Thank You Notes After Meetings/Interviews

Is sending a thank you note really required after a meeting?  Is it not just a marketing gimmick that some people use to try and promote themselves?  Don't many people send these notes now a day so they do not really stand out anymore?

These are all questions I receive on a regular basis regarding thank you notes.  Instead of getting caught up in the semantics of thank you notes, let's look at what they establish to judge their overall value.

1. A thank you note is one last chance to remind the recruiter or hiring manager who you are and it shows your personality. Many people are not happy with their performances during an interview and being able to follow up to quickly clarify, or to show your true style and self can be very useful.  I like when a candidate follows up with me and references something specific from our discussion as it shows good listening skills.  I also like it when a candidate will critique themselves on our interview within the note just as a good sales person does after a sales call.

2. A thank you note allows you one last chance to reiterate why you are interested in the position.  Just last week I had a candidate who was about to be discounted for a position, when he was able to win the client back because of a note that he wrote.  He will now be attending a fourth and final interview due to that thank you note. 

Make sure you show sincerity in the letter and speak to specific content from the meeting.  Make sure you are not just sending generic thank you notes that could be used for any interview that you have ever attended. (i.e. I am really excited about this Director of Sales position)  The key is to show your interest level and not regurgitate old generalized material.

3. A thank you note can show the s

pecific value that you will bring to the position.  Occasionally companies will focus on the long term potential of candidates and their ability to bring exceptional value in both the near and distant future.  I have personally seen thank you letters from candidates who were not of this "5 star" variety win themselves the positions with convincing notes.  They did this by clearly communicating their understanding of the role and how they could contribute immediately to the mandate of the position.  This could be because of their exceptional understanding of the role or how they communicated their solution paths or how they would leverage their current relationships to help the business in a more timely fashion.

4. A thank you note also shows your writing abilities and your attention to detail.  The poor writing abilities of the younger generation of employees are one of the most discussed topics by companies today.  A well written note removes you from the masses of the poor communicating younger generation, or reminds companies of what older more polished candidates are able to offer their employer.  With the recently renewed importance of public relations as well as department message updates within social media, there is once again a respect for written communication.

One final thought.  If a thank you note is that difficult for you or that much of a hassle for you to write, than what does that tell you about yourself?

Farewell,

Mike