Sending a note after an interview is a great habit, and one to keep throughout your career. Timing is everything in the job market, and it can help you land a job by keeping your name in front of the decision-maker. While email is the business-communication norm, in some cases doing the unexpected — sending a hand-written note of appreciation — is a good idea.
Here’s why. In a recent conversation with a hiring professional the topic of thank-you notes came up. He mentioned the hand-written note he’d gotten in the mail recently. All those email thank-you notes in his email? The were read in the daily course of business. The snail-mail thank-you note? He still has it.
While sending a thank-you note may seem old-school, it may be a good idea, even if it takes longer to get to the recipient. A well-constructed note of appreciation can add to the rapport established during the interview, but it can get lost in the sea of emails people get each day.
In Dale Carnegie’s book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” he talked about the significance of making another person feel important by connecting with them in a personal way. People remember those who take the time to recognize their presence. A written note or letter of appreciation can add to the impression you made during the interview. Your correspondence can strengthen the employer’s decision.
Using different methods of communication is a good strategy, and while emailing a thank-you note might be appropriate for one occasion, it might not have the same impact for all situations. Don’t limit the way you express yourself. Taking the time to craft a note can be an effective way to keep the attention of the hiring decision-maker.
There are differing opinions about the way to deliver your thank-you message after an interview. Most agree it’s important to express your gratitude to the interviewer in some way. While it’s true that letter writing can send the impression you aren’t tech-savvy, if you use it sparingly as another communication tool, it can be an example of how well you write and communicate.
If you decide to write a note, make sure your handwriting is legible and there are no misspellings. It also helps to double-check the mailing address. You want to make sure that note gets to the intended recipient.
Regardless of how you send your note, remember that the purpose of a thank-you note is to keep your name in front of the decision-maker and continue the conversation by expressing your gratitude for the interviewer’s time and interest and presenting your enthusiasm about the job and the ways your background will add value.
What’s your preferred method to send a post-interview thank-you note?
