As We Enter into the Season of Thanks...

The post-job interview Thank You email....is it dead?

This has been irking me for a while. I've been in the recruiting field since The Age of Aquarius and have interviewed and placed hundreds of candidates. I go back to the days when Thank You notes were handwritten on real paper made from trees and mailed using this thing called an "envelope" and you had to add something called a "stamp" to move it from place to place. (Yes, I am THAT old--we had rolodexes, landlines and no computers, people. I remember seeing Triceratops grazing in the grass outside my office window.)

Thank You notes were certainly expected then. Hiring managers at my client companies would comment, "Jerry wrote such a lovely note to me!" "Sue really emphasized how much she'd love to work here." "Bill was so excited from his note and it pushed him over the top as a candidate."

That's my point. The Thank You note CAN make a difference in the outcome of the interview process. I've witnessed it firsthand many times. Take two candidates who seem equal in skill set, both have the right cultural or mission fit, and it often can come down to the way they handle the Thank You note. All things being equal, how does a hiring manager know you're truly excited unless you tell him or her?

Yet, in recent years, I've noticed many candidates are moving away from sending a note. This makes no sense since it's now just a few clicks away. Or if they DO email one, it's often sloppily written and has grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.

This poorly executed approach can instantly eliminate a candidate. Strong written and verbal skills are vital. Demonstrating a lack of care also means that a candidate may let things fall through the cracks on the job. I recall one particular candidate who was highly intelligent and had advanced degrees; he certainly had strong scientific skills for one of my clients. All seemed well up until the candidate emailed his Thank You. The hiring manager forwarded it to me, and I recall cringing when I read the opening salutation: "Hey Carolyn!"

There's an offer-killer if ever there was one. It did serve to eliminate him from any serious consideration. From manager Carolyn's point of view this cavalier attitude revealed the candidate was not taking the interview process seriously. He may have assumed his degrees and skills would carry him through to an offer. Not so! God is indeed in the details.

A Thank You note should be sincere, written from the heart and illustrate passion and excitement for the opportunity and the mission. It should be sent shortly after an interview. It should be written without mistakes. Not too long, not too short. It does not make one look "desperate"--it allows one to express authentic gratitude for the other person's time and effort. It's not old fashioned or obsolete.

A thoughtful and well written note can positively influence a hiring decision. And if there is any room for doubt on this topic, consider that there’s a greater risk of being at a disadvantage for not sending one than for sending one.

So go ahead. Give thanks. It's still a good practice in any season.

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” GK Chesterton