Top 8 Apps for Busy Freelancers

Top 8 Apps for Busy FreelancersFrom the way they help with managing your time to managing simultaneous due-dates, from taking notes in a client meeting to having access to recent drafts on the go, apps are a freelancers best friend. So its very likely they can help you streamline your office life too. Check out this list of the top 8 productivity apps and see what you can make your life easier by downloading.For Time Management1. PomodoroThis simple timer app is free (with paid upgrade features) and lets you platzset an interval for work with an automatic break timer to get you back on track afterwards.2. Calendars by ReaddleThis not only synthesizes with your Google or iCalendar, it represents your calendar events as blocks of time, allowing you visually assess where you have free time and where youre double or triple booked. The basic app is free, with paid upgrades to allow for repeated event scheduling, languages, added to-do lists, managing invites and attendees, reminders, and smart input that searches your emails for potential action items.3. Self-ControlOf all the apps that will help you block out Twitter and Facebook long enough to get work done, Self-Control is the most hardcore. Theres no way to cancel it bedrngnis even restarting your computer Sometimes I need that kind of tough love in my life.For To-Do Lists4. WunderlistThis app is always a crowd pleaserits best features are letting you group tasks together and assign subtasks within an ongoing project. You can even attach files so theyre easy to refer to, and share documents with groups.5. TodoistThis is a masterlist appit rounds up tasks, scheduling, labeling, notes, reminders, project templates and more to cover every aspect of your workflow.6.Mind-NodeThis app is ideal for less linear thinkers it allows you to make beautiful charts by free-form associations between ideas, rather than the structure of a list or an outline.For Document Access7. Good ReaderAlong with the classics like Pages and G oogle Docs, this one of my favorite apps for document review. Its especially terrific for converting between formats, and has the best PDF-edit interface Ive come across. Whenever I have to sign and return a contract, I never have to print or scan it anymore.8. Scanning AppsGoogle Drive has a new scanning feature you may have noticed, but the other top apps are Cam Scanner, Genius Scan, and the ever popular EverNote. Pay close attention to whether they allow you to import as images or will actually make the effort to convert to Word or any other editable format

Thank You Email After An Interview Example

Thank You Email After An Interview Example This past weekend, a young woman asked me, Do I really need to send a thank you notlagelagee after my interview?Let me be blunt Ive been both the interviewee and the interviewer dozens of times in my career, and I simply will not hire anyone who doesnt send a timely thank you note following the job interview. I know I am not alone in this policy. Several otherbei hiring managers Ive worked with feel the same way it is nevera good idea for a job seeker notto send a thank you note or follow-up schmelzglasle after an interview.So, the answer is, unequivocally, YES. During a job search, candidates should most definitely send a follow-up emaille to prospective employers after an on-site interview, an informational interview, a phone interview or an in-person interview. So why is the thank you note so critical, and what should it include?Why Send a Thank-You NoteIts Good EtiquetteThe interview is not over when you walk out of the room.Maybe you sp ent hours on your job interview preparation. You may be feeling super confident about your responses to the questions you were asked. But if Im considering hiring you, I want to know about more than just what you say and how you present yourself. I want to know what you do. And Im going to gather that information by evaluating what you do after the meeting Do you send a thank-you note? Do you have post-interview follow-up questions that you thoughtfully compose into an email? Why do I care so much about your post-interview etiquette? Because I want to know whether your communication style is a good fit for me and my gruppe. How will you handle work interactions? Will you follow up with clients? Are you a professional?When you write a thank you letter (or dont), you are demonstrating your follow-up skills. From your approach to the follow-up email, Im evaluating your project management skills and whether your written communication is compelling. I can also tell whether you can be cre ative and thoughtful.Dont just churn out the typical response (usually something like, Im very excited about the opportunity to join your company.) Instead, add on to some of the topics you covered in the interview, or send some interesting follow up. For example I enjoyed our discussion about social media and its role in the marketing value chain. I thought this article from HBR might interest you.Also, reiterate with thoughtful detail why you are a compelling fit for the job. List three reasons that speak specifically to projects or job responsibilities covered in your job interview.If you met with several people, send them personalized emails. You can reuse some core elements, but customize them based on your conversations. (Which means you should take notes during the interviews so you can remember who said what.)You need to show that youre interested in the job.The playing field for high-quality jobs is very competitive. On average, 100 people apply for each open position accor ding to ERE. Hiring managers want to hire people who are eager to have the job offer. So communicate your excitement about the job through your email follow up and make it prompt. In my opinion, you should follow up via email the same day under all circumstances.If you arent clear in your intent and desires, you can be certain someone else will be and theyll get the job instead of you.Several people have asked me, What about a handwritten note? Or sending a thank you card? While I think a handwritten note is a lovely gesture in theory, Im afraid its a bit obsolete in the age where everyone has an email address. Employers are looking to see how youll conduct business, and in my view, sending written thank you notes are just not a great indication of modern practices compared to a thank you email. Plus, they just dont have the immediacy so I may have already made a decision about you before the snail mail makes its way to me.If a written thank you note or letter is a part of your p ersonal style and youre attached to it, then send it in addition to the email follow up.If your interviewer or interviewers dont hand you a business card or you dont know their email address, you can either ask them for it at the end of the interview (and explain that youd like to have it for follow-up purposes), or you can email whoever arranged the interview to request it so that you can send a thank you email after interview.Youre showing good manners.In addition to evaluating whether you can adequately perform the duties of the job, any good hiring manager is also using the interview process to determine whether you are someone they would actually want to work with. In my personal experience, its always important to find someone to hire who can fit well with the company culture, get along with others, and represent our team and company admirably when I cant be there.Manners are fundamental. If you dont write a thank you note or email, especially after an in-person interview, Id have to question whether you have the kind of manners that would make you a positive addition to the team. If candidates dont send a thank you letter, are they the kind of person who is going to be messy in the break room? Or unfriendly to coworkers? What behavior are you bringing to the table? The absence of a note is just not a good ideadoesnt help the impression youre trying to makeThe company only has a few data points about you on which to make a hiring decision so put your best foot forward to help your chance of making a good impression in the decision-making process.Even if you dont want the job, you should ALWAYS totenstill send an interview follow-up email. Every time you interview, you are making an impression and a new possible connection. Its a small, small world and you never know how your path may cross again. So take the time to write a note anyway. It shouldnt take more than 10 minutes.Am I just old-fashioned? Maybe. but maybe so is your interviewer. Do you really want to risk it?How long do you wait to send a thank you letter after an interview?The short answer? You DONT wait Send a follow-up thank-you email as soon as you gather yourself, the notes you have, and any questions you might need further clarification on. Dont wait longer than 24 hours before sending a thank you email. By then youll already be forgotten.When you do follow up, remember to explicitly thank your interviewer and anyone you came in contact with throughout the interview. You can include comments and questions you might have post-interview, but every email should include a thank you.How long does a thank you letter have to be?Generally, your email should be a few short paragraphs long so you can adequately thank your interviewer for her time and comment on specific aspects of the interview you found noteworthy.Try to include at least one or two specific comments about what you discussed, such as a task youre excited about performing or a responsibility youd love to have . This shows that you were engaged and paying attention during the interview. Make sure you profess your enthusiasm for the job overall, too.An Example of a Thank-You NoteNow that youre (hopefully) convinced of the thank you notes importance, what should it look like?Below is a basic template of what a well-written sample thank-you letter should includeSubject lineThank you (position you applied for) interviewBodyHi (interviewer name),Thanks so much for the taking the time to meet with me today After our conversation, Im even more excited about the potential to become a (position name) at (company name). Based on what you told me about (x, y, and z topics discussed in the interview, ideally) within the company, I see this position as an excellent match for my values and skillset. Given the opportunity, I truly believe I could be of value to you in (x, y, and z ways).I look forward to hearing from you. And if theres any additional information with which I can provide you, please do nt hesitate to let me know.Best,(Your Name)And there you have it That wasnt so hard, was it?Have you found an effective way to follow-up after an interview? If so, share your advice and opinions with other women in our community.--Romy Newman is President of Fairygodboss and the co-founder. Shes on a mission to improve the workplace for women by creating greater transparency. Prior to founding Fairygodboss, Romy spent over ten years at The Wall Street Journal, Google and Estee Lauder, where she held various leadership roles. Romy earned her BA from Yale University and her MBA from Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management.