A letter from the IRS

Last week I got a letter from the IRS.

If you've ever had a letter from the tax man (or woman), you know the feeling.

Mine was extra fun.

I'm an expat.

Six years abroad, haven't set foot on US soil since 2019.

So a letter from the IRS? Not the first time, so my stomach dropped.

A few years ago they told me I owed over $40k!

Apparently my tax advisor hadn’t got the forms right on my Amazon equity with that one. I cleared it up but it was nerve-racking.

This time, turns out, it was just a verification check.

A couple of boxes to tick online to confirm I was the one who filed my return.

Phew, that was it.

Crisis averted.

Refund is (hopefully) on its way 🤞🏻.

Same day, I'm on a call with a client.

He's walking me through an interview from the week before.

Still no word back from the company.

So I asked him, "Have you sent a follow-up?"

"No." he said, "...should I?"

"If you actually want to move ahead with that company, yes!"

I told him: send a note within a day acknowledging the interview.

Then another a few days later checking in on next steps.

It keeps you top of mind.

And it holds them accountable to their own process.

Don't leave it entirely up to them.

The silence can hurt almost as much as a rejection.

It’s never a no until it’s a no.

Send them a nudge.

Maybe that’s all it takes to hear they’re ready to move ahead.

And if not, now that is closed so you can move on.

My IRS letter wasn't a problem (this time).

It was just a prompt.

Your job search works the same way.

So send that nudge.

—James “IRS letters still scare me” Gunaca