Follow up - Your Career Starts When the Show Ends

Arguably the most critical step to maximizing a job search and usually the most poorly executed. You need to understand that employers at GDC are inundated with resumes at the show.

It's imperative to follow up with all potential hiring leads after the show to once again emphasize why your experience, knowledge, abilities can make the employer more successful. Good methods of follow-up include:

- Phone. This is the least effective way to follow-up, unless someone has specifically requested that you call them. Avoid it unless you have no other way of making contact, and then use the phone sparingly until invited to make contact.

- Email. This is the easiest & fastest way to stay top-of-mind: if you've chatted with someone who might be interested in you and your work, send them a note and include your resume, web links, work samples and any other relevant information about you.

- Snail mail. If you've ever gotten well-meaning advice from a relative about job searching, they probably have advised you to send a note. And you probably thought they were nuts. Most people would in this day and age.

The reason for sending a personalized note through snail mail is because no one does it. It's classy and memorable because it is so uncommon. Do something retro to stand out from the crowd.

GDC will be upon us in a matter of days -- just enough time to create and execute a job search strategy to promote yourself to decision-makers.

With a professional, common sense approach that incorporates planning, preparation, execution, feedback and follow-up, you will leave GDC with an enhanced network, new contacts, and possibly some job leads. Make your job search at GDC Mission Possible.