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Discussion Forum Conversation with a GovLoop Job Seeker re: Thank You Notes

On a recent GovLoop Discussion Forum, a job seeker was looking for advice on how to ace on interview.

Here were some of the points I shared on that discussion that other cleared job seekers may enjoy reading:

Congrats on the interview! I have to echo one of previous points: getting the contact information from everyone you meet so that you can send a thank you note. Thank you notes are one of those lost social graces that make a big impact in not only job searching but in business in general. I can’t tell you how many hiring managers and recruiters that I have talked with who say they hardly ever get a follow up note and those that they do get, they really remember the candidate. 
 
Some things to think about with a thank you note: 

• Recap an important point in the meeting 
• Mention something about the person you met so they know you are truly writing the note to them rather than just a standard “thank you for your time” like I appreciated hearing about the leadership conference you attended at Duke and how that impacted your career
• Add in that one point that you forgot to add during the interview that you want to share with them
• Many times we walk out of an interview and as soon as we get to the outside, we say “darn, I should have mentioned XYZ” … well, the thank you note is the great place to put in this extra tidbit

As I said, thank you notes are a lost art but they make a big difference throughout many stages of our careers and lives.

Kathleen