Landing an interview for your dream job is a big deal. Show your appreciation and continuing interest in the position by reaching out in a thank you note.
Email vs. Handwritten
Many hiring managers have different opinions on this subject. Email seems to be the preferred method of communication, since mailing a handwritten note will take days to arrive. However, many might find a handwritten note to be more personal. A good idea is to immediately send an email following the interview and then send a thank you note a few days later to follow up with the hiring manager. That way, you utilize both options. If you don’t have an address to mail the letter, then just stick with an email.
Thank Everyone
Don’t just thank the main hiring manager. Thank everyone who was involved in the interview process. Especially if you were interviewed by a panel or met with the hiring manager’s assistants, make sure you grab a business card from everyone you meet with.
Send ASAP
It is best to write your thank-you email within the same day. If you are working you want to send after 5 p.m. so it doesn’t look like your spending company time writing a thank you. This way, what you discussed in your interview is still fresh in your mind and you are still fresh in the interviewer’s mind.
Take Notes to Make a Personal Impression
It’s always a good idea to bring a notebook to make some notes about the job, but you should also jot down ideas for things to include in your note/email. You want to leave the hiring manager with a personal impression to better remember you. It adds to your likability. Include things you talked about in the interview, such as off-topic conversations.
Reiterate your Value
In the interview, you expressed reasons for why you would be a value to the company. Make sure you reinforce that value. If you weren’t completely satisfied by an answer you gave in the interview, this is the place to do so. Say something like, “I wasn’t completely satisfied with the answer I gave to one of your questions, so I’d like to take this opportunity to readdress it.” This is a great way to make up any mistakes you made in the interview or give additional responses that you’d like to express.
Include Relevant Content
This is the cherry on top. Maybe you have a personal website or would like to share an article, video, or podcast that complements the conversation you had in the interview. Include that in your thank you email. When you send a thank you note in the mail, make sure to include your business card. It makes you look like a professional.
Keep It Simple
Try to keep the thank you email or handwritten card short and concise, unless you want to go into detail reinforcing an answer to an interview question.
Proofread. Proofread. Proofread.
The worst thing you can do is write a very compelling and well-organized thank you note, but then realize you sent it with a typo or grammar error. Spend some time writing the thank you note and then come back to it to re-read it. Make sure you read it out loud to hear how it sounds.