Thank-You Notes: Your Thoughtfulness will be Rewarded


I get asked these questions over and over: "Should I send separate thank-you notes to everyone who interviewed me? Can I just send one thank-you note to the hiring manager and ask him/her to thank others involved in the process?"

The answers are yes and no, respectively.

Send a separate thank-you note to everyone who interviewed you, whether it was an informal pre-interview phone call, an interview lunch meeting, or the final formal interview after a lengthy process.

Don't be stingy with your thank yous!

It's an easy thing to do, it will only take a few minutes--and it will make the recipients feel good about you!

Why wouldn't you jump at the chance to do that?

You can make your thank-you notes relatively short. They can be sent via snail-mail or email.

(There are differing opinions on which is best. I prefer the now "special" touch of a real letter over the routine method of email; others think email is best because it's faster. Just remember that what you say is more important than how you send it.)

Make each thank-you note slightly different by mentioning something in particular that you and the recipient discussed. This is a good reason to do your thank-you notes right away, while the interview is fresh in your mind. You might even want to take notes for this purpose.

Here's a great tip that will really impress the hiring manager: add a P.S. that mentions how helpful someone was, by name. I'm not talking about people directly involved in the interviews; they should get their own thank-you notes. But if there was a receptionist, an administrative assistant, or someone else who was helpful during your interview process, say so. Those people are rarely recognized, but may have influence with the hiring manager. The boss will think of you as someone who appreciates his team, notices things most other people overlook, and goes the extra mile.

Why make this a P.S.? Studies show that most people read the P.S. before (or even instead of) reading the main body of a letter. This P.S. will get attention and impress the reader, which will get your entire letter read and your thoughtfulness remembered!

Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.







Related News



Economic Downturn Has Many Reconsidering Retirement Plans - RedOrbit

Economic Downturn Has Many Reconsidering Retirement Plans
RedOrbit, TX -13 hours ago
They will remain on the job, take new jobs, go back to school for retraining, start new careers and become entrepreneurs in late life. You name it. ...

Overt bias against women has become less common on the job - Buffalo News

Overt bias against women has become less common on the job
Buffalo News,  United States -2 hours ago
Child care remains a big issue for women, with surveys showing women still feel that they are the primary caregivers and that this can hurt their careers. ...

Bye-bye to career employment for Baby Boomer men - Examiner.com

Examiner.com

Bye-bye to career employment for Baby Boomer men
Examiner.com -Oct 1, 2008
"Career employment – meaning employment with a single employer from middle age to retirement – is no longer the norm. So if workers are to remain in the ...


Agencies Step Up For Jobless As Economy Slumps - Tampa Tribune

Agencies Step Up For Jobless As Economy Slumps
Tampa Tribune, FL -1 hour ago
"The biggest thing I have observed is that you have a lot of people who have gone through much of their careers going from one job to another by word of ...

The death of office politics - Business Standard

The death of office politics
Business Standard, India -3 hours ago
Today’s 20- and 30-year-olds disdain careers in large companies as “so last century.” They have eviscerated organisational politics everywhere with one ...

Launch of Choice – MTA Tourism Career Awareness Programme - Malta Independent Online

Launch of Choice – MTA Tourism Career Awareness Programme
Malta Independent Online, Malta -13 hours ago
... fourth and fifth year students to careers in the tourism industry, showing that the tourism industry can be a source of gainful and rewarding employment...

The big letdown - The Gazette (Montreal)

The big letdown
The Gazette (Montreal), Canada -Oct 4, 2008
About a year ago, the career coaches at Youth Employment Services Montreal began noticing an increase in the number of depressed and anxious job seekers ...

Irene Krechowiecka answers your employment questions - guardian.co.uk

Irene Krechowiecka answers your employment questions
guardian.co.uk, UK -Oct 3, 2008
Can you tell me if it is possible to pursue this career with my academic background? The programme you mention sparked huge interest in careers in probate ...

Workers bust employment stereotypes - NEWS.com.au

Workers bust employment stereotypes
NEWS.com.au, Australia -22 hours ago
While garbage truck drivers continue to earn more than childcare workers there's no financial incentive for men to switch to careers into female dominated ...

Manufacturers face lack of new workers - Green Bay Press Gazette

Manufacturers face lack of new workers
Green Bay Press Gazette, WI -12 hours ago
We manufacturers have to get people, and especially young people, to realize that careers in manufacturing are good for their future and that many of the ...