The Art of Saying “Thank You”

By Peter Newfield | April 18, 2017 |

Craft a Thank You immediately after your interview

We’ve all played the anxious, nail-biting waiting game. The interview is over and now the anticipation begins. In order to fill the time and make a truly lasting impression craft a Thank You immediately after your interview.

A Thank You can make all the difference

A well timed and worded Thank You shows that you have follow though, initiative, manners, and professionalism. Plus, it is one more time your name will come across the hiring force’s desk, keeping you in his or her mind.

Different Types of Thank You Notes

There is no right or wrong way to send a thank you. Well, there is a wrong way, which would be not to send one at all. But we’ve already covered that.

The type of thank you that you send is up to you and what you feel comfortable with and have time for.

Here are some guidelines:

Hand Written Thank Youpen for writing thank you note

A traditional, hand written thank you is definitely more rare than the quicker,  convenient email, but it takes more time. If you are expecting a quick decision and turn around time for hire, sending an email is just fine. However, if you really want to stand out, a hand mailed thank you may just be your ticket.

Some things to consider:

  • Mail it within a day of your interview
  • Use a plane card or stationary, something classy but not flashy
  • Address it to the person who interviewed you directly (at the company)
  • If you interviewed with more than one person at the same company, send individual thank yous.
  • Keep the message simple (see below)
  • If you have bad handwriting, either try really really hard to make it legible, or have someone else write if for you (seriously, you want the recipient to be able to read it.)
  • If your signature is not legible, print your name below it so they know who it is from.

E-Mail Thank You

In the digital age it is perfectly acceptable to email a thank you post interview. Especially if you expect a tight turn around in the hiring process (hopefully this is the case!)

Some things to keep in mind:

  • Send it withing a day of the interview
  • Keep it short and simple
  • If you interviewed with more than one person be sure to send each person a thank you.

Note: There is a no hard rule in sending one email to multiple people, but individual emails really don’t take that much more time and it will show that you personally made the effort, so you be the judge. It is perfectly acceptable for each email to basically say the same thing.

Things to include in a post-interview thank you

The following is a generic thank you letter meant to be used as a guide. You can put your personal spin on it.

Dear _________________,

Thank you very much for the interview [today/yesterday/or date].

In reviewing the opportunity for ___________ [position/job title] with _______ [name of company], I feel confident that I would be a great fit for the position.

I really want to work for your company because ______________.

Sincerely,

[your name]

Thank you For Your Time

Dear Reader,

Thank you very much for reading this article today. We feel confident you will do great since you are sharpening your job search skills. If there is anything else we can help you with please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Peter Newfield and the CareerResumes.com team

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