Why You Should Write a Follow-Up Thank-You Note After an Interview

Why You Should Write a Follow-Up Thank-You Note After an Interview Why You Should Write a Follow-Up Thank-You Note After an Interview Writing a thank-you note after a job interview is more than a matter of just being polite. A follow-up thank-you note can be the difference between getting the job, or not. A recent survey of recruiters  conducted by TopResume, a major resume-writing service, found that 68% of job applicants who dont send a follow-up thank-you note are jeopardizing their own candidacy. The survey, based on responses from 358 recruiting and hiring professionals, is great confirmation of the fact that responsiveness matters. So cast aside thinking that says the interview is over when you shake hands (even virtually), and bring the conversation to a polite conclusion. When the actual interview ends, the exchange is far from over. Check out these reasons why a follow-up thank-you note matters: No thank-you note could mean no job. The TopResume survey found that one of every 16 recruiters automatically dismissed job candidates who didnt follow up the interview with a note of thanks. Dont be daunted if youre a job candidate whos just completed an interview with a great potential employer. There are lots of great tips for writing a post-job interview thank-you note that can help you figure out timing (sooner is better than later); wording (short and to the point is best); and ways to properly address the recipient. Youre holding up the decision-making process. Its not all about you, after all. Getting a response in the form of a follow-up thank-you note or other acknowledgement of the job interviewing process is often a meaningful part of the checklist that hiring managers use to evaluate the candidate pool. So if youre lagging behind in writing a winning thank-you note, you may be delaying the hiring decision not just for yourself, but for other candidates too. Dont mark yourself as one of the impolites. According to the TopResume survey, one-third of all job candidates never even bother to send a note of thanks to the gatekeeper in the job hiring process, i.e., the person theyre trying to impress. Sending a thank-you email, or even a paper thank-you note  (old-school for sure) can help you stand out in the crowd. A thank-you note gives you a leg up. The TopResume survey concluded that 7% of job candidates  never  send notes of thanks after a job interview. Thats a pretty stunning statistic, especially considering that most given job openings are fairly competitive. Dont put yourself in the category of candidates who- for whatever reason- decide that its not worth your time to dash off a note of thanks to someone who may be your future boss. Here are three steps to consider to give yourself an edge in your job search: 1. One of the best job search hacks to give you an edge  is all about knowing your worth in the job search market. That means being savvy about knowing what your skills are worth and understanding how to negotiate during the interview process. 2. Make sure that you understand  why social media is important  when youre looking for work.  Its still a truism that lots of people who frequent social media see it as a fun and entertaining way to while away the hours. For job searchers, social media is not just personal, but can be a powerful way to connect with potential employers, on their own terms. 3. Looking to win out the job competition? Doing your research to scope out what employers are seeking and how you might best meet their needs can give you an advantage over your competition. Staying nimble and flexible can offer you a great way to win out over your job search competitors.