Don’t forget to say thank you!

Thank you notes: Why are they important?

You’ve done it all. You prepared for the interview. You bought a new blazer. You showed up early with an updated resume and a smile. You aced the interview! You may be inclined to go home, relax, and wait. However, you have forgot the most important step: the thank you note.

The thank you note does a number of things. A thank you note can say: I am still interested in this job. A thank you note could be the difference between you and another candidate. Maybe you had a good interview, but maybe someone else did too. This is your opportunity to stand out. Maybe they’re on the fence about you. They liked your resume, you had a good interview, but they’re still deciding. Help them decide: write them a note. A thank you note can make the firm feel valued. It could make them feel like they’re important, worth thanking. Most importantly, the thank you note is going to remind them that you are still interested. It’s the final piece of the puzzle. You bought the blazer, you showed up early, now write that thank you note. It’s the final act that will say, “Yes, I want this job.”

What to include and what not to include in your thank you notes:

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Other tips

  • Keep your note short and to the point (6 lines max)
  • CHECK YOUR SPELLING AND GRAMMAR
    • Read your thank you note aloud
    • Have a friend read your thank you note
    • Carless errors could break your chance of getting the job
  • While this note is in part about what you can do for the company, it is also about the company itself
  • Avoid contractions: “don’t,” “can’t,” etc.
  • While a hand-written note is always nice, unless you know that they are not making a decision for at least a week, write an email instead for efficiency
    • Stay away from too many “I’s”
    • Be appreciative
    • You already sold them on you in the interview, now you want to show that they’ve sold you on them
    • You’re reiterating your interest in the company

 

If you’re still lost, please click on this template for more assistance.