Interesting information I found about Thank you letters after a interview. (unemployed, employer)

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by carp killer

I would do this. When I do interviews and I have two people who are even in every respect, it might tip me one way or another. Myself, I never see the thank you letters, they stop at the Personnel office. But we usually have made the decision who we want to do the second round of interviews within an hour of finishing the last candidate. So a letter is meaningless to our decision.

So, that is how it works at your company. I must have missed the memo that every company must follow this exact selection process.

[loves2read]

if a thank you letter stops at the personnel office then the letter writer did not address it correctly--unless the personnel office opens ALL mail sent to company personnel...

[Wanderlust07]

When I worked in the midwest and interviewed potential hires, I received many "thank you" cards from interviewees. I was surprised that these individuals would expend the effort to do so, and I thought it was a nice gesture, but it didn't factor into whether or not they were offered a position -- I just placed the "thank you" card into the interviewee's file. The job offer was based solely on the individual's merits, and in retrospect (and coincidentally), I don't recall having hired anyone who sent me a "thank you" card.

I personally don't send thank you cards, though I will take the opportunity if contacted via email after an interview (such as for a writing sample), to mention that I enjoyed meeting the interviewer. Whether or not that was true is a different story entirely...LOL

[meatyou]

totally agree!!

[loves2read]

well that makes me really regret encouraging my son to send thank you letter after his interview earlier this month...seems like most people rate it a negative vs a positive...

[gea12345]

neutral...not negative or positive. If the interviewer liked the interviewee's personality, then the card will only help reinforce an already held opinion.

But I don't think a hiring manager or CEO could defend their decision to hire someone based on the fact they sent a thank you card and continue to be respected. But then again getting a job, is "I think" 50 percent the person liking you or not disliking you.

[Huckleberry3911948]

Originally Posted by TVandSportsGuy

This woman I talked to last night who hired people in the past told me that when she interviewed several candidates for a position, after the interview it was only the people she wasn't interested in who sent thank you letters and the ones she was interested never sent a thank you letter.


Found that to be very interesting

the interesting part to me is stuff that is said in confidence often ends up posted on CDF the next morning.

[skchi]

I'm surprised by a lot of these comments. Most of the books that I've read about searching for a job suggested sending a thank-you. The career counselors at my university suggested sending a thank-you. Now, I don't think that sending a thank-you letter or email will a mediocre or poor candidate get the job vs. a great candidate that didn't send one. But if a hiring manager was on the fence between a few candidates, wouldn't a thank-you letter or email help?

I don't think it can hurt, unless the thank-you letter is poorly written, of course.

[gea12345]

Well, after partiicpating with my employers in hiring our IT gal/guy, the most important thing is always cost and the second thing is ability and the third thing is the person's demeanor during the interview. Humility goes a long way for at least my employers...and a card does not hurt, if it reinforces the first impression that the candidate really wants to work for your company.

[GypsySoul22]

I had an interview today and sent a thank you email. It's always good form in my opinion.