responsive candidate.

So, how can you make sure you're not sabotaging your job search by email mismanagement? Here are some tips:

1. Always respond.

We know you're busy and it's easy to just delete an email from a school you've never heard of. The independent school world is surprisingly small. Hiring contacts talk to other hiring contacts. Don’t risk your reputation—always respond to a school's email, whether you're interested in their position or not.

2. Check your email and your spam folder often.

Nowadays, people check their email constantly so it probably sounds silly to remind you to stay on top of your inbox. That's fair. So we'll leave it at that. We will remind, however, those who have an email address strictly for their job search (that might or might not feed onto your phone) to keep close watch of that account.

Spam filters do often trap messages that aren't really spam, so keep an eye out there too. Finally, check your CandidateConnect message center frequently—just in case a message was lost in transit.

3. Get organized.

Set up a folder in your email inbox where you can move and file all emails related to your search. Better yet, create a filter that automatically puts emails with common keywords, senders, etc. into a folder so they don't get lost amidst the rest of the emails in your inbox. (Just make sure to check said folder often!).

4. Ping yourself.

Set reminders or flag those messages that require your action. (Bonus tip: It helps to set calendar reminders on your phone, in addition, to remind you to spend some time going through your job search-related emails, send your cover letters, etc.)

5. Respond right away!

Yes, we're repeating this one again because it's just that important. We hear from schools often about their frustration with candidates who aren't timely with their email replies or even completely ghost them, so we really want to drive this point home.

Make it a rule for yourself that anytime you receive an email related to your search, you read it and respond at the same time. If you only have five minutes to check your messages, leave your job-search ones unread until you have more time to take any necessary actions.

The same rule also applies to voicemail messages from schools. If it's hard to step away and make a phone call during the day, set a rule (we love personal rules!) that you'll respond by a specific time each evening (ex. respond to all voicemails before you start making dinner or by 6:30 p.m. each day).

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Hopefully these tips are useful in helping you manage your email during a job search. We know we're all busy, stretched thin, and have sometimes more on our plates than we'd like, but just a few simple tweaks to your email routine can help you avoid any missteps.

Have any tips of your own? Share them in the comments!

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