Your mother always used to nag you to write thank-you notes
-- and according to a growing number of job-search experts, she was absolutely
right. But while dashing off a few lines to express your gratitude for the
handkerchief set that Aunt Wilhelmina sent you for your birthday might earn you
a better seat at next year's Thanksgiving dinner, taking the time to put
together a thoughtful, well-composed thank-you note after your next interview
could do wonders for your career prospects.
A surprising number of jobseekers are intimidated by the
prospect of penning post-interview thank-you notes. Faced with the daunting blankness of the note card's
interior, many struggle for hours, grasping for just the right words that will
convey both professional competence and since gratitude. Unfortunately, far too
many jobseekers are overwhelmed and simply give up.
A Gracious Reminder of Your Strengths
According to Florence Isaacs, business correspondence expert
and author of Business Notes: Writing
Personal Notes that build Professional Relationships, failing to write a
post-interview thank-you note is not just impolite -- it also robs jobseekers
of an important opportunity to reinforce hiring managers' positive impressions of
them as a candidate.
On the surface, a thank-you note may seem like a small piece
of the larger job-search process. But on a deeper level, the thank-you note refreshes
hiring managers' memories and lets candidates subtly re-insert themselves into
the conversation at a crucial juncture in the decision-making process.
An Effective Thank-You Note is as Easy as 1, 2, 3
If you've ever suffered from thank-you-note writer's block,
don't despair. A successful note is rarely more than a few lines long. In fact,
once you get the hang of the structural formula that underlies an effective
note, you'll be able to crank them out with no trouble at all. Here's the
simple three-step process that most experts recommend
1. Offer Thanks…with a Personal
Twist.
After a standard
business salutation ("Ms. Smith," "Mr. Jones," etc.), the
first line of your thank-you note should extend your thanks for their time and
consideration, conveying that you deeply appreciated having the opportunity to
meet in person and discuss the position. To further demonstrate your sincerity,
try to add an observation that gives a bit of personal dimension in the next
line, such as, "I really enjoyed our discussion of the future of the fine
dining market."
2. Remind Them Why You're Right
For the Job.
Admittedly,
this part of the process can be a bit tricky. You want to strike just the right
balance between humility and self-promotion, or else the impression your
thank-you note reinforces may not be an entirely positive one. Set the
résumé-speak aside for now and opt for a subtler approach, such as: "I
would be honored to be able to put my decade of experience to use as your
hotel's night auditor."
3. Seal the Deal With More
Thanks…and Your Contact Info.
Believe it or not, the right way to close your note is with another round
of thanks. Don't repeat the same wording you used before, if possible -- swap "appreciate"
for "thankful" or "grateful," or another similar term. The
last lines should express your eagerness to be in touch. Add your phone number
and email address, and bow out with a professional closing sentiment, such as
"Sincerely" or "Kind regards."
Writing a good post-interview thank-you note really is as
simple as that! The good will you engender with this small gesture will far
outweigh the time and effort it takes to craft a heartfelt but professional
note. Who knows -- the next thing you're called upon to write may be a letter
accepting your dream job!