The Art of the Thank You Letter

In today’s economy, competition for jobs is more intense than ever, therefore anything and everything you can do to set yourself apart from other applicants is in your favor. The thank you letter is the perfect complement to the interview you have been granted. It is not only polite to thank the interviewer for his time and the opportunity, but doing so will make you stand out from those who neglect this step.

Impressing with a thank you letter does require a little time and thought. Keep these things in mind.

• Do it immediately following the interview and mail it the same day.
• Never email or text a thank you.
• Print the letter on nice stationary.
• Send one to each person who interviewed you. Remember to ask for their business card during the interview so you have the correct contact information and most importantly the correct spelling of their name.
• Include a thank you for the time the person spent with you, any information you didn’t think to mention during the interview, something that impressed you about the company and how you can be an asset to it.
• Remember to close with your desire to join the company and your contact information.
• If you haven’t already provided it, attach a list of 3 references with contact information.

Use the thank you letter to your advantage by showing how prompt you are, that you follow through and that you have excellent social skills. The perfectly timed and articulated thank you letter may be the tie-breaker between you and other candidates.