Don't Forget to Say, "Thank You"

For two candidates of equal strength and competency, the thank you note may be the tiebreaker people of hiring authority will use when selecting the winning candidate.

Keywords:

Thank You Note, Career Counseling, Job Market, Employment Opportunities, Work, Career, Job

Article Body:

One of the biggest mistake for job seeks is to not follow up an important interview with a thank you note to the people who interviewed them. Human Resources experts note that as few as 10% of interviewees take the time to say, "thank you." Let's take a look as why writing a thank you is the right thing to do and list some tips on how to write one.

If you are a candidate for a particular position you need every edge possible to land a job. Writing a thank you note is important because:

1. It reinforces your interest in the position.

2. A note shows your professionalism and suggests that you are organized, reliable, and efficient. It also underscores that you know how to deliver a personal touch. If your job is in customer service, companies will see the note as especially advantageous.

3. It proves that you understand proper business protocol.

For two candidates of equal strength and competency, the thank you note may be the tiebreaker people of hiring authority will use when selecting the winning candidate.

Content of Your Thank You Note

Your thank you note should mention the following:

1. Reiterate your interest in the position.

2. Reiterate one key point of the interview. For example, if you learned that the company is launching a new product line the following year and you will have an important part in its launch, you could state how you will further the goals of the company in helping to roll out the new product line.

3. Stress that you are looking forward to a follow up meeting. Optional: Tell the person you are writing to that you will contact them within a certain time to follow up.

You can either type or print your note. If you type, use standard business paper and a matching envelope. If you write, a thank you note card or a generic card are acceptable. Be careful not to get anything too flashy unless your field is flashy {e.g., the fashion industry}. Email isn't wrong, but you have no guarantee that the person will receive your note unless you request a return receipt. Approximately eighty percent of all email is spam; why risk having your thank you note lost in a junk mail folder?

In this age of strict competition for plum positions, you cannot afford to not say thank you in writing. Give yourself every edge possible and use the thank you note as your opportunity to show potential employers why they should hire you.

Don’t Forget to Say Thank You for a Second Interview

Using a thank you letter after your second interview just might help you get the job.

Keywords:

Resumes, Job, Interview, Letter

Article Body:

The thank you letter for a second interview is a must for serious job seekers. If you’ve made it as far as a second interview, then you are right on the edge and are one of the serious candidates ready to be offered the position. When you’re in that position then it is worth your while to use all of the leverage you have, all of your knowledge of the company and all of your job search skills to close the deal and land yourself a job offer. This letter can be a deal closer.

When engaged in a job search, even if it is not your profession, you are really serving as a salesman. The product you are selling is yourself, your skills, and the concept that you can help the company you are applying to. A professional salesman always tries to know his or her product well, and always does better in selling the product when he or she has a genuine belief in the value of the product. As a salesman of YOU this genuine belief in your value to the customer, the potential employer is essential.

If you’ve ever watched a sales representative for a radio station calling on customers you’ll notice that certain tools are carried by the sales rep and used time and time again. One sales rep made a fortune selling commercials on major league baseball game broadcasts by walking into businesses carrying a baseball bat as a conversation starter. He’s get the business owner excited about baseball and walk out with a signed contract. He did the same thing with major league football games by walking into a business carrying a football, or wearing a helmet. More conventional sales reps carry “leave behinds”, brochures, price lists and other literature designed to perk the interest of the prospect.

As a job seeker sales person, the tools you will carry will not be baseball bats, football helmets or brochures and price lists. You will carry the personal marketing tools that benefit a conscientious job seeker. They include a resume, cover letter, follow up letter, reference sheet, salary history, letters of recommendation, thank you letter for after the interview, and the piece we are discussing, the thank you letter for a sub sequential interviews.

Your thank you letter should be short and to the point. As an example,


Date
Name
Company
Address
City
State
Zip

Dear Mr. Jones,

I enjoyed our chance to visit during the recent second interview, and wanted to express my thanks to you for the serious consideration you are giving me.

As you know, I am very serious about my work, and I believe that Xyz Company would be an excellent fit for my skills, experience, education and background.

If you have any further questions, please give me a call. I look forward to speaking with you further.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

John Doe


As you can see this letter that you send after meeting with an employer for the second time is short, simple and conveys the thoughts that you wish to get across. Try this letter when the chance arises and you’ll have good results.