The Good Old Thank You Note (or Email)

I have admittedly written this blog before, but I cannot stress the importance of the thank you note enough times. Let’s face it… thank you notes can be time consuming and the last thing you want to do after a long day. However, they really serve some important purposes following a candidate’s interview with a potential employer. See below for why the thank you note is critical. Also note that while it is lovely to send a hand written letter to the interviewer, it is best to write an email so it is received before too much time passes.

-The thank you note makes you look better. Sending a note which thanks the interviewer for his or her time makes you look courteous and kind. Hopefully they already think you’re a gem, but this can only add to your allure. Plus honestly it truly is a common courtesy!

-The thank you note can address any issues or mistakes that may have occurred during the interview. For example, if you did not mention your experience on a particular account and this would be a very relevant and compelling piece of information, use the thank you note as the place to include it. You should obviously do your best to ace the interview and not have any regrets, but certain things can be made up for (if positioned correctly) in the thank you note.

-The thank you note can be a great way to stress again how excited you are about the role and the agency. Don’t be too over the top, but certainly say that the meeting amplified your enthusiasm about the role. Some candidates are not great at expressing their enthusiasm during an interview (this was part of a previous blog), so the thank you note can serve as a way to let the hiring manager know that you are psyched about the opportunity.

-The thank you note can make you stand apart from other candidates who do not send them. You’d be surprised at how many people forget to send thank yous, even though it is such an easy thing to do. Hiring managers do take note of this more than you think! I am not saying that the thank you note will get you the job. However, it does make you even more appealing if you’re already top of mind.

The moral of this story is take five minutes after an interview to write a thank you note. It can be short and sweet, but just write one! The thank you note plays into sealing the deal more than you realize and should be a common practice among candidates moving forward.