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THANK YOU LETTERS
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Send thank you letters to
anyone who has:
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referred you to employers |
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interviewed you for employment |
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offered you a position |
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rejected you for employment |
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provided you with general
information |
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written recommendations for you |
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Timing
Try to send the letters within 24
hours of the interviews, a maximum of two days later.
Length of your letter
Keep it to a brief page.
Don't stress over it too much - it's more important just to send
something quickly than to delay doing it for days.
Personalize each letter
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When interviewing with several
people at one organization, take a few seconds between interviews to
jot down some notes about each conversation. Use these notes when
writing individualized thank you letters to each interviewer. |
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When sending letters to several
people at an organization, each letter does not need to be
completely different from the rest. But don't send identical letters
to several people - your letters will generally all end up in your
file in the Human Resources department. |
Content of your letter
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Thank the interviewer for his or
her time, and reiterate your interest in the job and your enthusiasm
for the company. |
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Whenever possible, say
something that will help your interviewer remember you as an
individual from amongst all the candidates:
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addressing a topic of
particular interest (to your interviewer or to you) that arose
during the conversation, especially where that topic reflects
favourably on your job-related skills (for example, you talked
for 15 minutes about the mountaineering trip you led last summer
or your research on the health care industry); OR:
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addressing an interviewer's
specific concern in greater detail than was possible during the
actual interview (for example, the interviewer seemed
concerned that you did not have the quantitative skills
necessary for the job); OR:
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re-emphasizing a skill or
strength important to that interviewer (for example, the
interviewer showed a particular interest in your sports and
team-related activities); OR:
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inserting a little
humour into
the process.
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Other tips
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Ask for your interviewers'
business cards, or write down the
interviewers' titles and the proper spelling of their names before
leaving the interview site. |
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Carefully proof read each
letter and have one other person do
so, too. |
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Print each letter on a
high quality linen or bond paper
(available at most copy centres), in white, off-white, cream or
light grey, and mail them in matching envelopes. |
E-mail vs. 'snail' mail
The following is a summary of employer
responses to this question, as posed by the National Association of
Colleges and Employers. Three out of the four employers responding said
that an e-mail thank-you note is acceptable. One said that thank-you
notes should be sent by mail. Here's what each said:
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One employer said that e-mail from
an applicant is very welcome. You should use the same formal
wording in the e-mail that you use when sending correspondence
through regular mail the employer said, although e-mail shouldn't
sound like a form letter. You should include a few comments or
highlights from the interview, and then close by stating an interest
in the position and company. Many applicants do not use thank-you
notes anymore, the employer added. And the lack of courtesy is
disappointing. The employer noted that the lack of a thank-you note
can factor in the hiring decision. If a job candidate cannot find
the time to write a brief note, the employer says, how can he or she
apply attention to detail and/or protocol on the job? |
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A second employer said that
thank-you notes should not be sent via e-mail. The employer
backs up this opinion by quoting from etiquette professionals who
say all thank-you notes should be sent via regular mail. The reason?
A letter is more personal. |
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A third employer said that it is
appropriate to respond with e-mail. Hiring is moving at a quicker
pace, so e-mail seems to be more effective at times. The form of the
e-mail is not critical; however, the subject line should say
'Interview Follow-up' or 'Thank you for the Interview.' Sincere
notes are preferred. This employer looks for the candidate who asks
for the job! |
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The final employer said that when
sending e-mail resumes and cover letters, applicants should follow
the same guidelines as for paper correspondence. Applicants should
send formal correspondence using the appropriate salutation (e.g.,
Mr., Mrs., Dr.) and ending with a signature line that includes a
mailing address, e-mail address, web address, and fax and telephone
numbers. |
http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers/skills/letters/thanks/
Interviews |
