The Art of the Thank-You Note

Do not underestimate the value of a post interview thank-you note

We all know that the interview is the final step in a successful job search, right….? I am sorry to say that many highly qualified candidates fail to realize that the interview is only about step 3 in a 5-6 step process. We need to remember that as soon as we walk out of the interview room we are quickly being forgotten in the already cluttered mind of the hiring manager. The interviewer is thinking about their next interview, all the work that is not being done while they spend time interviewing, and what the heck are they going to have for lunch. You are being moved into the background, and you probably have not even left the building yet.

Ok, how do we avoid being forgotten completely? You guessed it … the thank-you note. Aside from being an overlooked tradition, the thank you note easily conveys your appreciation for the time spent by the interviewer. It allows you to re-establish a connection to the discussion by refreshing the interviewer’s memory of you. The note shows that you are still considering the position seriously; employers want to hire someone that is truly serious about the opportunity, not just a job.

All right, let’s go over some valuable points to consider when composing the note.

1.  Don’t delay

Impress the company by sending the note the same day as the interview. Send it by email; even though a nice handwritten note would be the ultimate, time is of the essence here.

2. Restate your abilities

The note should restate those abilities that directly correlate to the position. Make sure that you are speaking to the job specifically, not just how good you are. This is another chance for you to relate what a great match you are for the company.

3. Speak to the audience but keep it professional

If you had interviews with multiple people then write a separate note to each person. Talk about each interview individually. Writing one note and sending it to four people may have the opposite effect if they compare notes to find a generic tone. Remember that job searching is serious business so keep the notes professional; this is not the right forum to recall shared vacation spots or a mutual love of silent movies. The note itself will jog the memory.

4. Keep it short and simple

The hiring process is a stressful thing for the interviewer, they have a job that is being placed on hold while they look for someone to bring on board. So keep your note brief. Restate the key points, thank them for their time, relay that you are very interested in moving to the next step in the process, and stop there.

5. Don’t blow it with a misspelled word

Proofread, proofread, and then proofread it again. Then have a friend or spouse read it as well. If at any point in the proofreading the note sounds wrong, it probably is and it needs to be revised. Our brains have an amazing ability to read what we meant to say not necessarily what we wrote. So be careful.