Question:
Tips for writing a thank you note after an interview: Contents? Length? Format?
Answer:
The appropriate format for a thank you note depends on the age, technological expertise of the recipient, and the corporate culture. If it's a technology company, they might wonder about your technical skills if you sent a hand-written note. On the other hand, members of a law firm might think you too informal if you use e-mail. Take your cues from their recruiting methods and the ways they have communicated with you, or just ask the HR person. The hand-written note is typically considered the most proper (and old-fashioned).
Important DO's:
- Send the note within 24 hours of the interview, even if you were interviewed on a Friday.
- Keep the note (not “letter”!) to no more than 4 paragraphs, or one typewritten page.
- Send a thank you to EACH PERSON who interviewed you, regardless of their rank, including the HR person who MAY be your best friend through this process.
- If you send a thank you to more than one person, make each note different - they will probably be compared at some point.
The thank you contents should include:
- Opening - "I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to meet with me on (date)." Use your own words - but the same idea.
- "I enjoyed the opportunity to meet you (and who ever else) and to learn more about (company name)...
- If there's something you wish you had said about your experience, a point you wish you had made, a connection you made with the interviewer, or something that you think might need emphasizing, put that in a short paragraph with an informative/marketing spin.
- Close by reiterating your interest in working for the employer, and say that you'll be back in touch with the person and/or the recruiter - or whatever protocol has been established - by (specify a date a couple of weeks after they should recieve your thank you unless they told you when they'd be making a decision during the interview).
Simply by sending a thank you note, you will be differentiating yourself from the vast majority of applicants. Great marketing!
Thank you for *NOT* hiring me?
Yes! If you get turned down for the job, send them ANOTHER thank you.
Thank them - again - for their time and the opportunity to learn more about the company. Send it to the hiring manager, the HR person, and whomever else seems appropriate. Close with something like, “Please keep me in mind for future openings.” Why? In case the “successful candidate” doesn’t work out – you’ll be waiting in the wings! And, even if they do work out, you may be top of mind for the next opening, which can happen often in a growing company.
See Job-Hunt's “Turning Rejection into Opportunity” article for more tips on the thank-you-for-not-hiring-me note - link in the Source below. Good luck!
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