It’s supposed to be common knowledge that you should send a thank you note after job interviews, but it’s surprising how many people don’t.
Don’t fail to send a thank you. They really do make you stand out from the crowd and give you another opportunity to highlight a key point or two in your favor.
Here are a few questions people ask about thank you notes:
Should I send a note or an email?
Always send a thank you email, not a handwritten note. It’s nice to have a handwritten note, but they really only work if you can get them to the hiring managers (interviewer) on the same day. Otherwise, your note may not get to the hiring manager in time. Hiring decisions that happen while the post office still has your letter. You want to make sure you’re in the running until the end.
Send your email within 24 hours of your interview. Timing matters.
What should my thank you email say?
Your thank you should always be substantial. Generic letters that only thank them for taking the time to speak with you won’t make you stand out from the other candidates.
Your note should mention that you enjoyed talking with them, and then elaborate on that. Maybe add some additional reasons why you and your skills are a great fit, now that you’ve spoken to them in detail about the job. Maybe you can further the conversation by mentioning an idea you talked about and why it makes you even more enthusiastic about working there. Let them know when you’ll be contacting them again to follow up.
See sample thank you notes for interviews.
What if I don’t have their email address?
If you didn’t get a business card or an email address before you left, you can try to find it on your own–and it may not be that difficult. Try to Google the interviewer’s email address with: *@thecompanyname.com. (Naturally, ‘thecompanyname.com’ is the company’s web address.) Google will fill in the star (*) with possibilities it finds. It should lead you to the email addresses of many people who work there. If you spoke with more than one person, find all their email addresses and send each one a note.
One last thing…make sure your note IS your email…not an attachment to your email.
**Learn how to handle post-interview thank you notes, calls and more in a Free Download of my podcast, Following Up After the Interview.
I think its a fabulous idea. I have never done it before. I promise I will. I am sure it will make a huge difference.
I have always written thank you notes. I have found the info regarding email thank yous and timeliness is correct – decisions can be made while “snail mail” is being sent.