After the Interview
So many forget a simple 'Thank You' goes a long way. What do you do after the job interview? What CAN you do? You need to make yourself stand out as much as possible in a positive manner, and the thank you note is the key to doing so. As soon as you are able to, write down everything you can remember about the interview. Later on, you’ll want to review you notes in order to prepare yourself for writing an interview thank you let. Why Write a Thank You Note? A thank you note allows you to really stand out from the rest of the applicants. Not everyone actually sends a thank you note because they don’t think it’s important or aren’t even aware of it. By writing a thank you letter to the interviewer, you make them take a second look, and you are able to direct where they look. Emphasize Your Strengths and Play Down Your weaknesses Take this opportunity to mention how you fit the company’s needs again. Review your notes and focus on what the interviewer focused on. Also, improve upon one of your responses if you felt any of them were lacking. Simply explain that you had time to rethink your answer and would like to expand upon you previous response. Format Email or physical mail? Generally, you should email it because you can’t be sure exactly how long the hiring process will take, and you want to make a good impression before the interviewer has a chance to forget about you. Just because it’s an email doesn’t mean you can write it sloppily though. Write the letter in the body of your email following standard letter format. Open by thanking them for the interview. The highlight your qualifications, address weaknesses, and improve upon your responses in the second and third paragraphs, and final, close the letter with another display f gratitude combined with when you plan on following up. All in all, it shouldn’t be longer then a page in length. Once you’ve had it proofread by a few people, send it off within 24 hours of your interview.
So, let us not to say thank you, ... even if you don't get the job. The person will remember YOU.
Thank you so much for taking the time out for helping me out.
Thanks Betty! I love that you said to write everything down that you remember once the interview is over, because MANY of us (me included) will blank right out once it is done. An interview is a tough thing to encounter and sometimes our brains are over worked or our nervousness can take hold. Writing down the key points after the interview has ended will ensure that you will remember those small little details (like talking about the interviewer's dog for example or where they went to school that you can connect with) that you can include in a thank you note. The key is to stand out and make them remember you. A thank you is also a great time to reiterate your strengths and is a nice way of saying "Hey...THIS is why you want to hire me." You can highlight things subtly without going over board and be sure to stick to 1-2 strengths about why you are a great addition to their team. As Betty said, thank you's are critical and it's important to send one even if you think the interview went horribly. It will show that you care and companies do speak to each other, so always remember that a great impression is better than none at all!
So, let us not FORGET to say thank you, ...even if you don't get the job. (I apologize for the missing word. I forgot? LOL
Thank you for taking the time to look over my resume