Thank you Letters

"Thank you" is a powerful statement. Unfortunately it is heard too seldom. Every thank you is an opportunity to sell your qualifications and to leave a fresh impression in the mind of the reader. Send a thank you letter or note to employers and employment contacts whenever they have extended themselves in any way on behalf of your job search. At the minimum a written thank you should be sent after all interviews. This is your opportunity to make one more impression before the decision is made.

Thank you letters and notes should be standard tools in your job search. The thank you letter should follow a standard business letter format while the note may be a simple hand written note or card. Which to send depends upon the situation and your personal style.

Thank you Letter Point to Consider

Be brief and to the point.

When thanking a potential employer restate your interest in the position and/or company.

Always plan your follow-up. Make it a point to tell the person when and how they can expect to hear from you in the future.

If there are multiple people involved, such as with a panel interview, be sure to thank each person. Send one letter to each person or send a single letter to a key person for distribution. When sending more than one thank you it is very effective to vary each one.

Always send a written thank you to a person by name.

The thank you is an opportunity to restate your qualifications. Briefly include any pertinent information you failed to mention earlier. Be sure to reemphasize your qualifications or abilities.

Write and mail the thank you as soon after the encounter as possible, preferably the same day while details are fresh in your mind.