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Does anyone here write these to your interviewer after an interview? I have heard these are the thing nowadays. God, the world is getting stupider and stupider.
I agree it is kind of lame and reeks of desperation. Especially as they are interviewing you for their benefit and you are the one that had to drop what you are doing, dress super-fancy, and take the time to drive there so they can ask their dumb questions and do their hack psychological profiling on you. They should be thanking you. If they paid to fly you in and put you in a hotel then a thankyou letter would seem more appropriate.
Unfortunately it is now expected and I would go ahead and do it.
I agree it is kind of lame and reeks of desperation.
Its just a courtesy - and its not anything new (although I've never heard one person say that writing / not writing such a note makes or breaks a candidate). I've seen people do this for years.
That aside, after everything involved with getting to the interview stage, is it that much of a hardship to take 60 seconds to write a two-sentence e-mail to the interviewer saying something like, "thank you for your time" and "feel free to let me know if you have any further questions."
that much of a hardship to take 60 seconds to write a two-sentence e-mail to the interviewer saying something like, "thank you for your time" and "feel free to let me know if you have any further questions."
It is supposed to be more than 2 sentences. You are supposed to cite specific things of the interview that impressed you, reiterate why you are perfect for the job. Also now a days, most places have you interview with everyone including the night janitor. I've been to interviews that last all day and have you interview with a dozen people and you are supposed to send one to each person.
I've been in the job force for more years than I care to count and the one thing always drilled in my head was ALWAYS send a courtesy thank you letter. It can make or break it between you getting the job and someone else.
It is supposed to be more than 2 sentences. You are supposed to cite specific things of the interview that impressed you, reiterate why you are perfect for the job. Also now a days, most places have you interview with everyone including the night janitor. I've been to interviews that last all day and have you interview with a dozen people and you are supposed to send one to each person.
I've never heard of that - if people are going to that legth of effort, it is probably wasted. For every interview I have ever done, it has always been just a very brief e-mail, as noted above, to the primary person running the interviews (not to every single person). I've seen the same when I have been the one doing the interviewing.
Writing a lengthy e-mail is probably pointless as it likely will not be read and just glossed over. No one is going to be hired / not hired on the basis of their thank you letter (at least in my experience). It is merely a courtesy and can be kept brief. And a quick e-mail is fine too - putting a stamp on a proper thank you note and mailing it is not that usual, and likely will not even be received until after a decision has already been made.
I agree that it can be kinda corny, but I think it is necessary nowadays. I recently had an interview and sent out a two line email saying something like "Thank for taking the time to meet with me. I enjoyed learning more about the position bla bla bla...". My theory is keep it simple and short. I had a panel interview directly followed by a one on one with the director (she's the one who will ultimately make the decision). I sent the email to the director only the following day.
Do you know that most applicants don’t send a post-interview thank-you letter? Even if you think an offer is in the bag, you can always improve your chances of getting the job if you send a thank-you letter. Your letter should reiterate your core strengths and emphasize the value you offer. You can even squelch any concerns the employer raised about your qualifications and add important information you didn’t get to discuss in the interview.
Check out this sample thank-you letter:
John Smith
14 Elm St. | Sometown, CA 55555 | 555-555-5555 | john@somedomain.com
April 18, 2011
Ms. Amy Lin
Manager
ABC Company
1 Corporate Way
Sometown, CA 55555
Dear Ms. Lin:
Thank you for meeting with me this morning to discuss the executive assistant position. I enjoyed our conversation, and I am very excited about the possibility of joining your team.
I know what it takes to run a busy and successful insurance office. In my last position as an administrative assistant for XYZ Company, I helped manage all aspects of the operation, handling tasks such as bookkeeping, customer service, claims processing, report preparation and ongoing communications with the district manager.
You mentioned that you need an assistant who has strong “people” skills, and this is an area in which I excel. At XYZ Company, I helped the manager build a loyal client base by consistently providing excellent service. My last supervisor said, “John is one of the hardest-working employees I have known. His friendly and professional customer-service skills helped the firm achieve a 20 percent revenue increase last year, and I couldn’t have done it without him.”
I don’t see the executive assistant role as a punch-the-clock, 9-to-5 job; I will be your “right hand” -- helping you manage the day-to-day operations, volunteering for special projects, and ensuring the company is positioned for growth and increased profitability.
Again, thank you for considering me for this exciting opportunity. As you requested, I’m enclosing a list of professional references. Please feel free to call me if you need additional information, have any questions or would like to offer me the job! Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
I agree it is kind of lame and reeks of desperation. Especially as they are interviewing you for their benefit and you are the one that had to drop what you are doing, dress super-fancy, and take the time to drive there so they can ask their dumb questions and do their hack psychological profiling on you. They should be thanking you. If they paid to fly you in and put you in a hotel then a thankyou letter would seem more appropriate.
Unfortunately it is now expected and I would go ahead and do it.
lol...that whole thing where you show someone common curtsy and act like a civilized, friendly person is what 'reeks of desperation'? With that attitude I am amazed you even have a job.
Yes I did. Simple 3 sentence card. I also got the job.
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