I think the Golden Girls said it best in their theme song “Thank You For Being A Friend.” These ladies even saw the wisdom in sending a thank you card.

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Jerika Stallings, a dental assisting graduate from Community Care College wrote me and said, “Make sure you stress to the students to write thank you cards. I was told today if I wouldn’t have wrote the thank you card I wouldn’t have gotten the job. It’s what sealed the deal.”

 An Article by G.L. Hoffman covers the 5 things that should be covered in a thank-you note. Simply writing a thank-you note puts you in the top 10 percent of job seekers, since most applicants don’t bother.

  1. Format: You can E-mail it, yes. But snail mail is best, whether typed or handwritten. It is too tempting and too easy to do a cut/paste thing with E-mail, and this letter should be personal and direct. It should also be perfectly done–from using correct spelling to using the correct postage.
  2. thankyoufryBasics: Thank the interviewer for her time and consideration for the job. Be specific about the job–”the customer service position in your branch office”–as they may have interviewed a dozen candidates for four different jobs that day.
  3. Show you listened: At some point during the interview, you probably heard something you most likely did not know about the job or company. Mention that briefly: “When you told me about X, I thought about Y.”
  4. One more time: During your interview, you should have focused your answers on what you can do for the company. Either refresh their memory about this or even better, give them one more thing. “I have been thinking about this position and I know I can help because I can do A, B and C.” Remember, specificity sells over generalizations.
  5. Closing: Let the interviewer know you are ready to begin. And give your contact information, don’t make her look for your resume in the pile to find your E-mail or phone numbers.

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Additional thoughts on the matter…

A thank you note just makes sense. So many people apply for positions online. This increases the quantity of possible qualified employees. With that being said you want to be remembered. A thank you note reminds the employer out of all the candidates they met with why you are the one they need to call back in. A great thank you note might even allow you to surpass a second or third interview and get the position offer.  Always send a thank you note even when you don’t get offered the position. Career Services is here to help in the event that you need help with this or any other  particular part of your professional career search.

 

Re-blogged and Edited by: LaWanna Summers

View sample of Thank You Letters: Thank You Letter Sample

Text from: How to Write the Perfect Thank-You Note After the Interview – On Careers (usnews.com). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2009/02/10/the-perfect-thank-you-note-after-the-interview

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