It's surprising to me that there is still some debate about whether it's appropriate to send a thank-you note after an interview. For some people, sending a thank-you note just seems wrong. In their opinion, employers ought to be thanking applicants for offering to help the company become more profitable. Others believe that your shot at impressing a hiring manager happens during the interview process and any further contact, like a thank-you note, only serves to make you look desperate.
Personally, I think that sending a thank-you note after an interview is just good manners. Yes, we are all busy and many courtesies seem outdated, but a thank-you note makes a great impression and shows that you understand how to be a consummate professional. Deciding whether or not to send a note is a personal decision and while I don't think that it will make an interviewer want to hire you instead of the person they were planning to hire, it certainly makes your interest in the job clear.
Once you decide to send the note, the next question is should the note be handwritten and sent through the regular mail, or is an emailed thank-you note better?
There are pros and cons to both. Before you decide, here are some things to consider:
Handwritten notes have a delay - The biggest advantage to sending a note electronically is that the interviewer will see it right way, while you are still fresh in their memory. A thank-you note sent snail mail takes a couple of days to be delivered. By that time, the interviewer may have forgotten who you are. Depending on the type of company you interviewed with, a formal letter a few days later can really stand out. If the company has a casual atmosphere, the traditional handwritten one might come across as stuffy and overly formal, making the interviewer uncomfortable.
Traditional thank-you notes can feel outdated - This is especially true if you are interviewing with a young company or have a hiring manager who is under 30. With electronic communication becoming so easy, many of the under-30 set view handwritten thank-you notes as old-fashioned and out of date. If there is a large age gap between yourself and the interviewer, sending your follow up via email will show them that you are comfortable using technology and that you understand business communication of today.
There is a lesser chance of reply - When you email a thank-you note, there is a chance that the interviewer will reply and give you some feedback. Email is quick and easy, making a reply much more likely. With a handwritten note, the conversation is closed. Depending on the situation, either option could be desirable. On one hand, continuing the conversation can keep you in the interviewer's mind, but on the other hand, sending a note through the mail with no expectation of reply leaves the interviewer to think about you each time they see the note.
In my opinion, both types of thank-you notes work, but for different situations. Either way, I think that you can't really go wrong by sending a quick note to thank the interviewer for their time. It isn't pushy and it can't ruin your chances at getting the job. Even though there isn't any strong evidence to suggest that it helps, it can be the thing that tips the scales in your favor when you're being compared to one other candidate.
When you are interviewing for a job, consider the corporate culture, the age difference between you and the hiring manager and the industry you will be working in to determine which way is best for you.
Do you send thank-you notes by email or snail mail? Why? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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