By Cliff Harmon
Faculty member, School of Business at American Public University
My daughter recently moved to Indiana and was in the process of job interviewing for three positions. After the interviews took place, I watched as she sat down to write thank you notes to each of people that had spent time with her. I was very proud to see my daughter, a true millennial, take the time to write and mail a handwritten thank you!
Regardless of what the e-connected, tweeting, and instagramming society thinks, a handwritten thank you after an interview never goes out of favor. Taking the time to sit down and thank someone for their time is a way to let them know that you really appreciate them.
A friend of mine owns an advertising agency in St. Louis, Missouri, and he recently relayed that about 3-5 people send a thank you note out of 20 interviews he performs. One of their top candidates failed to send a thank you note or even a follow-up until weeks after the interview; the position went to another candidate. A simple handwritten note could have led to a career!
The note can be very simple. Just thank the person for their time, remind them that you felt you would be a great fit, and, if needed, address any area of the interview that needs clarification. Ending the note with an invitation to contact you with any follow-up questions or to schedule a second interview is also seen as being proactive.
Don’t neglect the power of the personal touch. It can lead to better things!
[Related: Learn from the CIA: Writing is a Critical Skill for all Careers]
About the Author: Cliff Harmon is a full time faculty at American Public University and has been teaching for six years. He has an MA in Human Resources and Management from Webster University, St Louis MO and his Undergraduate is in Adult Education from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale IL. He currently resides in St Louis with his wife of 28 years. They have three children, one is married and is a nurse, and the other two are currently in college. They are in the process of restoring an 1897 Victorian home.
Comments are closed.