Sample Interview Thank You Letter
Companies differ
in their expectation of a thank you note after an interview. In some offices,
interviewers take offense at the absence of a note and malign negligent
interviewees. In other offices, politeness is a superfluous rather than central
part of the culture. Rather than spending your time deciphering the
expectations of your interviewers, invest in making the thank you note clinch
your candidacy.
You should consider the
content of your thank you letter as carefully as you considered the content of
your cover letter.
In addition to showing appreciation
for the time of the interviewer and establishing another point of contact, your
thank you letter should include a reaffirmation of your particular value to the
company now that you have more information about the job. Use the note to
market yourself. By referencing specific concerns and needs of the company as
expressed by the interviewer, you show the interviewer again that you paid
close attention to what she said. By citing particular ways in which you can
address those needs and concerns, you do the work of connecting the job
requirements with your job skills. Making connections between yourself and the
job not only fortifies your aptness for the position, but it also tangibly
demonstrates your interest in the position. The greater care you take to
customize the note, the more personally it will affect the interviewer. For
this reason, it is also helpful to comment on something specific that you
appreciated about the interviewer or what she said. (Note: be sure that your
comments are appropriate and professional.)
If there is something
important that you forgot to mention during the interview, you think there
might have been a point of miscommunication, or the interviewer indicated
concern over some aspect of your qualifications, you can address these in the
thank you note. When doing so, be certain that your tone is positive,
forthright, and confident.
Consider a sample thank you
note:
Dear Mr. Thompson:
Thank you for taking the time to interview me yesterday. Your dedication to
ensuring that clients receive what they need from Svens Consulting in the
timeframe they need it is admirable and makes me confident that I would fit
into the culture at Svens.
After speaking with you, I reflected on some of the skills and qualities you
indicated are most important in this position: analytical acuity, project
management, flexibility, and the ability to establish strong relationships with
clients. In my experience as project manager overseeing the delivery of
complicated knowledge management systems to five major clients, my success
depended on these same skills. You had mentioned that miscommunication between
Sven's and your clients periodically causes glitches in providing services.
Since I am adept at developing a strong rapport with clients, understanding
their objectives and expectations, and keeping communication lines open, I
would immediately add value to the team at Svens.
In short, Pat, I am convinced that the Director position would be a good career
move for me and that I would contribute to the success of Svens. I look forward
to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Roger Wallace
Not only does the thank you
note communicate respect for the employer and reaffirm your case as a
candidate, but it also provides you with an easy excuse for calling the employer
again. When you make sure that the note arrived, you can take the opportunity
to discuss certain aspects of the position, ask the interviewer whether he or
she has any additional questions for you, and reaffirm your interest in the
job.
Thank you note reminders:
·
Send
the note within 24 hours of the interview if you send it via the mail service
and 48 hours of the interview if you send it digitally.
·
Send
one note to each person who interviewed you. The interviewers will likely
compare your notes.
·
Make
the note personal, but professional.
·
Keep
the tone positive and confident.
·
Keep
the note brief; use your words economically.
·
Refer
to specific things that the interviewer said during the interview.
·
Reaffirm
how you can add value to the company.
·
Be
certain that there are no grammatical or spelling errors in the note.
·
Follow
up the thank you letter with a phone call a week later, if you have not heard
from the employer.
Source:
ResumeEdge
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