Thanks, With A Plus
Everybody says you should send a thank-you letter after a job interview. Everybody is right.
People seem to be getting it because according to this Wall St. Journal story, about 90 percent of applicants do so. Good news.
The bad news: only half of those personalize their letters.
Ugh. People are sending form thank yous? That’s worse than no thank you at all!
While we’re at it, here’s some other things people do to shoot themselves in the thank-you foot:
- mis-addressing the letter (thanking Wendy’s for your interview with Burger King)
- sending a thank you with spelling or grammar mistakes (”I appreciate you’re time. . . .”)
- relying on email (okay to email but follow up with a “real” letter)
- not typing the thank you (you ain’t writing your Aunt Sadie–this is a business letter)
- procrastinating (send thank yous within 24 hours)
- sounding desperate (”I can’t wait to hear from you!”)
- sounding fake/stilted/awkward (”I am writing to thank you for the interview”–be sincere, be yourself, be enthusiastic)
- sounding canned (obviously, no form letters–use your thank you to repeat the highlights of the interview and to remind the employer of who you are, what your skills are, and why you would be great for this job)
Thank you letters are as important as resumes or showing up for the interview on time. Don’t let yours ruin the good impression you’re trying to make.
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This one made me giggle – when I first started working in the US (fortunately a job I snagged without a formal interview!), one of my first duties was to hire a right-hand (wo)man. When all the thank you letters started flooding in post-interview, I was absolutely baffled and thought people had lost the plot. As if receiving a thank you note would change my mind about whether or not the candidate was suitable!
My husband, in a similar position, reported that one of his interviewees had included an (unsolicited) recipe for cookies in her thank you. She didn’t get the job, but she DID start off a competition between my husband and I for the “best” inclusion in a thank you note.
I eventually realised this was an American thing and calmed down about it, but the thank yous threw me to begin with!
Yikes, Sarah.
Just goes to show–it’s a good idea to first check what’s appropriate for your milieu. All you working girls looking for a job overseas, you might want to forget the thank you!
Which reminds me. When I lived in France it was essential to handwrite your correspondence with potential employers. In France it’s common to have a graphologist analyze your handwriting, as a way to learn more about you.
If you typed your correspondence the employer would conclude you had something to hide.
I don’t remember ever receiving a thank you note following an interview. But then I’ve been out of the work place for ninteen years. Many things have changed since then as to candidate resume presentations as well as post interview protocol. Dino was the hiring authority only when college or field recruiting, and in those instances I made on the spot offers. Candidates then made written acceptances or rejections and often expressed cursory thanks for the job offer. Otherwise, as a HR person, I was the “middle man.” If the hiring authorities (interviewers) received notes from candidates post interview, I, as referring agent, never learned of it. That said I agree with the two postings and would add that there is a risk of appearing pushy or desperate. I don’t recommend including anything not requested except sincere curtesy. Don’t misspell the interviewers name or that of the company, make sure of and include her/his title. Be formal (business like) noting one highlight. Finish with your full name and business signature.
Is this the wrong time to admit that I have never sent a thank-you letter after an interview?
And I’ve had 59 jobs!