Remember the Thank You Note

Posted on December 19, 2005

CareerBuilder.com recently conducted a survey and interviewed 650 hiring managers about thank-you letters. The findings highlight a big opportunity for job applicants. The survey found that 15% of hiring managers would not hire someone who failed to send a thank-you letter. Another 32% would still consider the applicant but would think less of them. If you choose not to write a thank-you letter you could lose the job because of it. The survey results were a little confusing on what format managers want for thank-you letters.

Although most hiring managers expect to receive a thank you note, format preferences differ. One-in-four hiring managers prefer to receive a thank-you note in e-mail form only; 19 percent want the e-mail followed up with a hard copy; 21 percent want a typed hard copy only and 23 percent prefer just a handwritten note.

But they do want to receive it quicky.

"No matter which format you choose, it's crucial to act quickly when sending a thank-you letter to your interviewer," says Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.com. "Twenty-six percent of hiring managers expect to have the letter in-hand two days after the interview, and 36 percent expect to have it within three to five days. Sending the letter quickly reinforces your enthusiasm for the job, and helps keep you top-of-mind for the interviewer."

Career Builder also offered the following tips for writing thank-you letters.

Stick to three paragraphs. In the first paragraph, thank the interviewer for the opportunity. Use the second to sell yourself by reminding the hiring manager of your qualifications. In the third paragraph, reiterate your interest in the position.

Fill in the blanks. Thank-you notes are a great way to add in key information you forgot in the interview, clarify any points or try to ease any reservations the interviewer might have expressed.

Proofread carefully. Double-check to be sure your note is free from typos and grammatical errors. Don't rely solely on your spell-checker.

Be specific. Don't send out a generic correspondence. Instead, tailor your note to the specific job and the relationship you have established with the hiring manager.

The bottom line: Write a thank-you note and you are much more likely to stay in the running for the job.

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