Now that we've officially settled into the digital age, many old-school job seeking practices have been thrown out the window. One formality that was popular years ago but has all but faded away is sending a thank you letter.
What is a Thank You Letter?
A thank you letter is a note or card sent to a hiring manager via snail mail. It's usually sent after you've completed the interview process to let the manager know that you appreciate them taking time to meet with you and that you thoroughly enjoyed the interview.
Thank you letters also give you an opportunity to reiterate why you're excited about the position for which you're applying while clueing the manager in to the fact that you'd like to continue your communications with them in the near future. The letters are usually short and to-the-point, serving as a quick reminder that you're still very actively pursuing the job.
Why Thank You Letters Are Still Important
Most hiring managers will tell you that only a small number of interviewees follow up with a thank you letter. This means if you send one, you increase your chances of standing out from the rest of the pack.
Of course, a thank you letter can't guarantee you a job offer. If you're not qualified, you're just not qualified. But it could at least encourage a manager to more seriously consider you as a candidate.
Remember, the job search is all about being qualified, memorable, and polite--two of which are covered by the thank you letter. So take time to write one after each interview. You might be surprised by the results.
Have You Written Your Thank You Letter Yet?
Posted by
Jessica Holbrook
•
-
Jamie Jones •I have tried the Thank you letters and notes and I do not get the positive response. However i have a question. I had an interview with a lawyers office for the secretary position and I have called 4-5 times. I did not send the Thank You Letter but i do have somewhat of a Insider that my friend knows and she said they are still Interviewing. I was told at the end of the Interview that I was defitnetly qualified for the position, I have my Associate's Degree in Business Administrative as well as previous jobs were as Office assistant or Administrative Assistant. So here's a Question even though it has been over 24 hours, should I send a Thank you note or letter? I do really hope i can get the position, It would work out very well for communiting back and forth. I did not ask what the hours were or how much the position started as I have had mix reviews from people that I have talked to - Some Employers do not mind and some do mind so I thought, well since I had Applied for two positions and it did not say for whom it was for I figured that would be the proper question. I simply said "I had applied for both positions in the paper that I sent my Resume and I was wondering which position you were hiring for? -
Linda Pintler •In today's electronic world, would an email be an acceptable form for the thank you note?
-
Ernest Crank •Totally agree with concept of sending a thank-you letter after interviewing. Selling yourself don't stop at the conclusion of the interview.
-
Dibbles McPhee •By the time it takes snail mail to get to the prospective employer, they may have already selected another candidate. Send your thank-you letter by e-mail.
-
Frances LaBar •So a follow up thank you email is not appropriate? I always envisioned the interviewer getting this little card and just rolling their eyes, like,"I have time for this?" An email or even a phone call/voice mail shows you are thorough and do respect their time.
-
Carolyn Thomas •I always have sent thank you notes via email. Is this not appropriate? Should I be sending a hand written letter?
-
A "thank you" is a good idea. Too bad that it does not build character in some employers to make them considerate enough to call you or write to you that you didn't get the job! For the many thank you letters I've submitted over the years, only ONE wrote me back to tell me that they're considering me for the job. The rest have shown that they couldn't give a darn about me by their not letting me know that they've given the job to somebody else! People are a trip!
-
Nancy Amoroso •Good manners never go out of style
-
ALAN HELGERSON •100% agree! I lost my job and after 3 months, a job became available at a local ice cream manufacturer. After the interview, I immediately sent a thank you note that very afternoon. I was one of 60 who applied for the job and I got it! Definately worth the time to write one!
-
ALAN HELGERSON •100% agree! I lost my job and after 3 months, a job became available at a local ice cream manufacturer. After the interview, I immediately sent a thank you note that very afternoon. I was one of 60 who applied for the job and I got it! Definately worth the time to write one!
-
Bruce Feldman •I strongly agree that a thank you letter can help differentiate you from your competition. I always make a point of sending off a thank you letter to each and every person I met with during the course of the interview. It should also be done within 24 hrs of the interview.
-
Susan Brunner •Absolutely a great gesture to thank the employer or recruiter for the opportunity and time they have taken with you. Also, to add personal positive comments about how much you enjoyed and feel like a fit for the position, would be a huge compliment to the interviewer; making you stand out in the crowd. How do I do that thru snail mail?
-
aly ashour •Respect Other's Freedom, Beliefs & Values
-
Satch •And I thought I was the sensible one. Thanks for setting me striaght.
-
Cat W. •I agree completely with Jessica on how a thank-you note is a significant element in the job search process. Something else to consider is that in advertising it takes 3 times for a message to be seen before it is noticed or remembered. So it is with job hunting: #1 is your resume, #2 is your job interview, and #3 is your handwritten thank-you note. A method I share when I do presentations is to write a FIRST DRAFT of your thank-you note, make all the corrections to your spelling and grammar, and THEN copy it onto your good stationery. By doing it this way, you are more relaxed and your handwriting improves automatically!And, when it comes down to two equally qualified candidates, and only one of them sends a thank-you note, who do you think is the one who will be getting the job offer?
-
You Might Also Be Interested In
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!