The Thank You Note

Here's a well written article on the importance of following up via thank you note by Forbes Contributor Lisa Quast:

As she walked out the door of the office building where she had just finished a job interview, “Jane” (name changed) wanted to jump in the air and dance across the street. Her interview had gone so well she was sure they’d offer her the position. Or so she thought. Unfortunately, Jane didn’t bother to follow-up after the interview with a thank you note.

“Many job seekers believe that the interview is over once they step out of the office, but that’s simply not the case,” said Amanda Augustine, job search expert for TheLadders. “Based on my decade-long experience in conducting interviews, I can attest first-hand that failure to follow-up can be the deciding factor in rejecting a candidate who is otherwise a great fit.”

How you follow up after an interview depends mainly on the culture of the company. Typically, this means sending an emailed thank you note later that day. An Accountemps survey revealed 87 percent of hiring managers now view email as an appropriate way to express thanks after a job interview.

If the company culture is a bit more traditional or formal, a handwritten or typed (and mailed) thank you note sent within 24 hours is still acceptable. While a telephone call is also an option for thanking a hiring manager, it’s not something I recommend. I say this because, as a hiring manager for many, many years, the last thing I wanted was a candidate to interrupt my busy day to thank me for the job interview they just had.

The least appreciated method of thanking a hiring manager is sending a text message. According to the Accountemps survey, only 10 percent of hiring managers viewed texting as appropriate. Thankfully, I’ve only had this happen once, when a candidate texted, “Thx for the intrvw!” While texting might be convenient, it’s not appropriate for job interview thank you notes.

What should you include in your thank you note to the hiring manager? Here are my recommendations:

• The hiring manager’s name
• The title of the open position
• Something specific about the interview or important items discussed
• Your interest in the position
• Your appreciation for their time (the “thank you” part)
• Your recognition of the next steps in the hiring process
• Your contact information

Still not sure what to write? Here’s an example:

Dear <insert hiring manager name here>,

     Thank you for your time today to discuss the open position in your department, Customer Call Center Manager, Job ID #2727. Both the interview and the tour of the call center made for an exciting visit. I was impressed with the teamwork and positive spirit among the employees I met during the tour.

     Your description of a “day in the life” of the Manager position helped me gain a better understanding of the daily job responsibilities and I appreciate your openness in sharing your key goals for the department. I’m excited about the possibility of using my call center background, specifically my expertise in process improvement and people management, to help you achieve the department objectives. The interview reinforced my interest in becoming a part of your team.

     I look forward to hearing from you next week after you’ve interviewed the remaining two candidates. Thank you again for the opportunity to interview for the Customer Call Center Manager position. Should you have any additional questions, I may be reached at (222) 222-2222 or Name.Name@TBD.com.

Sincerely,

Your name here (and contact information underneath)

Data released by CareerBuilder shows 22 percent of hiring managers are less likely to hire a job candidate if they don’t send a thank you note after an interview because they believe it shows a lack of follow-through and that they aren’t serious about the job opportunity. Don’t be like “Jane” at the beginning of this blog – take the time to send a customized thank you note as a way to differentiate yourself from the other job candidates and to reinforce your interest in the position.