How to write a thank you note after interview

What would you usually do after an interview? Just wait a few days and then ring up the interviewer for an update?

According to monster.com, writing a thank you note after an interview could help you seal the deal of a job! It’s not only a polite and nice gesture, it’s a good opportunity to remind your interviewer of who you are, and allow you to connect once again on a nice note.

Sending a thank you note can be a deal maker/breaker

There’s a recent debate on how essential this old tradition of sending a thank you note is. While not all HR managers make the thank-you note a criteria to advance a candidate, survey has shown majority of interviewers find it helpful. According to a survey by Accountemps. 80% of hiring managers find such messages helpful when reviewing candidates.

Yet, only 1 out of 4 interviewers reported that they receive thank you notes from their candidates. Considering how many people forget to do this, it’s an easy to earn brownie point.

Why does it matter?

Critics had argued that this should not be the deal breaker, since one’s suitability and capability matters more. Opinion asides, statistics had definitely showed that the preference of a note prevails.

Sending a post thank you note signals an applicant’s sincerity and keen interest in the job. Vice versa, if someone does not send a card, it signals that he or she probably doesn’t want the job, and that the candidate might actually reject an offer.

Not matter which side of the fence you are on, sending a thank you note while others don’t, definitely puts you ahead of the game.

Write the perfect post interview Thank You Note

So, how do you write the perfect post interview thank you note?

Forbes.com recommends both a short post-interview thank you note in a hand written card, and a lengthier email as second follow-up.

It is definitely a nice gesture to receive a handwritten card from someone you just interviewed. Where the email will come across as an aggressive self pitch, a handwritten card will come across as a more sincere thank you for one’s time.

You can easily order a pack of thank you cards from Amazon. As the card is small, all you need is a short paragraph thanking the interviewer’s for the opportunity, his or her time and precious sharing during the discussion. You could also share your own excitement about the opportunity.

Benefits of sending a physical thank you card

Sending a thank you card is great for a few reasons:

• You are reminding your interviewer of who you are, and of the interview that took place. This is better than a cold call days later asking for the outcome of an interview that she might not have even remembered.
• The card is short and simple, a passive aggressive way of keeping yourself in view for the position without being pushy.
• A handwritten letter adds a personal touch (and personality) to your interaction.
• You are reinforcing your own personal brand – as a sincere, polite candidate who knows how to interact well with people in social and business contexts.
• In a market where only 24% of candidates do this, you will easily stand out.
• Finally, sending in a quick thank you note will buy you a longer time to reflect on the followup email, and allow yourself the space to process your own thoughts regarding the job opportunity.

If there are multiple interviewers, do note to take down everyone’s names and designations, so that you can send a card to each interviewers post the interview.

After the card, follow up with email

After you are clear about how much you do want the job, work on the email. Take the chance to do a final sales pitch of yourself, and to reiterate your strength and suitability for the job as discussed during the interview. However, observe these dos and don’ts of a thank you email.

There are many examples of post interview thank you emails, but in short, you want to achieve the following with your email:

• You want to continue the conversation by recapping the discussion in concise point form, and to check for understanding. You can write this in point form.
• You want to demonstrate that you are not just eager to tell them who you are, BUT you listen, and you understand job and challenge at hand. That it’s about THE COMPANY, not you.
• You want to reinforce your strength and give them reasons why they should hire you for the job. You can also share with her of a personal anecdote or experience (e.g. problem solving) to demonstrate resolve and the positive trait.

Finally…

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