The Art of the Thank You Letter

send a thank you letter

Interviewing is a process that everyone has to go through before landing a job, and there are specific steps that you should follow after your meeting to display your interest in the role and show the hiring managers that you are serious about first impressions. If you take the proper steps after the completion of the interview, it can drastically bolster your chances of landing the job. Sending a thank you letter / email is the industry standard, and here’s why you need to do it.

1.)    Standing Out From the Pack

When you interview for a competitive position, it’s very likely that you are one of many candidates. By sending a well-crafted thank you letter, you not only reaffirm your identity, but you also strengthen the bond between yourself and human resources. If there are ten applications for a job and only three send a thank you letter, it’s very possible that the human resources manager will only be interested in those three candidates.

2.)    Showing Your Manners

A well-mannered employee can be very desirable, especially if you will be dealing with multiple customers or coworkers throughout the duration of your shift. Politeness is an excellent quality to have, and when you are in the process of looking for a job you need to pull out all the stops. Prove to human resources that you are a well-mannered and respectful person—it will go a long way when you are trying to land a job. Everyone wants to work with polite and respectful coworkers, as it can lead to a less stressful and more productive work day.

3.)    Be Careful With Wording

The content of your thank you letter is the most important aspect of this process. You certainly don’t want to be sending the same generic thank you letter to every company you interview with. Craft it to cater your experience, and pick out specific parts of the interview or company that you enjoyed. By crafting a perfectly original and strong letter, you’ll stand out from the pack and make yourself a stronger candidate in human resources eyes.

4.)    Wait a Few Days

Some people come to interviews with their thank you letter already in hand. This is not the best option. A thank you letter should be customized to fit each interview you attend. You should focus on specific conversations or questions that were discussed. Make it a personalized experience, and prove that you were not only paying close attention to detail, but also truly interested in the topics of discussion. By waiting a few days and really thinking about what you want to say, you’ll be able to send a stronger letter.

5.)    Skip the Gifts

It might seem like buttering up your interviewer with some type of gift would be a great idea. However, in the professional world, it’s a bad idea. Focus on your actual qualifications and strengths, and skip the tackiness. No fruit basket ever landed anyone a job, and if it did, you have an unprofessional human resources department that’s not worth working for. Everybody loves receiving a gift once in a while, but it’s very likely that if you send a gift you’ll be jobless and giftless.

Clearly sending a thank you letter is something that everyone should do after an interview, but there are guidelines that you should always keep in mind. It’s all about making a great first impression. When you need a job, doing everything in your power to land the position should be your number one priority.

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Matthew Welch

Jobdiagnosis blog author Matthew Welch is an SEO strategist and content marketer from Boston, MA. Read blog content relating to job search by Matthew Welch.

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