Okay, I had a promising interview earlier today for an entry-level job. I met with the head of HR as well as the person I will be working under. I’m writing up a thank you note for each of them right now, and am wondering what your thoughts are on handwritten/mailed note vs. email.
I figure the email will get there quickly and help me look responsive, but a handwritten not is more personal and may stand out more. Any folks here want to weigh in in the next hour or so? Thanks!
[quote]timbofirstblood wrote:
Okay, I had a promising interview earlier today for an entry-level job. I met with the head of HR as well as the person I will be working under. I’m writing up a thank you note for each of them right now, and am wondering what your thoughts are on handwritten/mailed note vs. email.
I figure the email will get there quickly and help me look responsive, but a handwritten not is more personal and may stand out more. Any folks here want to weigh in in the next hour or so? Thanks![/quote]
Hand written note definately. Speaking as a hiring manager.
[quote]reddog6376 wrote:
[quote]timbofirstblood wrote:
Okay, I had a promising interview earlier today for an entry-level job. I met with the head of HR as well as the person I will be working under. I’m writing up a thank you note for each of them right now, and am wondering what your thoughts are on handwritten/mailed note vs. email.
I figure the email will get there quickly and help me look responsive, but a handwritten not is more personal and may stand out more. Any folks here want to weigh in in the next hour or so? Thanks![/quote]
Hand written note definately. Speaking as a hiring manager.[/quote]
Thanks for the reply. Do you think it makes sense to send a quick email as well just to demonstrate quick turnaround? I’m thinking that with the weekend coming up my note won’t get there until tuesday at the earliest.
No to the email.
Think about it:
Which is more RARE, email or hand written note? Go that route to get noticed. To be memorable.
I always have the address of the place written down before the interview so I can send them off the same day. Have been offered an alternate position (didn’t get the one I interviewed for) as a result (well, I think so).
And make sure you DON’T write the same damn thing for each card. Trust me, they will compare notes and it’ll backfire on you if the text is the same.
A few lines should do it.
You can “divide the baby” here.
Deliver the hand written note to the receptionist/front desk for delivery that day. You then have personalization AND quick turn-around. An E-mail a week or so later thanking them again for their time and expressing your continued interest in the vacancy wouldn’t be a bad follow-up either.
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
You can “divide the baby” here.
Deliver the hand written note to the receptionist/front desk for delivery that day. You then have personalization AND quick turn-around. An E-mail a week or so later thanking them again for their time and expressing your continued interest in the vacancy wouldn’t be a bad follow-up either.[/quote]
There you go. Email, as a follow up to your follow up.
Do it, man!
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
You can “divide the baby” here.
Deliver the hand written note to the receptionist/front desk for delivery that day. You then have personalization AND quick turn-around. An E-mail a week or so later thanking them again for their time and expressing your continued interest in the vacancy wouldn’t be a bad follow-up either.[/quote]
Wish I’d seen this a little bit earlier, as this is a slick move. I ended up sending both an email today and putting a note on nice stationary in the mail. Next time I will definitely employ this strategy, as it seems a lot more natural and effective than what I did. Interestingly many of my peers said just an email was fine, but hr folks were all about the note.
Thanks for the input everyone!
SOLVED!
My work here is um… yeah.
People really write post-interview thank you’s?
[quote]biglifter wrote:
People really write post-interview thank you’s?[/quote]
Only considerate people…
[quote]biglifter wrote:
People really write post-interview thank you’s?[/quote]
I’ve written one after four frakking rounds of interviews where they ended up transferring internally… so even AFTER I DID NOT GET HIRED. My Industry is very specialized and I can guarantee my professional path will cross again with this person/these people. Plus its the policte thing to do.
[quote]reddog6376 wrote:
[quote]biglifter wrote:
People really write post-interview thank you’s?[/quote]
Only considerate people…[/quote]
It’s generally more of a strategic move than anything else. It increases your chances of having made a good impression, making you a stronger candidate for the position.
It’s not a matter of being considerate… it’s a matter of being smart. Why would I genuinely be thankful for them taking the time to see me, unless my resume sucked ass and they were clearly doing me a huge favor? Remember, it’s in their best interests, as well, to interview me if I am a good candidate.
Considerate people write thank you notes when they have nothing left to gain (e.g., to professors who took the time to write a LOR or something).
[quote]anonym wrote:
[quote]reddog6376 wrote:
[quote]biglifter wrote:
People really write post-interview thank you’s?[/quote]
Only considerate people…[/quote]
It’s generally more of a strategic move than anything else. It increases your chances of having made a good impression, making you a stronger candidate for the position.
It’s not a matter of being considerate… it’s a matter of being smart. Why would I genuinely be thankful for them taking the time to see me, unless my resume sucked ass and they were clearly doing me a huge favor? Remember, it’s in their best interests, as well, to interview me if I am a good candidate.
Considerate people write thank you notes when they have nothing left to gain (e.g., to professors who took the time to write a LOR or something).[/quote]
It has swayed my decision between two qualified candidates several times in the past. I’d much prefer to hire someone who displays common courtesy. Character counts.
[quote]reddog6376 wrote:
[quote]anonym wrote:
[quote]reddog6376 wrote:
[quote]biglifter wrote:
People really write post-interview thank you’s?[/quote]
Only considerate people…[/quote]
It’s generally more of a strategic move than anything else. It increases your chances of having made a good impression, making you a stronger candidate for the position.
It’s not a matter of being considerate… it’s a matter of being smart. Why would I genuinely be thankful for them taking the time to see me, unless my resume sucked ass and they were clearly doing me a huge favor? Remember, it’s in their best interests, as well, to interview me if I am a good candidate.
Considerate people write thank you notes when they have nothing left to gain (e.g., to professors who took the time to write a LOR or something).[/quote]
It has swayed my decision between two qualified candidates several times in the past. I’d much prefer to hire someone who displays common courtesy. Character counts.[/quote]
Fair enough. I don’t mean to suggest that there aren’t people out there who are genuinely that courteous or thoughtful, just that many times those acts of consideration come with an ulterior motive on the side.
[quote]anonym wrote:
[quote]reddog6376 wrote:
[quote]anonym wrote:
[quote]reddog6376 wrote:
[quote]biglifter wrote:
People really write post-interview thank you’s?[/quote]
Only considerate people…[/quote]
It’s generally more of a strategic move than anything else. It increases your chances of having made a good impression, making you a stronger candidate for the position.
It’s not a matter of being considerate… it’s a matter of being smart. Why would I genuinely be thankful for them taking the time to see me, unless my resume sucked ass and they were clearly doing me a huge favor? Remember, it’s in their best interests, as well, to interview me if I am a good candidate.
Considerate people write thank you notes when they have nothing left to gain (e.g., to professors who took the time to write a LOR or something).[/quote]
It has swayed my decision between two qualified candidates several times in the past. I’d much prefer to hire someone who displays common courtesy. Character counts.[/quote]
Fair enough. I don’t mean to suggest that there aren’t people out there who are genuinely that courteous or thoughtful, just that many times those acts of consideration come with an ulterior motive on the side.
[/quote]
The ulterior motive being to… get hired by the person reading the letter? Not exactly a sinister plot, lol. It just shows that you are serious about getting the job.
[quote]biglifter wrote:
People really write post-interview thank you’s?[/quote]
I write notes when people talk shit to my face…mostly because the only thing they’ll remember is I sent them a note, not that they were angry with me. Plus, it’s hard to be mad at someone that sends you a nice note after you yelled at them.
[quote]anonym wrote:
[quote]reddog6376 wrote:
[quote]anonym wrote:
[quote]reddog6376 wrote:
[quote]biglifter wrote:
People really write post-interview thank you’s?[/quote]
Only considerate people…[/quote]
It’s generally more of a strategic move than anything else. It increases your chances of having made a good impression, making you a stronger candidate for the position.
It’s not a matter of being considerate… it’s a matter of being smart. Why would I genuinely be thankful for them taking the time to see me, unless my resume sucked ass and they were clearly doing me a huge favor? Remember, it’s in their best interests, as well, to interview me if I am a good candidate.
Considerate people write thank you notes when they have nothing left to gain (e.g., to professors who took the time to write a LOR or something).[/quote]
It has swayed my decision between two qualified candidates several times in the past. I’d much prefer to hire someone who displays common courtesy. Character counts.[/quote]
Fair enough. I don’t mean to suggest that there aren’t people out there who are genuinely that courteous or thoughtful, just that many times those acts of consideration come with an ulterior motive on the side.
[/quote]
If you become a mensch you’ll have nothing to worry about when it comes to these things. Any meeting I have, because I know their time is valuable even if they do not know it.
[quote]challer1 wrote:
The ulterior motive being to… get hired by the person reading the letter? Not exactly a sinister plot, lol. It just shows that you are serious about getting the job.[/quote]
True. Just pointing out that I feel that not writing a thank you note for an interview doesn’t make one an inconsiderate person, nor do I feel that it is an act solely carried out by considerate people.
More often than not, I would bet that most people do it because they know it reflects very well on them.
[quote]Brother Chris wrote:
If you become a mensch you’ll have nothing to worry about when it comes to these things. Any meeting I have, because I know their time is valuable even if they do not know it.[/quote]
lol
You know, every now and then, if you decided to give at least one arm a break from patting yourself on the back, you might be able to crank out a post that doesn’t make me shit my pants from a spine-tingling douche chill.