It’s spelled: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Aretha Franklin had it right. Respect carries the day.

The people who don’t remember and are intimately aware of the great Aretha Franklin hit song “Respect” are few and far between. Should it come as any surprise that respect can be an integral part of your job search? Probably not.

We heard a recruiter recently go on about how important it is to be “incredibly respectful” of your network during your job search. The unspoken part of that advice is “don’t be a pest.” That concept is remindful of the familiar and ever-so-annoying chant that parents often hear from the backseat, “Are we there yet?”

Don’t be a pain in the…

People in your network – whether it’s hiring managers or networking contacts – can be just as annoyed as those beleaguered parents. Surveys have shown that among the top things that hiring managers and recruiters hate are the “stalker” candidates. Those candidates who “bug” them everyday for updates.

But where do you draw the line between being aggressive and being a pest? Some hiring managers want candidates to check back in regularly, others adopt the philosophy of “Don’t call me, I’ll call you.” When I have some news, I’ll let you know.

How can you tell the difference? For the answer, let’s go back to the expert, Aretha Franklin. Late in the iconic song, she offers some telling advice “R-e-s-p-e-c-t, find out what it means to me.”

Since people can be so different and so much can be riding on your approach, the simplest approach is… just ask. “When should I follow up?” “How would you prefer that I stay in touch with you?” (i.e. phone, email, etc.) If they vacillate at all, make a suggestion. “If I don’t hear from you, can I call you near the end of the month?” And stick to that plan.

It might be a good idea to use your computer to generate a task or to send yourself a notification when it’s time to follow through. Many programs offer that feature. Or, simply send yourself an email as a reminder.

Do that and you’ll be true to your word and you won’t alienate someone who could be your future employer.

More tips.