Congrats! You made it through the job interview, and you think you aced it. The interviewer acted as if they really liked you, but they admitted to having more interviews before making a decision. You really want that job, and you want to prove it. To stand out from the other interviewees, you could send a thank-you note. Thank you notes can have a big impact on interviewers and their perception of you after an interview. In fact, there’s even a Thank You Note Day to recognize how important the cards can be in the right circumstance (which by the way is December 26th). It’s important to understand how a thank you note can help you get a job and what you should say when you send one. As a thank you for visiting our site, here are a few tips the team at 24 Seven Talent wanted to share with you.
Keep It Simple & Personal
In this case, it’s the thought that counts. You don’t want to spend a lot of time writing a long message in your note. The interviewer is busy, and they will appreciate a note that is short and to the point. A simple message like “Thank you for taking the time for an interview” is a good start. Then, reiterate your interest in the role and how excited you are to be considered. Keep your message short, thoughtful, and to the point. Three or four sentences is all you need. It lets the person know you are grateful for the opportunity without taking up a lot of their time. The image on the card should be professional and simple as well. Remember, this note is extending the impression you made during the interview – so choose wisely. You should include the name of the interviewer to show that it is personalized and not just sent out to everyone you have interviewed with at various jobs. If you had multiple interviews for the same position, you should send a thank you note to each person with whom you met.
Don’t Market with a Thank You Note
A major “don’t” when you send a thank you note post interview is to put pressure on the interviewer to hire you. For instance, don’t ask when you can expect an answer or tell the person you’ll be following up in a week. If you did well in the interview, you shouldn’t need to do any marketing in your thank you note. In fact, you should think about how thank you notes affect interviews before you write your message. Your comments should include something specific about the interview to ensure the person remembers you. You can even mention your interest in the position and anything important about your qualifications if it wasn’t covered during your meeting. However, this is not the time to reiterate everything on your resume or that you spoke about in the interview. A thank you message which is too long won’t be as effective as one that is short and to the point. Some key tips to help with thank you notes:
Get a business card from the interviewer so you know where to send the thank you note
Handwrite the message unless you have terrible penmanship
Proofread the message and correct any errors
Send it out right away
If you send a message via email, follow up with a mailed note as well – snail mail stands out these days and feels special
Even if you aren’t interested in the job, sending a thank you note is a sign of good manners. You never know when your path might cross again with these individuals – better to leave a good impression that lasts
You just might be surprised to find that a thank you message could be the one detail that lands you a job over other qualified candidates. Take this extra step in your job search process to stand out from everyone else.
Check out our full Interview Resource for more tips and tricks to ace your next interview.