Basic Professional Courtesy

I am always surprised when my emails go unanswered. I am not talking about emails I send to prospective clients or candidates, but rather those sent to people I have actually met and spoke with on more than one occasion.
I have one contact in particular, to whom I reached out three different times to follow up. I never received a response, not even a one liner acknowledging receipt of my courtesy emails. Imagine my surprise when the same individual sent me her resume asking that I assist her in her job search as she had just lost her employment.

Unacceptable to say the least! How interested would you think we are in representing someone who does not demonstrate basic professionalism?

Here is my suggestion. If you have any contacts that you feel might be valuable to you in the future, nurture these relationships and at the very least respond to the emails you receive. It is important to have a long-term vision and not only think of how useful one is to you at a given moment. If you choose to ignore your contacts when they reach out to you, don’t be surprised when no one rushes in your direction when it is you who needs something.