Are You Open to Following Up?

Are You Open to “Following Up”?

Fifteen years ago, when I was receiving my training as a Five O’Clock Club Career Coach, I learned the five steps of a job step process.  I reiterate them often to my clients to this day.  Those steps are Assessment, Research, Targeting, Interviewing and Follow-Up.  Quickly, Assessment allows you to determine where you are now in your career journey, and where you may want to go next.  Research allows you to learn what is being sought in the job market at the time you are looking for your next opportunity.  Targeting allows one to focus on the types of roles they are seeking, the industries that need those roles, and how and where one wants to work.  Interviewing is not only job interviews, but also those informational discussions that allows one to learn where opportunities may exist.

And, then there is the Follow-Up step.  It often can be the most painful and frustrating.  While many do not like to do it, it becomes necessary when you feel something is important enough to you that you need to learn where you may stand in regards to a person, a relationship, a process.  And, it can lead to thoughts of “Why do I need to be the one to follow-up?”

While the steps I mentioned previously were in relation to those items required for those in job search, follow-up applies strongly to myself as a Job Search and Career Strategy Coach.  Most of my clients come to me as assignees through outsourcing relationships.  As such, I am representing the company that made the outplacement relationship with their previous employer who paid for the coaching service.  That company along with the outplacement firm to whom I am contracted wants some understanding on the benefit of their investment.

Some clients value the service, and will stay connected to me throughout their search.  Others prefer not to be obligated to be on a schedule.  They prefer to pursue the search on their own, and only check in when they have questions.  At times, clients decide to take a step back from the job search.  They may decide they need to take a long put-off vacation.  They are asked to care for family members that need care.  Others use it as a time to relocate from one physical location to another, and as such need time to make sure the move takes place.  And, low on their list of people they need to keep informed of their progress is their “job search coach.”

As such, and since I am the one who needs to report on their progress and needs, I must make periodic follow-up reach outs.  Those reach outs can vary in terms of effectiveness from person to person.  Some individuals respond better to email promptings.  For others, the telephone is the better way to connect, (via telephone call/voicemail message).  If the individual is one who likes to connect with me, through text, that may be my chosen way of connecting.  

Is follow-up being part of my job duties among the more attractive ones.  NO!  Is it necessary, and something I must do?  YES!  Sometimes one finds their follow-up connection is greatly appreciated, as it gets the client focused again.  Other times one learns the client has had a change of heart in direction, and as a result one can completely sign-off on the coaching relationship.  And, yes there are times that continued unanswered follow-up confirms, that it is time to close out the client and relationship with them.

Do you need to be open to follow-up in your life?  Look at it this way.  If you are the one who has the need to either report on, move forward with or close out a project or relationship, then YES, you need to be the one to follow-up.  One thing I have found, is that when I have diligently followed up, and did all that I could to keep the process going, I feel a freeing to move on to other clients, obligations, and responsibilities. Keep that in mind if you feel frustrated and locked in place by the events that are part of your life.