Closing the Book on this Amazing KIT List Adventure!

My dear friends and KIT List Community,

With heartfelt gratitude and a deep appreciation for each of you in this remarkable community, I want to let you know that I’m closing the book on this incredible KIT List adventure this February.

After 25 ½ years, I want to thank you all for being a part of this unique community that grew to over 72,000 top professionals simply by word of mouth and the power of friends helping friends. We estimate that over 135,000 people have been a part of the KIT List community as people unsubscribed as they found jobs, and then returned when they were looking again.

Thanks to you, we’ve been able to share over 176,000 job postings. We’ve also had many free “FriendWorking” events to learn a better way to network by helping others first. I’m grateful to the many hiring experts who generously shared their inside tips both in person and online in our free hiring experts panel events.

I’ll still keep many of the job tips and career management resources up online, as well as parts of the KIT List site. Please see the Resources section below for the links!

I’ve had the honor of meeting many of you in person over the years and connecting by email or phone. I’ve been touched by the quiet courage and heroism of so many who lost their jobs but had families depending upon them – often in very adverse situations like a dying spouse, a sick child, or some special need that made their burden particularly heavy. Yet their spirit of hopefulness, and the desire to do whatever they could to provide for their families kept me inspired to keep the KIT List going during the many times over the years I just wanted to close everything down.

A Time for Something New

Now that there are so many strong job search and career platforms, the KIT List has served its mission and purpose.

I’ve been hoping to dedicate my time to some new things that have been on my heart for a long time. It’ll be involving creativity and kids, who are our hope and future! I’ve also been winding down the KIT List for the past few years since I haven’t had the bandwidth that it demands.

The team at one of the many KIT List Events (Amy, me, Kelly)

I originally planned to close the KIT List in early 2020 – but then COVID hit the whole world. So, I didn’t feel I could close the community in good conscience when so many were out of work during such unprecedented times. That’s when my sister and co-moderator, Kelly, and I created videos to encourage everyone, and provide tips via interviews with hiring experts on how to get a job during a worldwide pandemic. The links to the “The Corona Videos” series are in the Resources section below.

A Bit of Background

In case you don’t know our story, I had no idea what I’d accidentally started in 1997 with my simple “Keep in Touch” email list with my friends at SGI. Had I known what it would entail back in 1997… I would have run for the hills! But I really believe it was God’s idea since I never intended to start anything like this. As friends told other friends about the KIT List, it grew to what I jokingly call “72,000 of my closest friends!” But once it took a life of its own, I just wanted to be a good caretaker of this unique community (that predated LinkedIn and the big job platforms).

It really meant a lot to hear from many of you when you got a job, and how heartening to hear that many of you landed multiple jobs from the KIT List! Someone recently told me that they’d landed four jobs over the years! It was so fantastic to hear from so many recruiters and employers that the KIT List community was their “secret sauce” for finding top candidates.

My Dad was the Real Inspiration for the KIT List

It was actually my Dad who modeled the spirit of helping many friends by keeping in touch over the years through phone calls, helping them find jobs, making hospital visits, or a sending handwritten card of encouragement. I still treasure his many notes to me, and they perk me up whenever I feel down! I wrote a tribute to him in my blog, which I’m SO grateful that I did since he died suddenly just a few weeks later. Here’s the link to “The Man Who Inspired the KIT List.”

Dad before Parkinson’s…he never lost his sense of humor!

Resources for Job Search Will Remain Up!

Over the years, we’ve had many free events with panels of career experts, plus special “FriendWorking” events to learn a warmer and better way of networking where you come with the idea of helping others first. We had hundreds turn out most events!

I’ve also tried to share encouragement and job tips (as well as the life lessons I was learning!) with our community over the years through my email messages to the entire list, and later through the blog posts. I’ll keep the blog up so people can access those tips and resources. Also, I was invited to have a KIT List show on a local TV station a few years back. I’ll keep those shows up since the interviews and inside scoop from the hiring experts remain very relevant. In fact, I received emails from people saying they watched them prior to job interviews – and LANDED THE JOB!

KIT List Resources to help you find a job you’ll love:

• KIT List Blog – More career resources and job search strategies, how to network better through FriendWorking – plus messages I sent to the KIT List to encourage everyone during tough times and share personal life lessons I learned from my own “bumps in the road!“

• KIT List “Get That Job!” TV Show – The inside tips and best practices from the hiring experts on how to nail your job interviews – and ways to grow your career (we get emails from people who landed their dream job after watching these videos before interviews!).

• KIT List “Corona Videos” – My sister and co-moderator Kelly and I interview recruiters and employers on how to get a job in a pandemic (or any difficult market!)
  

A Heartfelt Thank You

It’s been an honor and privilege to serve this wonderful community. I’m so very grateful to the people who stepped up to volunteer their time to help me when the workload became overwhelming.

As the KIT List grew so quickly, I struggled to work on the KIT List in the late-night hours after I’d finished my own marketing consulting work (my paid job!). Some very special people stepped forward to volunteer their help when I was hitting the proverbial wall.

I want to thank Val Cienega, whom I hadn’t met at the time, but was a member of the KIT List community who came forward to volunteer as a moderator for many years! My dear friend from SGI, Amy Sloniker Plunkett, also pitched in and helped with the sheer volume of work needed to moderate and keep our community free of spammers and protect it from those wanting to exploit this large community. Then my wonderful sister, Kelly Connelly, joined in as well. Each of these gifted people had their own MORE than full time “real jobs” and helped in their spare time. I am deeply grateful to them!

Sometimes the best things in life are the unexpected ones. The KIT List was a surprise to me – and it took a life of its own thanks to each of you spreading the word to help your friends and colleagues.

The spirit of the KIT List is due largely to YOU. Your kindness and helping others will continue and grow in other wonderful ways. Thank you for being a part of the KIT List family!

Although the KIT List is officially closing in February, the power of helping others keeps growing as a force for good as you continue to share your gifts in our world.

Thank you for enriching my life in more ways than you will ever know,

Sue Connelly

Your KIT List Founder

Silver Linings from 2020 – and Wishing You a Bright Year Ahead!

Hello Everyone,

As 2020 fades further in the rear mirror, I think we will discover more gifts that resulted from the adversity of this remarkable year.

From the big heroics to the million little kindnesses, I think this challenging year called out the best in us. It has also given me an appreciation for things like hugs, dinners with friends, and smiling at strangers.

I’ve been lucky to have my sister Kelly (and KIT List co-moderator) living with me, since she was at my house recovering from minor surgery when COVID first hit. It’s been so great to have her upbeat spirit and company during those initial dark days, and the twists and curves ever since.

Laughing during our KIT List (very DIY!) videos

Kelly and I actually did five videos to encourage our KIT List friends – which we jokingly dubbed “The Corona Videos” – with ideas on what we can each do to help neighbors and friends. We also interviewed hiring experts who gave tips on how to pivot and flourish during a pandemic. You can watch the Corona Videos here.

Keeping the KIT List Going

We decided to keep the KIT List going after the Yahoo Groups platform went away forever on 12/15. Kelly and I just couldn’t close it in good conscience as long as so many people lost jobs due to COVID.

Thank you for bearing with us as we tried to save as many emails of our community as possible as we moved to the new email platform on Groups.io. Friends or colleagues can subscribe through the KIT List site. We’re still ironing out some things, and we’re truly grateful for your kind words of support during this adventure.

I think we will actually look back fondly (at some point soon!) on some of the silver linings that came from this unique year: more time with loved ones, simplified schedules, Zoom calls in our PJs, looking out for the elderly friends and physically fragile (often through windows), and the friendly wave of a hand from someone completely bundled up yet with eyes smiling above a face mask.

We are all stronger and better as a result of the surprises and demands of 2020.

Wishing you and yours a joy-filled and HEALTHY 2021!

Sue and Kelly

KIT List is moving to a NEW platform!

Hello Everyone,

Since Yahoo Groups is closing in December, we’re moving the KIT List to a new, free platform called Groups.io.

Please subscribe today so you will continue to get job postings and career information before the KIT List on Yahoo Groups goes away.

How to join the NEW KIT List platform
You or your friends can join by sending an email to:
KIT-list+subscribe@groups.io
Once you reply to the confirmation email from Groups.io, you’ll be all set!

NOTE: If you don’t get the confirmation email, check your junk folder and then add Groups.io to your email approval list.

Or you can sign up via the page at: https://groups.io/g/KIT-list

Feel free to share this with other friends and colleagues who are looking for jobs, and with recruiters and employers looking for great employees or consultants. This is how we’ll help get everyone into work they’ll love.

To post a job
We’ll keep this process the same. Just go the KIT List website: www.KITlist.org

Thank you all who’ve given us ideas while we were researching all the platform options out there.

I chose Groups.io since it’s free to users, doesn’t use advertising, require a special email address, or sell your personal information…unlike some platforms which will remain unnamed. 😉  It also has a robust array of tools like wikis, polls, hosted chats, and other things that are no longer available on other platforms. We’ll roll those out at a later phase.

After all these years on Yahoo Groups, we’re grateful for what it was able to do to help us get jobs out to 72,000 people free of charge with over 175,000 job postings just since we moved to Yahoo Groups in 2000. I actually started it in 1997. It’s been truly meaningful and encouraging to hear from so many of you about the jobs, or multiple jobs, you’ve gotten from the KIT List community. That’s why we keep this going!

Now, we’re excited about continuing our mission to “Help great people find great jobs” in a strong, new platform.

Please sign up quickly, since we can’t migrate the group over, you’ll need to subscribe directly.

Warmly,

Sue and Kelly Connelly
KIT List Founder and Moderator

3 Tips for Building a Healthy Network

By René Siegel, CEO, Connext

Hello Everyone! I asked René Siegel, a long-time supporter of the KIT List who hires consultants for high tech clients, to share her best tips on job networking. René has also generously shared her time, wisdom and wit at a KIT List event on a panel of hiring experts. Read on and try these out!
– Sue

Building your personal network sounds as simple as finding people you like or with whom you have something in common. We think of them as our posse, our community, our peeps. Perhaps people who inspire us.

But here’s what people don’t tell you about networking. Your circle can also be a cage. You can surround yourself with the same people, for years and years, without making sure they’re the right people for you, right now.

Here are three tips for building a healthy network:

1. More is not better.
You may assume the more connections and opportunities you have the better. I have thousands of connections but only a few dozen are truly my dearest colleagues, the ones I rely on to inspire me and always have my back. It’s like weeding your garden. You need to keep pulling the weeds or they will overtake and ruin your garden. Working with people you already trust increases your chances of success and reduces headaches. You don’t have to delete them, but, you can say no (no, thank you) to bad business and bad people as you carefully build your brand.

2. Take me or leave me.
Many people only come around when they want something from you—like the ever popular “Can I pick your brain?” request. Be selective with whom you share your expertise. Sometimes it can lead to a lucrative opportunity, but mostly you’re just adding coins to the karma bucket and that’s okay, too. Delete those who drain your mojo. And if you’re going to be generous with your time and expertise, don’t be afraid to ask for something in return like a referral or recommendation.

3. The more diverse, the better.
No matter the stage of your career, you need to proactively meet people who are different than you. Different ages, different industries, different expertise, different backgrounds. After a 20-year career working with lots of 20-year veteran colleagues, I started speaking to university classes. That led to a part-time teaching role that re-energized my business model! You’ll be far more marketable if you’re surrounded by diverse people who challenge what you know with their ideas and experience.

Everyone in your circle might not be in your corner. It’s your responsibility to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones. Be picky about the people you invest your time with and go the extra mile for.

There are bad clients and crazy bosses who may want to take advantage of you. People can suck the life out of you—if you let them.

You should be picky about the people you invest your time with and go the extra mile for. Not everyone deserves that from you.

 

 About the Author

René Shimada Siegel is extremely passionate about empowering colleagues and advocating for the next generation of communicators. She is the CEO of Connext, Silicon Valley’s marketing and communications consultancy. For two decades, her company has made life easier for hundreds of technology clients with specialized contractors ranging from recent grads to senior strategists. Current clients include Adobe, LinkedIn, Google, and Salesforce. René also passes on her real-world experience to students as an adjunct public relations professor at San Jose State University.

As an entrepreneur, René’s been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Working Mother, Newsweek Japan, CNBC, and Dan Pink’s Free Agent Nation, among others. She’s also been a regular columnist for Inc.com and a frequent speaker on entrepreneurship, career strategies, and personal branding.

Anyone interested in learning more about Connext can reach René at rene@connextme.com.

 

Come to our “Ask the Recruiter” Expert Panel Event on 7/25!

Hi Everyone,

Have you ever had a question that you were just dying to ask an employer or recruiter about the hiring process, how to land the right job, or how to get a promotion? 

Now, you’ll have a chance to hear directly from the hiring experts their smartest tips, the mistakes to avoid, and the inside scoop from the employer/recruiter standpoint!

The KIT List is hosting this free event, and I will moderate a panel of five experts from some of the Silicon Valley’s top recruitment firms for permanent, temp-to-perm and contract placements. We’ll have a combination of prepared questions and Q&A from the audience. 

Our panel will share their expert advice from working with companies including Facebook, Apple, LinkedIn, Nike, HP, Cisco, Microsoft, VMWare, Intuit, NetApp, Adobe, Stanford Health Care, Bank of the West, Wells Fargo, Kaiser, Blue Shield, Safeway, Varian Medical Systems, Brocade, and Gigamon, to name a few.

Join us at the beautiful Northside Branch of the Santa Clara Library in their large events room.

There is a space limit of 100 so please register for this free event, and be sure to arrive early to get a seat since this will be standing room only (if you can’t get in, then join us for the free mixer afterward). 

Tuesday, 7/25
7:00 – 8:30 PM  

Northside Branch Library
695 Moreland Way
Santa Clara CA 

There is no charge, but please register and arrive early: https://nskitlistpanel.eventbrite.com

Post-Event Mixer:
8:30 – 9:30 PM at Yan Can Asian Bistro (Across the street from the Library) 
The mixer is free; just pay for your own food and drinks. Some of the panelists will join us as well. 

This is a special opportunity to ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask — and to get beyond the basics!

You are welcome to share this invitation with friends and colleagues, too. 

We hope to see you there!

Sue and Kelly Connelly 
(Yep, we’re sisters!) 
Your KIT List Team

It’s Worth it to Reply to Job Postings!

Hi Everyone,

You don’t see the emails we get from people who’ve landed jobs from the KIT List, so I want to encourage you to keep up your efforts. It really is WORTH it!

In fact, with the new KIT List web site that’s in final development, I’ll have a Testimonials section where you can read quotes from our KIT List recruiters and employers who’ve hired great people — and from job seekers who’ve landed jobs that will help keep you inspired!

I know it can be discouraging when you’re in the job-search mode. I also hear many job seekers worry that their resumes go into a black hole when they reply to jobs on the web. On the big sites, that can be true.

With the KIT List, there’s a big difference:

• Your email goes directly to the recruiter or hiring person who posted the job.
• Since we purposely don’t market the KIT List, the people on the KIT List have been referred by another friend or colleague. This has kept the quality of the people on the list high as top people refer other talented people.
• Since we’re smaller than the huge job boards, you’re not one of hundreds replying to a job and getting sorted via a software screening program, so your response will be seen by a real person.

For that reason, it’s also important to take the time to write even a brief cover note when you reply to a KIT List job.

Don’t Overlook the Power of a Good Cover Letter

Over the years, I’ve seen people blow their chance to make a good impression either by not including a cover note at all, or by writing the following:

• “Is this job still open?” Of course it is, they just posted it!
• “What’s the rate (or salary)?” Please don’t do that! Instead, show your interest and value to them first. Save the salary query until the interview, and better yet, let them bring it up!
• “Here’s my resume”

Tips for Your Cover Letter

I’ve talked to many recruiters over the years, and even had them as panelists at KIT List events and on the KIT List TV Show. Some recruiters don’t really look at cover letters, but you’d be surprised that so many actually do! Don’t run the risk of getting weeded out by not having a cover letter when it’s a recruiter or hiring manager who DOES care about a cover letter.

Your cover letter can be brief, but these are a few things that you should include:

• Something stating your interest in the role
•  The actual job title since they are likely hiring for multiple roles
• A few bullets from your experience that pertain to the key requirements listed in the job description
• Make sure you do not have any typos or grammatical errors
• Include a nice closing statement
• Your name and a good number to reach you

Avoid These Other Common Mistakes

It’s also a mistake is to reply to a job for which you are not remotely a fit. You don’t have to be a perfect match with all the requirements, but some people get a bad reputation for replying to just any job. Stay on focus and you’ll be a stronger candidate.

Another mistake is that you get put off by a long list of requirements and you don’t feel like you’re an exact fit. Job descriptions can be unintentionally misleading if it’s been cut and pasted from many other job posts, or if the person writing it didn’t research it well with the hiring manager. I’ve asked recruiters and they said that if you’re a 75% to 80% match with the job requirements to GO FOR IT! Don’t disqualify yourself prematurely.

Don’t get disheartened during the job search process. You never know what effort will be the one that will connect you with the right job. Keep at it, make a great impression with a good cover letter, and we hope you find a job you love soon!

What Matters in Doing Your Best Work

Hello Everyone,

I’m sharing this blog post by Sally Thornton that offers a different way of looking at your passions versus your skills in finding your path to meaningful work.

Warmly,

Sue

What Matters in Doing Your Best Work

By Sally Thornton, CEO and Founder of Forshay

We hear it so often: Follow your passions. Do what you love and the money will follow. But then we keep listening for more specific advice and, not surprisingly, it often conflicts.

Recently, Jeffrey Katzenberg surprised a crowd by suggesting that young people follow not their dreams, but their skills: “I believe every human being does something great. Follow that thing you’re actually really good at and that may become your passion.” In the parlance of the diagram above, he’s suggesting that the joy of doing something well, something you’re suited for, can turn a job into a career.

Meanwhile, in a speech to Stanford business school students, Oprah Winfrey suggests two keys to finding your “power base,” following your instincts and connecting your skills with your values: “Align your personality with your purpose, and no one can touch you.” In the language of the diagram above: when what you do well meets what the world needs, you turn a talent into a career.

I love Oprah more than I do Disney (although with Frozen maybe I can love both). But the thing Winfrey and Katzenberg have in common here is the assumption that both success and fulfillment require that we look consciously at our lives, taking into account both practical needs and less rational – but equally crucial – issues of fulfillment.

So how do we apply all this to our actual lives-in-progress?

When I talk to people about finding satisfying work, the conversation often turns to deeper issues – what they like and don’t like doing day to day, and how that syncs (or doesn’t) with the effect they want to have on the world. The question underlying these conversations is a big one: “Does what I’m working on really matter?”

I often talk with people at crossroads in their careers. So many of them have succeeded by societal standards but, in the midst of that success, they feel something is missing – call it heart or impact. They’ve been heads down, working hard for so long, and finally they realize some part of their diagram of “doing your best work” is missing. And sometimes they conclude that, to find passion or meaning in work, they must make an enormous change. Give it all up. Do something entirely different.

For some people – the ones who should have been artists, activists, explorers all along – taking such a leap is a lifesaving move. But for many more, the changes they might want to make are more subtle, more of a recalibration. I ask these people to envision ways they could use their talents not to start anew but to expand what is possible. Which of their current skills can they offer the world, and in what capacities might exercising those skills bring them fulfillment? How can they use those skills in new ways? If the company where they work isn’t aligned with their values, can they find one that is or go freelance? What aspects of their current work take them away from what they value, and how can they shift their focus to give the world what they’re made to offer?

In short, for each of us, the diagram of “doing your best work” is a work in progress, one that continues to shift across our working lives. When we start to engage with the questions it represents, we move closer to work that we feel matters.

What does your diagram look like? What shifts do you need to make? Tell us what you think – join the conversation here.

About the Author:
Sally Thornton is Founder of Forshay (www.Forshay.com). Sally has extensive experience addressing the unique talent needs of the Bay Area’s most remarkable companies, including national business leaders such as Genentech and Levi Strauss, and rapid-growth startups.

Forbes’ Pick of the Best Career Web Sites

Hello Everyone,

I just ran across this great list this morning. I think Forbes will likely update it next month, but I suspect the majority of those on this list will remain!

Since there’s no time like the present to learn about smarter ways to conduct a successful job search, I wanted to share this with you now.

The list of 100 resources may seem daunting…but if you just incorporate ONE change, that may prove to be the tipping point in your career!

I encourage you to make a commitment to try just one thing today. Here’s the link to the Forbes list:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/09/18/the-top-100-websites-for-your-career/2/

Here’s to your finding a job you’ll love,

Sue

“How to Get the Job When You Don’t Have the Experience” on LinkedIn

Hello Everyone,

I saw this great article on my LinkedIn feed last week, and James Citrin makes some really good points on what to do if you are a recent graduate — or an experienced professional who wants to pursue new a career direction or go after your passion.

Now, I encourage you to go out and GO FOR IT and find a job you’ll love!

Warmly,

Sue

How to Get the Job When You Don’t Have the Experience
By James Citrin (posted on LinkedIn)

 

“The Permission Paradox” – You can’t get the job without the experience but you can’t get the experience without the job – is one of the great career Catch-22s. This challenge will confront you over the lifetime of your career, whether you’re trying to break into the work force or you’re to become a CEO for the first time. While the phenomenon can be frustrating no matter what your level, the Permission Paradox is especially challenging for today’s aspiring young professional and recent graduates.

Overcoming this conundrum is fundamental both to launching your career successfully and thriving over the long term. You are confident in your abilities if only you’re given the chance. The hard part is getting the shot to show what you can do.

Go to the full article to get the Five Permission Strategies:
https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140811235043-203184238-how-to-overcome-the-permission-paradox-you-can-t-get-the-job-without-the-experience-but-you-can-t-get-the-experience-without-the-job

 

5 Ways to Follow Up Without Being Annoying

Hello Everyone,

This recent article in “The Daily Muse” has some smart points on how to strike that right balance between dropping the ball on following up — and being a stalker!

Don’t be disheartened if you don’t hear back the first time since recruiters and employers are also overwhelmed with email and other communications on top of their regular workload. DO follow up, DO be clever about it. It’s worth it!

Happy reading,

Sue

Link to the article:
http://mashable.com/2014/04/05/effective-follow-up/?utm_cid=mash-com-fb-main-link

5 Ways to Follow Up Without Being Annoying

By ELLIOTT BELL for The Daily Muse
Apr 05, 2014

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about his job search that went something like this:

Friend: I wrote to him last week and still haven’t heard back. It’s so frustrating.
Me: Why not follow up and check in?
Friend: I don’t want to be annoying.

The fear is understandable. No one wants to be annoying or bothersome to a professional contact, especially when you want a job, meeting, sales dollars, or something else very important from that person.

But here’s the rub. The average person can get a few hundred emails a day. That makes it pretty tough to respond to all of them, and things naturally fall to the bottom of the list. If you don’t get a response, it doesn’t mean that someone’s ignoring you — it just may mean that he or she is too busy.

So, to the question: Should you follow up? Absolutely. In fact, it’s your job. And how often should you do so? One philosophy is: As many times as it takes. The important thing is to do it the right way. Or, as some may call it, to be “pleasantly persistent.”

Here are a few tips on how to (nicely) follow up with that hiring manager, sales lead, or VIP—and get the answer you’re looking for.

Rule 1: Be Overly Polite and Humble

That seems obvious enough, but a lot of people take it personally when they don’t hear back from someone right away. Resist the urge to get upset or mad, and never take your feelings out in an email, saying something like, “You haven’t responded yet,” or “You ignored my first email.” Just maintain an extremely polite tone throughout the entire email thread. Showing that you’re friendly and that you understand how busy your contact is is a good way to keep him or her interested (and not mad).

Rule 2: Persistent Doesn’t Mean Every Day

Sending a follow-up email every day doesn’t show you have gumption or passion, it shows you don’t respect a person’s time. The general rule of thumbis to give at least a week before following up. Any sooner, and it might come off as pushy; let too much time pass, and you risk the other person not having any clue who you are. I typically start off with an email every week, and then switch to every couple of weeks.

Rule 3: Directly Ask if You Should Stop Reaching Out

If you’ve followed up a few times and still haven’t heard back, it’s worth directly asking if you should stop following up. After all, you don’t want to waste your time, either. I’ll sometimes say, “I know how busy you are and completely understand if you just haven’t had the time to reach back out. But I don’t want to bombard you with emails if you’re not interested. Just let me know if you’d prefer I stop following up.” Most people respect honesty and don’t want to waste someone’s time, and they’ll at least let you know one way or another.

Rule 4: Stand Out in a Good Way

I once had someone trying to sell me something that I was remotely interested in but that was nowhere near the top of my priority list. Every week, he’d send me a new email quickly re-explaining what he sold—as well as a suggestion for good pizza to try around the city. Why? He had seen a blog post where I mentioned I’d eat pizza 24/7 if I could, and cleverly worked that into his follow-up. It made him stand out in a good way, and as a result, we eventually had a call.

The lesson: If done well, a little creativity in your follow up can go a long way. If you’re following up about a job, tryAlexandra Franzen’s tips for giving the hiring manager something he or she can’t resist.

Rule 5: Change it Up

If you’re not connecting with someone, try changing it up. In other words, don’t send the exact same email at the same time of day on the same day of week. Getting people to respond can sometimes just come down to catching them at the right time. If you always follow up in the morning, maybe try later in the day a few times.

Remember: If someone does ask you to stop following up, stop following up. But until you hear that, it’s your responsibility to keep trying.