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Eight Tips to Help You Write Job Interview Thank You Notes

Surprisingly many job seekers still do not write thank you notes after interviews. A thank you is particularly important after an informational interview. Help yourself stand out from the crowd by thanking those who have taken the time to meet with you.

Here are eight tips to help you get through the thank you note process:

1. Be sure to get a business card or contact information from everyone you meet when you interview, lunch discussions included. If you did forget someone’s contact information, call the receptionist or departmental assistant.

2. Send your thank you within 24-48 hours of the interview while you are still fresh in the interviewer’s mind.

3. If you interviewed with many different folks your notes do not have to be completely different. However you should personalize the communication in some fashion by mentioning something specific about the person you met. For example, “I appreciated hearing about the leadership conference you attended at Duke and how that impacted your career.”

4. Keep it fairly short. The purpose of the thank you is to reconfirm key points and say thanks. Four paragraphs is a good goal.

5. Include key selling points that you may have missed in the interview. Interviews can be stressful and you may have forgotten a key element of your experience that demonstrates your suitability for the position. This is your chance to communicate that strength.

6. Confirm your interest in, and enthusiasm for, the position. If you aren’t interested in the job you still need to thank the interviewer for their time. Leave a good impression, whether or not this is the position for you.

7. Email is OK and even preferred by some. Maureen Conte, Recruiting Manager with Varen Technologies, prefers email over snail mail. Maureen adds, “If I receive a thank you note by e-mail — and I have received very few over the years — it does make a good impression and you can route the note to hiring managers, etc. who might not have been copied on the note or not involved with the interview.”

8. Lastly proofread your thank you and carefully doublecheck names. If you’re not a good proofreader find someone to help you.