Thank You Note Do’s and Don’ts

Though many people blow them off, thank you notes are an important way to wrap up video interview. Not only do they show the hiring manager that you are taking this opportunity seriously, but it also shows that you are prompt, organized, as well as polite. They are a simple way to stand out and maintain a consistent image. If you want to leave an all-around good impression, follow these simple guidelines to writing your thank you notes:

Do:

• Write the dang thing. Don’t pass up on an opportunity to make yourself look good and possibly separate yourself further from other candidates.
• Be sincere, not snarky or sarcastic. Those sorts of tones can be lost in text, and could leave a bad taste in their mouths.
• Comment on some small remark that struck you in the interview, it shows that you were listening.
• If you want to reiterate that you’re a perfect fit for the position, you better qualify that statement with past results or experience rather than just saying “I believe I’m a perfect fit for the job.”
• Send the thank you in a timely manner – within 24 to 48 hours would be best, erring on the earlier side.

Don’t:

• Use a canned Thank You card. If you want to wow them, go deeper. Say they mentioned dealing with a huge project – thank them for taking the time away from that to meet with you. They’ll appreciate that.
• Send the thank you a week later and apologize for your lateness. What kind of a message do you think that sends?
• Call to thank them. You may want to call and follow up if you’d discussed that in the interview, but calling them to thank them can come off as pestering, which is not the impression you’re trying to leave.
• Send them gifts and assume that it will help to land you the job. That’s called bribery, my friend.

Thank you notes are a great way to help nurture a relationship between yourself and a hiring manager as well as leave (another) good impression of who you are. Make sure to take the time and make them count!