NO ‘Thank You’ Note: NO HIRE
75% of Interviewers Expect a Thanks!
You have just finished a job interview you believe will be a perfect fit professionally. Now it’s time to sit back and wait for the phone call stating you’ve been chosen over all other candidates for the position. It’s that simple, right? Wrong. You can’t afford to be one of those individuals who believe once the interview is over, your job is done. You still have one more powerful and essential tool to use to strengthen your chances of landing that position. It’s the ‘thank you’ letter! Oddly, only 20% of job seekers use this tool. Why is this significant?
- Data released by CareerBuilder shows 22% of hiring managers are less likely to hire a candidate if they don’t send a ‘thank you’ note after an interview. They perceive it shows a lack of follow-through and that they aren’t serious about the job opportunity.
- A survey conducted by TheLadders found more than 75% of interviewers say receiving a ‘thank you’ note positively impacts their decision-making process.
With that being said, now it’s time to act. The following are several tips on how to craft a thoughtful ‘thank you’ letter which will enable you to differentiate yourself from the competition and help advance your candidacy (and possibly your career)!
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Make it Personal.
Send an individualized letter within 24 hours, by email, to all interviewers you met with, and keep it professional. Address any objections and demonstrate your qualifications for the job. Why by email? Because a recent Accountemps survey revealed 87 percent of hiring managers now view email as an appropriate way to express thanks after a job interview.
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Be Very Specific.
Convey that you really understood the company’s challenges as well as the key success metrics associated to the position you might be assuming should you receive an offer. Share an example of why you’re well-equipped to tackle these challenges. You may also want to add a unique perspective that was not discussed during the interview to show your understanding of the challenges that lie ahead.
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Show You’re a Good Cultural Fit Within the Organization.
What indications did you get during the interview that showed you would be a good fit with the prospective employer’s team? What aspects in your past experiences fit in well with the employer’s corporate culture and expectations for this position?
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Proofread Again and Again Before Sending.
Grammar matters. A poorly written thank you note can negate any positive impression left from the interview. Make sure everything is spelled properly (including the interviewer’s names and titles), and correct all typos!
A ‘thank you’ letter is an opportunity to reinforce your listening skills, experience, and written sincerity regarding your interest in the position. There is not a one size fits all solution. Take the time to customize each thank you note, and have the confidence this small effort has just separated you from the 80% who chose not to demonstrate a respect for the process. For more great advice, talk to one of our IT Staffing Professionals at CultureFit– a full service Technology Staffing and recruitment firm for IT Professionals that value organizational fit, employee satisfaction, and an extremely high level of technical IT skills.
