This topic seems timely for job hunting and holiday gift giving. Remember how your mother used to hound you to get those thank you notes done…or else. “Or else” generally meant she was taking the gift away. (GASP!)
Well in the scheme of seeking employment, thank you notes after interview can have an even greater impact. They set you apart as thoughtful and offer an additional reminder of you when received by the addressee. So, did you complete this task?
For the purpose of this article, we are going to refer to this event simply as “Thank You Letter after interview.” This step is critical to leaving a lasting impression on your audience and is an effective tool to validate yourself as a candidate for the position. The interview is not over until the job has been awarded. The Thank You Letter after interview is another event in qualifying for the position.
Who receives one? A “Thank You Letter after interview” needs to be sent to everyone you interviewed with. If there was a panel of interviewers, make sure you collect a business card of everyone you met with. If you are not sure of the spelling or title of each person, call the company. Introduce yourself to the receptionist and explain that you recently interviewed and would like to confirm the spelling of names and titles of each person you met with. The receptionist will prove most helpful in sharing this information with you. As a side note, make sure you send some gratitude his/her way as well. You never know how much influence this person has and you want to develop as many organizational allies as possible.
How soon do you need to send them out? The “Thank You Letter after interview” needs to be sent within 24 hours. The quick turnaround time demonstrates your heightened level of interest in the position and your professionalism. Although you can send them through regular mail, my suggestion is to drop them off in person. In this fashion, you eliminate the risk of them not reaching their destination and it gives you an opportunity to properly thank the receptionist for his/her time in providing the information to you over the phone. You can purchase a small gift card to the local café, or something small, yet thoughtful, to show your appreciation and to develop that relationship. If you get the job, you have made an immediate friend. If this position happens to go to someone else, you still have a warm contact internally to follow up with if another position becomes available down the road.
As a job seeker, you can not afford to ignore the “Thank You Letter after interview” step. Properly written, it is a wonderful opportunity to maintain your “top of mind” position from the perspective of the employer. It creates a lasting impression of you as a potential candidate and it can tip the scale if the position is extremely competitive. You want every advantage you can get and this is one easily missed. Take the initiative and slant the playing field in your favor.
