8. Career Change - Follow up Smart!

The interview seems to have gone well. Now it's time for you to stand out a little bit - by following up better and smarter than the hordes scrambling for the same job. Start by contacting all the people you've spoken with at the company, whether they interviewed you or not.  Send thank-you notes to everyone and highlight things you referenced in the meeting. Also, don't forget the human-resources people, even if you got your interview through networking. "HR people can kill your hiring process. Turn them into your allies.”

And while email is a socially acceptable way to follow up and the conventional response to an interview, you don't have to follow suit. You might send an email quickly, just to keep your name fresh in the employer's mind, and then send a real thank-you note. Sending a regular letter captures attention. When's the last time you got a handwritten letter? If it's something addressed to you personally, you open it.