Post interivew: Send your thanks!

It is always important to write a note of thanks to your interviewers for providing you with the opportunity to interview and to reiterate HOW you are the best candidate for the job. Here are a few tips:

1. As far as I know, snail mail thank-you notes are still acceptable. Make sure you have the correct address. (Many times the address can be found on the website or at the bottom of an email correspondence. Otherwise, be prepared to ask for a business card at your interview.)

2. BOTH email and snail mail thank-you notes can be sent so that you can remain in the interviewer's mind during decision time.

3. If your interview is out of town then bring stationary and stamps with you so that you can drop the letters by a post office before you leave town. If you do this then the thank-you notes will get to the employer faster. If you're staying at a hotel it is very likely that the front desk can send out your mail. (From personal experience: My very kind Aunt had to drive me to the local Target to pick up stationary after one of my out of town interviews. She even provided my postage and dropped them off at the post office the next morning for me! What's the moral of the story? If you don't have an Aunt like mine then you better buy your stationary in advance.)

4. Write a draft of your thank-you note on a separate sheet of paper or on your computer before writing the message in a thank-you card. Read it aloud to catch mistakes.

5. Write LEGIBLY if you send out a snail mail thank-you card.

6. A generic thank-you (email and/or snail mail) will not help your chances. You should succinctly re-iterate HOW you would be an asset to the company. This will work even better for you if you can refer back to a specific comment made during your interview.

7. Write email and/or snail mail thank-you notes to each one of your interviewers.

8. If you're sending a snail mail card then purchase appropriate stationary. I'd like to define 'appropriate' but it really depends on the company and the type of job. Personally, I'm a fan of Crane & Co but you can also find business thank-you cards at an office supply store.

Follow-up!

If you are serious about getting a job, following-up on job leads should be your #1 priority. It is time consuming but it is necessary. So...

+If someone provides you with a lead on a job, make sure to follow-up and thank that person. Failure to follow-up is rude and indicates that you are not serious about getting a job. Right now there are just too many people looking for jobs. You can be easily replaced by someone more eager.

+After an in-person interview it is often recommended than you send your interviewer(s) thank-you notes as soon as possible. I usually send mine by snail-mail. Email may be appropriate as well depending on the situation.