Should You Send a Thank You Note?

Should You Send a Thank You Note?
In today's electronic age, there is often some confusion as
to whether you should send a thank you note after a job
interview. Some people believe it is not necessary and
others think it is a nice touch. I will go beyond that and
say it is a must!

Jobs have been won on the basis of a good thank you note.
But it must be a good follow-up note. Although there is
nothing wrong with saying "it was nice meeting you... and I
am excited about the position", that kind of communication
doesn't SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY a thank you letter offers.
If you did your homework and CONTROLLED the interview, then
you will walk out knowing exactly what they are looking for
in a candidate and what the greatest challenge is that will
be faced. Your thank you letter is your opportunity to
remind them that you can overcome that challenge and
deliver the results they are seeking. This little reminder
can often tip the scales in your favor.

Imagine though that the interview didn't go as well as you
wanted or you want to ensure that you have the competitive
edge. Another smart tactic with a follow-up note is to add
that you gathered a lot of information in your interview
and will surely have some additional questions as you give
some thought to how you would face the challenges the job
presents. Add "I hope you don't mind if I give you a call
in the next day or so to ask you some follow-up questions".
This indicates that you are taking the job seriously and
are thinking about challenges and solutions. It also gives
you the chance to continue the dialog and build rapport
with the key decision makers. Remember: people hire people
that they like!

Here are my rules for a good interview follow-up letter.
First of all, if you met multiple people, send each one a
note and make sure it is different and reflects the
conversation you had. I suggest you email them a note
within 24 hours and then also follow-up with a mailed
letter - handwritten is best. If you provide this kind of
attention to detail and service, imagine what you can do
for their internal/external customers? You can't lose by
doing this and you have everything to gain. In short, there
is no downside and it might just be the reason you get the
offer.

Note: I just saw these statistics after writing this and
they confirm my thoughts: in a recent poll, 88% of
executives said sending a thank-you note following an
interview can boost a job seeker's chances and only 51% of
applicants do so. They also said that 52% prefer a
handwritten note and 44% prefer email. Need more proof?

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Don Goodman, President of About Jobs
(http://www.GotTheJob.com ) is a nationally recognized
Career Coach and Resume Writer. A graduate of the Wharton
School of Business and Stanford University's Executive
Program, Don has helped thousands of people secure their
next job. Read his blog at http://www.GotTheJob.com/blog/
or contact him at 800-909-0109 or by e-mail at
dgoodman@GotTheJob.com.