Thank you note for interview ?

[Nancyg56]

My niece just interviewed for a job that she would be her job of a lifetime. She felt comfortable and knew 4 out of the 5 people who were interviewing her. Sh needs to send a thank you note and I know that there are a lot of hiring managers as well as HR folks here.

I never sent an email as a thank you but it has been years since I interviewed for a position. I told her snail mail but is it appropriate to follow up with an email as well or in place of a letter?

Also, any advice if she should include anything that would reinforce her qualifications for the position?


She said that interview was short, they knew her well and were aware of her qualifications and her work ethic.

TIA for any tips or advice. I appreciate it very much!

 

[Normangirls]

Regular mail is always O.K.

Some people may not like or even be offended by an e-mail thank you note, so why risk it?

 

[WriteDisney]

My niece just interviewed for a job that she would be her job of a lifetime. She felt comfortable and knew 4 out of the 5 people who were interviewing her. Sh needs to send a thank you note and I know that there are a lot of hiring managers as well as HR folks here.

I never sent an email as a thank you but it has been years since I interviewed for a position. I told her snail mail but is it appropriate to follow up with an email as well or in place of a letter?

Also, any advice if she should include anything that would reinforce her qualifications for the position?


She said that interview was short, they knew her well and were aware of her qualifications and her work ethic.

TIA for any tips or advice. I appreciate it very much!

I think mail is best, but if there going to be making the decision soon email might be better anyway.

I wouldn't say too much except a thank you for their time and how you think you'd be a good fit for the job.

I did this a lot when I was trying to find a job after college and I think it helps (ended up with the job I wanted and 2 other offers). I also got these free business cards online, I forget the website, and I just put my contact info on it. Alot of businesses commented on how smart it was (since I was just a college kid at the time) and I think it made me stick out. I would just include it with my resume and writing samples.

 

[frndshpcptn]

I prefer an email within 24 hours, plus a snail mail letter posted that week.

(I just hired someone and one of the reasons they got the job was that they were the only candidate to proactively ask me for my contact information for a follow up thank you note).

 

[Auditor]

If the company and the individuals your niece interviewed with are tech savvy, email can be a good option - and as mentioned by others, it is much quicker. I recently interviewed with 2 companies, used email thank you letters and received offers from both companies just days later.

 

[Nancyg56]

Thank you all for your help. I let her know what you said and she will send the email out this evening and follow up with a letter. Fingers crossed that she gets this job, it is perfect for her!

 

[DisneyBlonde]

I always send a thank you to everyone I interview with, snail mail, along with another copy of my resume, on heavy paper. It's good to send the same to the HR person, they are the one that has the ability to bring you in to meet other hiring managers.

 

[Robinrs]

I always prefer emails... in just about anything! Within 24 hours is good but the content is way more important than the time sent.

 

[Luv2Scrap]

I was taught (as many others) that email would be a huge no-no in a case like this, but that was also about 5 years ago, and things have changed since then.

When I interviewed for my current job, it was a transfer from another department within the same organization. The supervisor actually offered me the job in an email about ten minutes after I finished interviewing. Boy was I shocked!

 

[MrsPete]

My niece just interviewed for a job that she would be her job of a lifetime. She felt comfortable and knew 4 out of the 5 people who were interviewing her. Sh needs to send a thank you note and I know that there are a lot of hiring managers as well as HR folks here.

I never sent an email as a thank you but it has been years since I interviewed for a position. I told her snail mail but is it appropriate to follow up with an email as well or in place of a letter?

Also, any advice if she should include anything that would reinforce her qualifications for the position?


She said that interview was short, they knew her well and were aware of her qualifications and her work ethic.

TIA for any tips or advice. I appreciate it very much!

Snail mail, and it should be mailed IMMEDIATELY -- really, it should go out the day of the interview, if at all possible. Snail mail takes more effort, and for that reason people tend to look at it a little differently. It doesn't disappear with one click.

The letter should be addressed individually to the person with whom she interviewed. She should thank the person for his or her time, mention at least two specific qualifications or job requirements (i.e., mention 2 yrs experience working in internal auditing, or how the training she received while working at Company X will be useful in performing task Y, NOT a vague reference to being willing to work hard or being a people person) that make her well-suited for the job, and IF she thought of something later that might've been helpful, it's okay to bring it up in this follow up letter (i.e., I'd also like to make you aware that while I was serving in the military, I was responsible for _____). Then-- finally -- end the letter on a positive note, reiterating her interest in the job.

 

[VickiVM]

As an HR manager and someone who recently hired a person for my dept., emails are only inappropriate if the email address was not offered. Since my email address is on my business card and I gave that to everyone I interviewed, then I didn't hold it against anyone I interviewed who emailed me a quick note.

Having said that, I receive and send TONS of work email daily, so an email from someone I interviewed isn't as significant to me as a handwritten note.

I did receive two handwritten notes and one or two emails - I attached the notes to the resumes/applications, but did not print and attach the email.

Keep the note short and sincere - I wouldn't necessarily rehash everything already discussed in the interview process.

And BTW, the notes and email did not make or break my decision...it still comes down to the actual interview process and the applicant's qualifications.

 

[jlima]

After the job interview for the job I just started in June, I wanted to send thank you notes ASAP, that night, immediately, because I wanted the job SO bad. I needed two as I was interviewed by two people. I was going to make a special trip to Walgreens, but I stopped at Trader Joe's between the interview & home; and purchased two blank thank you cards that were right at the register. I mailed them that night. I don't know when they received them, but the next morning, at about 10am, my new boss emailed me & asked for my references; I went for a second interview the following Monday; and they offered me the job that day. No email; just the snail mail thank you cards.

So, needless to say, I recommend snail mail, the same day as the interview, and get the business cards of everybody you interview with.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Snail mail, and it should be mailed IMMEDIATELY -- really, it should go out the day of the interview, if at all possible. Snail mail takes more effort, and for that reason people tend to look at it a little differently. It doesn't disappear with one click.

I've been taking job-hunting workshops all summer, and in one the facilitator pointed out that snail-mail - a separate note to each interviewer - stands out, simply because most people DON'T take the extra effort. And the 'disappear in one click' thing, too .

 

[Nancyg56]

I just sent this link to Debbie. I know that she will appreciate all of the feedback that you have provided for her. Thank you once again for your help!

 

[FireDancer]

What is best depends on the company and individual. I work in technology so the email/postal view is different than it would be in many other fields. The part of the country is also important. If you interview at a tech firm in San Francisco the protocol will be very different than a garden store in Des Moines.

I think doing both is the way to go, it just depends on which gets there first. With so many people interviewing for jobs now anything that makes you stand out (in a good way of course) can only help you.

 

[Micca]

I'd do email & snail mail. If you only do one, do the snail mail, and make the first stop after the interview the post office. Then get yourself a treat at Dairy Queen.