Why do people give out their business cards after interviews? (degrees, degree)

[FBJ]

Originally Posted by UnemployedRage

Is not it retarded to give someone a card so they can send you a thank you note while you have no intention of hiring them?

Yes it is which is why you have to ask for it most of time if they don't plan to hire you

[UnemployedRage]

Some thoughts:

Like I said before, it is NOT meaningful networking. There were several instances where the person interviewing me gave me his/her business card and never told me what the result was EVEN with a request for feedback. Why would I ever want to reach out to a person who did not even have the decency to tell me the result?

Second, I receive business cards in almost all my interviews. Clearly they don't mean anything in my case.

I never understand why some people think thank you notes are needed. I thank the interviewer for the interview when I finish up my interview, what is the point of "thanking" them again later?

[FBJ]

Originally Posted by UnemployedRage

Some thoughts:

Like I said before, it is NOT meaningful networking. There were several instances where the person interviewing me gave me his/her business card and never told me what the result was EVEN with a request for feedback. Why would I ever want to reach out to a person who did not even have the decency to tell me the result?

Second, I receive business cards in almost all my interviews. Clearly they don't mean anything in my case.

I never understand why some people think thank you notes are needed. I thank the interviewer for the interview when I finish up my interview, what is the point of "thanking" them again later?

Thank you letter are optional

[Kibbiekat]

Originally Posted by UnemployedRage

Some thoughts:

Like I said before, it is NOT meaningful networking. There were several instances where the person interviewing me gave me his/her business card and never told me what the result was EVEN with a request for feedback. Why would I ever want to reach out to a person who did not even have the decency to tell me the result?

Second, I receive business cards in almost all my interviews. Clearly they don't mean anything in my case.

I never understand why some people think thank you notes are needed. I thank the interviewer for the interview when I finish up my interview, what is the point of "thanking" them again later?

Originally Posted by WestPhillyDude75

Yes it is which is why you have to ask for it most of time if they don't plan to hire you

Does it hurt for them to offer you a card? Seriously? Better to have one and not feel you need it than not have it and wish you did. Was a stupid, petty thing to complain about.

[JaxLiving]

The business card contains the name of the business, the interviewer and their contact information. Keep the card, follow up if you don't hear anything and thank them for their time. And, you could always create your own business cards with your contact information to give them in exchange for theirs if it makes you feel better.

[mom2justynsarah]

Originally Posted by WestPhillyDude75

Thank you letter are optional

Thank you letters may be "optional." But it's still the proper business protocol. The candidates that have sent me thank you notes/cards/emails are the ones that stand out in my mind the most. Just a thought...It matters...

[FBJ]

Originally Posted by mom2justynsarah

Thank you letters may be "optional." But it's still the proper business protocol. The candidates that have sent me thank you notes/cards/emails are the ones that stand out in my mind the most. Just a thought...It matters...

I have gotten call backs for second interviews with NO THANK YOU LETTER and when I sent a thank you letter I heard NOTHING ever again

So like I said it's not a mandatory thing

[move4ward]

Originally Posted by WestPhillyDude75

I have gotten call backs for second interviews with NO THANK YOU LETTER and when I sent a thank you letter I heard NOTHING ever again

So like I said it's not a mandatory thing

In your case, it may be better to not send the thank you note, if you are not making a great followup pitch

I use it as a 2nd chance to make my case. It is also used to make a very short business case and emphasize my profitability. You have to plant the seeds for a good salary offer, before HR calls back with an offer.

In my situation, I have done well. I focus on my ability to generate more profit and ability to solve the interviewer's problem. I went from $12/hr to $37.5k/year at a contract-to-hire job. I applied for a job that paid $40k/yr, according to the recruiter. After the business card and thank you note to the AVP, I got called back with an offer for $50k from the recruiter. I did no salary negotiation.

I repeated the same steps again. I went from $55k/yr to $75k/yr. I would have taken $65k, but they started out high. I was so shocked that I asked HR to repeat the salary. LOL

While I may have interviewed well and gotten both jobs without the thank you letter, the follow-up letter made a strong business case for my hire and profitability. An extra $10-20k year is nothing to a company, if the new hire can make an extra $100k/yr for them compared to another candidate.

It can also work against a candidate, if they do not know what they are doing. I remember a SVP talking about a candidate that was great in the interview and the resume. The thank you letter was full of bad grammar and spelling errors. The position would require daily emails with other VPs and AVPs. This candidate lost her chance.

[hnsq]

Originally Posted by UnemployedRage

Some thoughts:

Like I said before, it is NOT meaningful networking. There were several instances where the person interviewing me gave me his/her business card and never told me what the result was EVEN with a request for feedback. Why would I ever want to reach out to a person who did not even have the decency to tell me the result?

Second, I receive business cards in almost all my interviews. Clearly they don't mean anything in my case.

I never understand why some people think thank you notes are needed. I thank the interviewer for the interview when I finish up my interview, what is the point of "thanking" them again later?

Given how easy it is to sue employers today, many employers are instructed by legal departments not to give feedback, as any feedback is an open door to litigation. Not sending a thank you letter is somewhat rude. You are working for them, not the other way around.

How many times have you reached out to the people who gave you a business card for lunch/coffee/etc. a few months later? Having a business card means you can call that person for career advice at some point in the future. How often do you go through your rolodex and call people who have given you cards in the past?

Originally Posted by WestPhillyDude75

Thank you letter are optional

I would seriously reconsider hiring someone who didn't send any sort of thank you. I wouldn't consider them optional at all.

[manderly6]

As a hiring manager I consider thank you notes completely optional. I base my decisions on the interview. In all honesty there is more chance of hurting your self than there is for helping.