Chapter 27. Hiring and References
Apology for missing interview
Kenneth Hull, Director of Marketing
Rolling Meadow Manufacturing Company
Rolling Meadow
Dear Mr. Hull,
I very much apologize for missing my job interview yesterday.
An emergency arose involving a family member; I wanted to contact you but there was no opportunity to do so.
I realize this is an inauspicious first impression for someone who very much wants to be considered for the job position we were to discuss.
I assure you that missing appointments for any reason is out of character for me.
If you will be so kind as to give me a second chance to meet with you, I hope to demonstrate to you how much I want to work at Rolling Meadow Manufacturing Company.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Carol Hay
Apology from interviewer for missing interview
Dear Sharon,
I want to apologize for missing your job interview yesterday. An emergency came up in another area of the company and I was called away.
Unfortunately, I was unable to get in touch with you before the time of your appointment.
I hope this hasn’t soured you on the company and you will give us another chance. I was very much looking forward to meeting you; you come very well recommended and your background looks very strong.
Please call my secretary to set up another interview. This time I promise to be there.
Sincerely,
Scott Chase, Sales Director
Asking for more information from applicant
John Smith
Rolling Meadow
Dear John,
Thank you for your letter of application for the administrative assistant position currently open in our marketing department.
I am impressed with your credentials and work experience.
In reviewing the resume you submitted, though, I note a six-month gap at the beginning of the year in 2009. To get a better picture of your background, we would ask that you explain what you were doing in that period.
After we receive this information we will continue to process your application.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Hudson, Marketing Director
Asking about discrepancy on job application
Henry Sheenan
Rolling Meadow
Dear Mr. Sheehan,
Thank you for your resume and letter of application for a position at Rolling Meadow Real Estate Company.
On your resume you list a master’s degree in accounting from Rolling Meadow University. It is part of our ordinary process to fact-check academic degrees and employment records. The university reports they could find no record of your attendance or the granting of a degree.
Before we proceed further in evaluating your candidacy for a position with our company, I would ask that you please contact me to discuss this matter.
Sincerely,
Linda Baker, Human Resources Director
Explaining gap in resume
Eleanor Hudson, Marketing Director
Rolling Meadow Manufacturing Company
Dear Ms. Hudson,
Thank you for your letter and your review of my resume in application for a position in the marketing department at Rolling Meadow Manufacturing Company.
I am very excited about the possibility of working for your company, and I know I would do a good job.
You asked about the six-month gap in my resume at the start of 2009. I apologize for leaving that open, but I found it difficult to fit a long story into a short space on the resume.
After two years of employment as an installer for Rolling Meadow Tile and Design, I decided that I wanted to make better use of my college degree and pursue a job in marketing and eventually management. I also had the advantage of being young and single, and for the first (and I expect, the only) time in my life I decided to head out on a backpacking trip to see a bit of the world.
It was a great experience, and I’ve gotten it out of my system. I intend to make use of what I learned in Europe and Asia in my career in marketing.
Please let me know if you have any other questions. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
John Higgins
Follow-up after job interview
Karen Lewis
Rolling Meadow Advertising Agency
Dear Karen,
It has been two weeks since I met with you and interviewed for the position of assistant advertising director. Please forgive me if I seem a bit impatient, but I really want you to know how excited I am about the prospect of working with you.
If I am offered the job, I promise to bring that enthusiasm with me to work every day.
Please let me know if there are any other questions you might have for me or if you would like to meet again.
Sincerely,
Dick Maloney
Suggesting additional training for job applicant
Dan Sullivan
Rolling Meadow
Dear Mr. Sullivan,
Thank you for your application for the position of education coordinator at the Rolling Meadow Children’s Museum.
Your academic credentials are excellent, and I was very impressed with your presentation at the interview. However, we are unable to offer you the job at this time because you lack certification as a teacher or equivalent experience working in programs for children.
If this sort of job is indeed your goal, I would suggest you consider taking specific classes and obtaining certification from an accredited university or by working as a teacher’s assistant. Please feel free to call me to discuss this; I may be able to point you in the right direction.
Sincerely
Bill Wilson, Executive Director
Unable to offer job
Jessica Cummings
Rolling Meadow
Dear Jessica,
It was nice to receive your letter telling us about your success in college and your interest in coming back to work again this summer at our shop.
We have been privileged to have you on staff for the past two years; you were an excellent employee and a lot of fun to have on the staff.
Unfortunately, we are not going to be able to add any staff for the summer this year. Sales have been very slow this year, and we are searching for ways to be able to keep our full-time staff on the payroll.
I wish I had better news. We wish you the best of luck in finding a summer job; please feel free to list me as a reference.
Sincerely,
Rick Jones, Owner
Rolling Meadow Camera Shop
To former colleague about hiring relative
Mark Harris
Dear Mark,
It was good to hear from you again. It seems like only yesterday when we were both newly minted lawyers about to begin our careers at Morgan, Chase, Reynolds, and Burns.
I am glad that private practice has agreed with you. Speaking for myself, I remain happy staying at the firm and letting other people worry about bringing in new clients.
I have reviewed your son’s resume, and it is quite impressive. Any law firm would be lucky to have him.
Unfortunately, our company does not have any job openings at this time. I will, though, keep his resume on file, and I wish him the best of luck.
Regards,
Kent Burns
Making counterproposal to job offer
Cherry Smith, human resources
Rolling Meadow Lumber Company
Dear Ms. Smith,
Thank you for your offer of employment as senior financial analyst in the accounting department of Rolling Meadow Lumber Company.
I am very excited about the prospect of joining the team. As you stated in your offering letter of March 15, the initial salary will be $47,500 per year with an annual review. Benefits include a family health plan, participation in an employer-matched 401(k) pension plan, and vacation leave of one week in the first year of employment, two weeks in second through fifth year of employment, and an additional vacation day added in each subsequent year after that. You also offered $10,000 toward moving expenses.
My only concern is this: I have checked with two moving and storage companies and have obtained estimates of $22,000 and $25,000 for the cost of transporting our possessions from Littleton to Rolling Meadow.
I would like to ask for an increase in the moving and relocation allowance to match the lower of the two estimates, $22,000. We will pay for any unexpected costs over that amount.
I hope this is agreeable to you. I very much want to come to work at Rolling Meadow Lumber, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Lyle Mayflower
Declining to offer job
Jill Maxwell
Waterford
Dear Ms. Maxwell,
On behalf of the partners of Moore, Miller and Olsen, we want to thank you for coming to Rolling Meadow to interview for the position of associate counsel at our firm.
All of us who met you found you to be a very impressive young women with excellent credentials. We are confident you have a bright legal career ahead of you.
At this time, though, we are unable to offer you a position with our firm. Your areas of specialization and experience do not match our needs; we expect you will be more successful applying to a larger law firm with a wider range of clients.
We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Lawrence Horton, Senior Partner
Moore, Miller and Olsen
Declining to rehire associate
Jessica Fisher
Rolling Meadow
Dear Jessica,
I was very pleased to hear that you have returned to town after being away for the past year to attend to family matters. I’m sure it was a difficult time for you and your family, but I also know the satisfaction that comes from being able to help those you love.
You asked if it would be possible for you to come back to work here at the store. I wish I had better news to give, but we are currently at full staff and in this economy we cannot afford to overstretch our budget.
There is the possibility of some evening hours this summer. And you have my word that if we have another opening you will be at the top of the list of people I call.
Again, welcome back. Please stop by the store some time so that we can chat.
Sincerely,
Janice Fowler
Unable to offer a job to friend’s family member
Beverly Norton
Rolling Meadow
Dear Beverly,
Thank you for the opportunity to meet your lovely and talented granddaughter, Tara. I have already called her to let her know the situation, but I wanted you to hear directly from me as well.
Last winter when you said she would be spending the summer with you I was very excited about the possibility of Tara filling the seasonal internship opening at my gallery.
I am afraid, though, that in drawing up our budget we have found that we cannot afford to add an intern this year. I wish it was otherwise, but this year has already resulted in a loss for our business, and I do not expect a recovery until next year at the earliest.
Tara is a great job candidate. I wish her well in finding a job in this difficult economy.
Sincerely,
Julia
Declining to call about job for friend
Jack Gallagher
Rolling Meadow
Dear Jack,
You asked if I could help your son in his job search by calling my former employer; I’m afraid that wouldn’t be of much help.
I retired from Rolling Meadow Advertising ten years ago, and I don’t know of a single contemporary of mine who is still with the company. That really drives home the passage of time, but that’s the fact.
I will, though, be happy to act as a reference to his character when he does make contact with an employer.
Sincerely,
Jim Frank
Declining to respond to reference check
Eric Raymond, Sales Director
Rolling Meadow Insurance Agency
Dear Mr. Raymond,
I have received your request for a recommendation on behalf of a former employee of this company, Parker Reis.
I can confirm that he was employed here from May 2008 through September 2008. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide a recommendation.
Sincerely,
Nicholas Singer
Waterford Title and Insurance Company
Asking for reference
Dear Mr. Curtis,
I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to intern with you this summer. I learned a great deal and deeply appreciate your guidance on my career goals.
You went out of your way to share your knowledge and experience. I am more convinced than ever that I want to pursue a career in retail management.
With your permission I would like to use your name as a reference. I feel I have the confidence now to apply to some of the upscale stores in my hometown.
I am sure a good reference from you would be a great help.
Sincerely,
Tessa Simmons
Declining to allow use of name as a reference
Dear Lacey,
I received your request to serve as a reference in your applications for a position in retail management.
Unfortunately, I do not feel that I can help you. As I explained in your exit interview at the end of your summer internship, I felt there were a number of areas where you needed a great deal of improvement.
You are very bright and personable, but your lack of organizational skills greatly interfered with your work as store manager. If I was asked about your background, I would have to address that issue.
I hope you can improve your skills, and I wish you luck in your future career.
Good luck.
Sincerely,
Patrick Curtis
Asking end to use of name as a reference
Dear Glen,
At the time you left Diamonds Music, I was happy to serve as one of your references.
I said at the time that as your immediate supervisor I was happy to tell potential employers that you had been a knowledgeable salesperson and that your work ethic was excellent.
Six years later, I am still getting queries from perspective employers. I now feel that too much time has passed for me to make any comments on your current skills and qualifications.
I wish you luck in your future career. I must ask, though, that in the future you do not use my name as a reference.
Sincerely,
Patrick Curtis