Sending a thank you note after an interview...

[TimeforMe]

is it OK to do it via e-mail?

I work in a school district and recently applied for a new (and better) position. I interviewed with 3 people (2 of which I now very well) from the district. I would like to send a thank you note but not sure if it's "proper" to send it via e-mail. Whaddaya think?

 

[dmslush]

I am job hunting also. I send mine through snail mail. I have very nice thank you cards and I like to use them.

 

[M 'n C]

It depends on how soon the decision will be made. For my current job they were making the decision basically the next day so as soon as my flight landed I emailed a nice thank you note. Otherwise I snail mail it.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

If at all possible send via snail mail.

When I was interviewing I would have the envelope addressed and the letter almost written and I would drop it in the mail on my way home.

 

[LukenDC]

Most interviewees do not send thank you notes, so HR folks like myself are usually pleased to receive one regardless of the format in which it arrives. And if you are wondering if those thank you notes make a difference, the answer is yes. If we must make a decision between two strong candidates and one sent a thank you and the other did not, the scale tips in favor of the candidate who sent a note.

 

[disykat]

I e-mailed for my new job - because they were making the decision quickly and snail mail wouldn't have arrived prior to the selection. I agree with others though, that with more time regular mail would be preferable.

That said, if you are already in the district, I think you can also be less formal and use e-mail because it is the usual form of communication between colleages.

 

[mommy*RN]

I e-mailed for my new job - because they were making the decision quickly and snail mail wouldn't have arrived prior to the selection. I agree with others though, that with more time regular mail would be preferable.

That said, if you are already in the district, I think you can also be less formal and use e-mail because it is the usual form of communication between colleages.

I agree 100%. In the past I've done both. One job I interviewed for they were going to call me 2 days...no way to send a nice handwritten note...so I emailed the interviewer. Other jobs I've sent handwritten notes using either a piece of stationary or a blank card. You can find good thoughts on what to put in them online. I know a lot of people who don't even do follow-up thank you's after a job interview...so IMO, both will get you points but the handwritten is a little more by the book and might garnish a bit more attention. Good luck...hope you get the new job!

 

[deekaypee]

Snail mail if possible, email as a second option. The extra effort, and formality, of a handwritten note will be noted and remembered.

 

[cryssi]

I snail mailed one the same day I interviewed for my last (first real) job. I was told several times afterward that I got the job b/c I sent that note! Too bad for the other person...LOL

For my current job, I didn't have time to send a thank you b/c I was given a verbal offer that afternoon...

I also say snail mail it, unless the time frame is such that you must immediately send via e-mail...

 

[barkley]

if it's government, ruled by union agreed upon hiring criteria or anything under 'civil service'-likely it will end up in the 'circular file' (garbage can). in those cases anything beyond the announced requirements cannot be considered (and in some cases viewed) by the hiring panel.

i sat on ranking and hiring panels for gov. jobs (some union, some not)-those items that were not required in the job announcement were not given to us (so if a job announcement required the application and grad. certificates only-resumes, letters of reccommendation, cover letters and the like were detached before we saw them). if 'thank-you' notes were received after an interview-we could not open them and had to forward them unopened to personnel (and in most cases the were intercepted at h/r and never seen by us).

if we were found to have tipped the scales on a hiring decision because of a thank-you note it would have invalidated the entire testing and hiring process requiring us to reannounce the position and invalidating all the candidates who had previously applied (h/r had no voice in our hiring selections).

 

[TimeforMe]

Wow. Thanks guys! You're the best. You all have given me some great advice and suggestions.

This particular job happens to be non-union so there are less stringent guidelines they have to follow. They are deep in the budget process at this time so they may have put the hiring on hold for a bit. The initial posting went up in October (it's a brand new position) and they still have not hired anyone yet.

 

[JunieJay]

I think its o.k. When I worked in recruiting I often didn't get my snail mail until weeks after it was sent. Especially with a big company, the mail is first sent to the mail room where it is sorted and then delivered. With an email you get it automatically.

Just be brief in your appreciation. I can't tell you the number of inappropriate thank you notes I got that marred an otherwise good interview. The worst was the guy who asked me out on a date in his (snail mail) thank you letter. And worse yet, he used a reallllllllly bad pickup line while doing so.

Good luck with the job TimeforMe!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I'll take a thank you note however I can get one. We usually make quick decisions around here, so email is usually the best.

I gained my first job after college because of a thank you note. Two of us were equal candidates, my note put me over the top. I sent it snail mail then (actually popped it into the mail BEFORE the interview).

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

Most interviewees do not send thank you notes, so HR folks like myself are usually pleased to receive one regardless of the format in which it arrives. And if you are wondering if those thank you notes make a difference, the answer is yes. If we must make a decision between two strong candidates and one sent a thank you and the other did not, the scale tips in favor of the candidate who sent a note.

I agree - I had learned this was the standard and appropriate thing to do. However, I always heard from the interviewer how nice, but how rare it was to get one! I couldn't believe it!

 

[Hedy]

It depends on how soon the decision will be made. For my current job they were making the decision basically the next day so as soon as my flight landed I emailed a nice thank you note. Otherwise I snail mail it.

Agreed.