No thank you? No job.

I might seem like I reference my mother a lot in this blog, but sometimes I can't help it - she  gave me some great advice when I was growing up that has gotten me a long way in life - especially in the work force.

The "great advice" I'm referring to this time? Saying thank-you. Not a hard task, but surprisingly, not something people remember to do after a job interview either.

Sending interviewers a customized thank-you is critical as a job-seeker. Not only are you gaining an edge over the competition, but you're forcing employers to remember you, as well as giving yourself another opportunity to sell yourself for the job.

The format of your thank-you can vary: Some employers prefer an e-mail, some like a good ol' fashioned hand-written note and others like a typed hard-copy. No matter what form you send it in, what matters the most is that you send one at all.

Nearly 15 percent of hiring managers say they would not hire someone who failed to send a thank-you letter after the interview. Thirty-two percent say they would still consider the candidate, but would think less of him or her, according to 2005 CareerBuilder.com survey.

Here a few tips for writing a great thank-you letter:

Short and sweet.

Three paragraphs is a good guideline to follow for your thank-you. It's long enough to include the necessary information - thanking the hiring manager for the opportunity; reminding him/her of your qualifications and reiterating your interest in the position - but short enough that it won't bore them.

Remind.

Your thank-you note will be lost in the shuffle if you forget to remind the hiring manager who you are and what you'll bring the company. Thank-you notes are a great opportunity to include key information you forgot to mention in the interview, clarify any points or try to ease any reservations the interviewer might have expressed. It's your last chance to sell yourself - don't miss it.

Proofread.

Your thank-you is your last impression on a hiring manager. Just like your resume, it should be free of any grammatical or spelling errors. Also, if you're interviewing several places, check that each thank-you has the correct information for each company and position.

Customize.

A generic thank-you letter won't cut it. Tailor each thank-you to the company, position and relationship you established with your hiring manager. Include information that shows you were paying attention during your interview. For example, if you discussed a specific issue in your interview, highlight any further findings on the subject in your thank-you.

Write to everyone.

Send a tailored thank-you to every person you interviewed with at a company. Make sure they aren't identical - odds are that they'll share it with each other when discussing your potential as an employee. To make each thank-you different, think back to topics discussed during each interview, such as specific clients.

Comments

[Mark A. Hedtke]

I have been finding that many jobs are beginning to be filled by much more experienced applicants than any one thought possible, seniors! Enjoy work this time around!