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A valuable point to
bear in mind. The person who interviews you merits a thank you for the
time spent in meeting and talking with you. Naturally, you'll thank the
interviewer in person at the end of the interview. But, it's not only
GOOD practice - it's WISE practice to follow up with a brief thank you
note - regardless of whether you've been turned down or put on hold.
Don't stall. Send it within 24 hours, before the interviewer's
impression of you begins to dwindle.
STAND
OUT FROM YOUR COMPETITION-WRITE A LETTER
A thank you note will point you out as a candidate
with good manners. Be sure you spell the interviewer's name correctly
and thank any other personnel who may have been present in the meeting.
Depending upon how the interview went, you may want to mention your
favorable impressions of the organization- commitment to quality,
facilities, management style, environmental endeavors, etc.
You can stand out from your competition by the small courtesy of
writing a simple letter. And, the courtesy you demonstrate in a
follow-up letter can turn things around for you at a later date. Don't
forget, the best managers maintain a private file of good candidates
whom they can't use now, but may be able to at a future date.
YOUR
LETTER HAS ITS PRACTICAL ASPECTS
The purpose of a thank you letter goes further than
just courtesy. "Your letter has its practical aspects", says career
coordinator, J.I. Biegeleisen.
1) It enables you to fortify the good impression you made on the
interviewer.
2) It's a good way to clear up any misconceptions that may have cropped
up during the interview.
3) It's a way to re-iterate the excellent qualifications you possess.
4) It's an opportunity to include any additional information which you
may not have had on hand at the interview, such as copies of samples of
your work, newspaper clippings, sales records, etc.
5) Last, but not least, it will remind the interviewer that you're
interested in the job and that you want it!
PUT
CAREFUL THOUGHT INTO YOUR THANK YOU
The first most important thing about your letter is that it should be
typed. Second, the content should convey your interest and excitement
about the job, your qualifications and how you can contribute to the
organization.
- Your letter should contain key words that will grab the interviewer's
attention, such as,
"challenge", "enthusiasm",
"confidence", "savings",
"profits".
- If appropriate, mention the names of any other people that
participated in the interview.
- Keep it short and simple. Don't ramble on. Two paragraphs is more
than enough.
- Send it within 24 hours of the interview. If you know the hiring
decision will be made in the next few days, ensure its timely arrival
by sending it via courier.
- Keep yourself fresh in the interviewer's mind. Write a `thank you'
note. Not only is it the proper thing to do, it's beneficial. Be
different-single yourself out.
Ruta
Lovett is a Toronto writer and President of Advanced Learning
Institute, a company specializing in the development and delivery of
business seminars.
*Information courtesy "Employment News"
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