4 Tips for a Post-Interview Thank You Letter by Email
By: Ken Kuznia on iLostMyJob.com
The interview is over and you can finally relax. right? WRONG! It's time to follow-up in a meaningful and effective way. The best way to do that? A "Thank You" email...
Send a thank-you email to everyone you interviewed with ASAP, no later than that evening. The email should be concise; allow me to rephrase that, the email MUST be concise. If it looks wordy or is long, they simply won’t read any of it.
The overall theme of the thank you email is that you are aware of their needs and it also reminds them of why you might be a good fit. (Don’t assume they remembered it or even ‘heard you’ in the interview.) The other advantage to this format is that when you go in for your next interview, the person you already interviewed with can simply forward your email to the new interviewer, setting the stage that you understand their needs and it’s clear how you can help them. This will give you a distinct advantage!
Following the interview format in the LAND THE JOB YOU WANT training, there are four parts to a good thank you email:
#1 – Validate and acknowledge their time.
The first step in writing a good thank you email to an interviewer is to validate and acknowledge the time that the interviewer spent with you discussing the opportunity. Time is and always will be our most precious commodity becauseonce it is spent it can not be recovered. With this in mind it is so important for you to make sure you thank them for the gift of their time and attention.
i.e. “I appreciate you blocking out time in your schedule for us to talk about the ________ position.
#2 – Confirm you understand their needs.
Remember, the interview (from the perspecitve of the employer) is about finding a "fit" for the position that they are hiring for. This "fit" that employers are looking for encompasses so many variables that it is often difficult to account for each one of them. But one thing that you can control is your understanding of the needs of the employer.
The best way to do this? LISTEN, and and listen carefully to what the employer is telling you - both through their words and their actions.
i.e. “From what I understand out of our meeting, the top the three things you’re looking for in the ideal candidate are…” or “…the top three things you’re looking to accomplish are…”. Then bullet the points and remember, be concise.
#3 – Reiterate a few of the reasons why you believe you can help them accomplish what they are looking to accomplish.
Be sure to list the things that ONLY apply to their needs. Do NOT list items that you’re proud of but are not applicable to their specific needs. So many job seekers make the mistake of using the follow-up communication to tell the employer more about themselves... BIG MISTAKE! Remember, from the employers perspective, they have needs in which they are trying to resolve. Show them that you are the "solution" by highlighting how you can make an immeadiate impact.
i.e. “Following are a few of the reasons why I believe I can hit the ground running and help you accomplish your goals:” or “…help make your life easier:” or “solve the big issue you’re dealing with:” or something specific to what you learned in the interview.
Then follow with three, no more than five, bullets and if I haven’t mentioned it yet, remember to be concise.
#4 – Show enthusiasm for the position and assume the next step in the interview process.(only show enthusiasm if it’s genuine)
Enthusiasm is a cousin to attitude and is as contagious as attitude can be. If you don’t have any enthusiasm, go get some. Usually looking at past successes, achievements, triumphs and good times, you know those happy places will likely be the place to find some. Others you connect with in your job search will pick up any lack of enthusiasm and if there isn’t any, you will likely look lethargic. To create interest in you will be difficult if your head is not in the right place.
Remember, your enthusiasm needs to be genuine. Faking it is not a good option at this point. Also, make sure you are weaving your enthusiasm throughout your entire email. Don't go overboard though! You might want to have someone read this before you send it off!
i.e. “I have to be candid; the more I learned today the more excited I got about being able to help your team. I’m really looking forward to the next step to gain a deeper understanding of what you're looking to accomplish and being able to address any concerns you might have. If I haven’t heard from you by _______, I’ll give you a quick courtesy call.
Three business days is a good general rule for follow-up. However, be conscious as to what they shared with you in the interview. i.e. If they are conducting first interviews through next Friday, reference following up on the following Monday. And, yes, you want to be up front about addressing concerns; it shows confidence and that you don’t hide from potential issues.
Remember to be professional in your tone but feel free to write the way you normally speak. If it’s too rigid or out of character, the email will look like you’re putting on a show to simply get what you want. Companies are already scared to death that the interview is the best they’ll ever see from a candidate and a too-professional style only perpetuates that fear. So, be yourself.
Rather than using the exact words I used in the examples, I encourage you to take a few steps back and look at the overall philosophy of this approach vs. cutting and pasting it. If you make it your own, you will be a lot more attractive.
Hand-written Note
In addition to the thank you email, follow up with a hand-written note and drop it in the mail no later than the next day. This note should be very short and casual.
i.e. “John, Thanks again for your time yesterday. I’m really excited about the position and looking forward to the next step. Sally”
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