There is one little practice that is vital to generating
interest of potential employers. It is critical, but very few job seekers actually do it.What is it? The THANK YOU NOTE!
Interview experts agree that EVERY job hunter MUST send thank-you notes after EVERY interview. They also point out that most people completely ignore this bit of wisdom.
In order to have a huge advantage over other candidates for job you want, send thank-you notes to EVERYONE you meet day of interview--administrative assistants, managers, interviewers, people you met who already do job you are targeting, and so on.
One of my résumé clients (let's call him Mike) is a Certified Arborist and Tree Care Professional in San Diego area. His goal is to move into consulting arena.
Very soon after speaking on phone with owner of a prominent tree care company, Mike mailed a brief note thanking owner for his time and consideration. Within a week, owner called Mike and offered him an informal mentoring arrangement to help Mike learn more about consulting side of tree care.
Mike decided to pass on offer and continue his job search, and he recently landed a very nice position. He sent me an e-mail about his recent job-hunting activities saying, "...and just so you know, thank-you letter has got to be block that keeps door open. I sent out three letters and subsequently got three offers."
If you're not convinced yet, following reasons outline significance of sending thank-you notes:
(1) Sending a thank-you note demonstrates that you are good with people. You employ most basic of people skills--a show of gratitude.
(2) It helps companies remember you after interview. You can restate your interest in position, especially if interview went well.
(3) You can use thank-you note to summarize a few of main points discussed at interview. You can also add anything you forgot to tell them.
(4) It has potential to increase your affinity with those who have authority to hire you.
(5) It shows that you are serious about your career design.
(6) It indicates that you are organized and on top of details.
(7) It demonstrates that you went out of your way to show interest in company and/or position.
(8) If they decide not to consider you for position, perhaps they know of another opportunity that suits you. You can mention this in thank-you note, asking them to keep you in mind.
The post-interview thank-you note doesn’t have to be fancy. Here’s an example:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for opportunity to speak with you today. As we discussed, my 10-years of outside sales experience is a perfect fit for XYZ Widgets as you expand into Pacific Rim. In light of your plans for Asia, you’ll find my Japanese language skills to be of great value.
