Sending thank you letters after an interview should be a standard part of your job search technique. Used effectively, this form of communication is your opportunity to show the hiring manager that you are a good fit for the position you were discussing at the meeting and to distinguish yourself from other qualified applicants.
Why Send Out Thank You Letters After an Interview
Sending thank you letters after interviewing for a job is an excellent job search It is a great way to differentiate yourself from other interviewees, as many people do not take the time to follow up in this way. There are several reasons that applicants might not follow up a job interview by sending a letter of thanks to the interviewer. First, it simply may not occur to them to do so. In some cases, job seekers may mistakenly assume that the hiring manager has already made up his or her mind about who will be hired, and so feel that sending thank you letters after an interview won't have an impact on the outcome.
The fact that not every job seeker will take the time to send a follow up letter can work to your advantage if you are willing to use this job search technique. Sending a thank you letter to a hiring manager virtually ensures that you will stand out from the other people who interviewed for the position. If you are in the running for the job, the fact that you send a follow up letter may sway the interviewer in your favor when it is time to make a final decision about who will receive a job offer.
Tips for Writing a Thank You Letter
The quality of the thank you letter that you send is very important. Use the letter as an opportunity to make a pitch to the employer for the job, pointing out the traits and skills that make you a good choice for the position. You can also use the letter as an opportunity to clarify or expand on points that came up during the interview. Proofread carefully before sending the letter so that you can be certain that it reads well and is free from typographical, spelling, and grammatical mistakes. See Sample Thank You for Interview Letter for an example document.
Here are some suggestions for writing an effective thank you letter following an interview:
- Thank the Interviewer
The first thing you should do when writing this type of letter is thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you. Everyone likes to feel that his or her time is respected, and including this piece of information at the beginning of the thank you letter gets the content started off on the right foot.
- Be Enthusiastic
Be sure that the tone of the letter conveys your enthusiasm for the job. Along with education and prior work experience, a prospective employer will consider whether the job applicant is enthusiastic about joining the company. The hiring manager is looking for someone who can has the work ethic to come to work on time and be productive once he or she is on the premises.
- Clarify Points Covered During the Interview
After leaving the meeting, you may realize that you didn't fully answer a question or remember something that should have been added to the information provided during the interview. Include this information in the body of your thank you letter.
- Share Accomplishments
The thank you letter after the interview also gives you a chance to tell the hiring manager about your accomplishments and explain why they make you a great candidate for the open position. As long as the accomplishments can be related to the discussion during the interview, it's appropriate to share them in the letter.
- Discuss Next Steps
During the interview, the hiring manager may have mentioned that he or she will let the job seeker know whether an offer of employment will be extended by a certain time. If this is the case, consider reiterating this fact in the thank you letter by stating that you look forward to hearing from the employer.
If the hiring manager doesn't mention the next step, mention that you will be in touch by phone or e-mail on a set date. This statement shows that you is interested in the position, which will create a positive impression on the hiring manager.
Regular Mail or E-mail For Thank You Letter
While sending thank you letters after an interview is traditionally done by regular mail, in some cases sending an e-mail after the meeting may be considered appropriate. If the interview was conducted for a job with a high tech company, e-mail can be used. However, if the job seeker is looking for work in a more conservative field, such as law or banking, it's best to use regular mail to send a thank you note to the interviewer.
