THE INTERVIEW IS OVER: Now What?

 THE INTERVIEW IS OVER:  Now What?  

by Willette Coleman ©2014   

You’re excited!  The job interview went well.  You arrived fashionably early (5 minutes), responded impressively to all questions; asked thoughtful questions in return.  It’s over.

Not quite.  Within 48 hours, you must complete an important task:  Compose and email a “Thank You” note to the hiring manager. 

A follow-up-thank-you note or letter is a valuable communication tool, so much so “it could make all the difference in the outcome of a job interview,” said Nicole Fallon at Business News Daily.  According to an online job-matching service, TheLadders, 75 percent of interviewers said that receiving a thank you letter from a candidate impacts their decision.  The Ladders’ research was based on surveys of 500 job candidates and hiring managers from industries ranging from construction, education, engineering, finance, human resources, and law, to marketing, medical/science, real estate, sales and technology.  “Following up to thank the hiring manager for his or her time is not only polite, it also demonstrates a sincere interest in both the position and the company,” Fallon said. 

Max Messmer at Accountemps says this is an opportunity “to reiterate the case for why you are the best person for the job."  True, but you might want to consider whether the hiring manager appeared to be someone who would interpret “reiteration” as boarder line begging, which is why Business News Daily's Brittney Helmrich suggests you “Tailor it to the company's culture.”  Should you choose to “reiterate,” affirm your knowledge, skills and abilities with information you haven’t already provided, or expound on something that needs clarity.

For maximum impact:

1.     Send the note within 48 hours.  Most career advisers suggest 24 hours.  I recommend 48 for extenuating circumstances, such as personal schedule, an emergency, technology glitches, or no immediate Internet access (13% or 60 million people still don’t have access according to Pew Internet). 

2.     Be direct and succinct; two paragraphs max.

3.     Check and re-check for grammatical and spelling errors.  You can guess what it would be like if, after you ace the interview, the HR manager received a thank you email with typos and/or poor grammar. 

4.     If interviewed by more than one individual, send a note to each person.  Near the end of your interview, get business cards so you’ll have correct email addresses, titles and names.

5.     If you learned something personal about the interviewer (e.g., he or she draws/paints) mention an upcoming related event they might find interesting.  This demonstrates good listening skills/paying attention, people skills, reflection and a willingness to share relevant information. 

Remember, your objective is to stand out from the crowd by showing initiative, thoughtfulness and gratitude.

Following is a sample thank you letter you can modify to suit your need.

Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]:

Thank you for taking the time to interview me on [Date] for the [Job Title] position with [Company].  It was a pleasure meeting with you [include any additional names] and learning more about the role and your company.  I am confident that my experiences and skills would be valuable assets to [Company’s] team. 

If you need any additional information, you may contact me at [Email Address] or [Phone].  I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely [or Best regards],

[Your Name]

See more sample thank you letters on the following websites:

Career Confidential

Berkley Law

Monster {NOTE:  Monster’s sample letter is 5 paragraphs, which is not recommended, but some of the language and context may help you compose your note.}

*See a short version of this post at www.perkconsulting.com/