Not everyone does it, though. It separates one.
Thank you emails after interviews
- Thread starter Formerly Rockymtnole
- Start date
Not everyone does it, though. It separates one.
Well, remember that this isn’t some new torture device. This comes from an era before email. It’s not my favorite thing to do, but it doesn’t take that long to write out a short, personal note to show appreciation.
I think you are confusing the post-interview thank you with the post-interview back alley BJ.
That’s the thing….It can make you stand out because it’s not that common any more. At the absolute worst, it won’t matter for you at all. There’s no scenario where any boss you would actually want to work for thinks, “Wow, this person took a few extra minutes to send a hand-written thank you. What an asshat, definitely not getting this job!”
It’s never going to hurt you and it could help you.
Yeah, it’s a small operation but my no-pic wife got her first teaching job by calling HR every day for weeks. The guy in charge finally took her call and after she introduced herself he said, “Oh, I know who you are”. She was hired that day. That’s the story she shared with our son when she told him to keep in touch with the owner.
Over the years we became good friends with the HR guy and his family.
I’ve been tech side for 25 years, but I would imagine it’s either more important or stands out more if you’re in any kind of customer-facing role. Just demonstrates thought, personal connection and focus on relationship.
I did a pre-interview with a company where my aunt worked. They sent me a scheduling link for the pre interview. He walked me through how the interview was going to go. After the pre-interview he said he'd send me a link to schedule the interview. He sent me another pre-interview link. I did a follow up to ask if he sent the correct link and I was ghosted. Never heard from them again.
My aunt asked how everything went and I told her what went down. She works like 2 offices down from the recruiters so she approached them about what was up. Apparently the recruiter told her he messed up and was embarrassed so they moved on from me as a candidate.
Follow up emails, amirite?
Last edited:
I'll draw them a moral of the interview and see what happens.
Handjob > Handwritten
I actually prefer this even though it’s a PITA. With all the corporate filters job postings go through, I have way more idea what kinds of skill sets I want than HR, no matter what I tell them. I’ve always had better luck sifting through on my own, outside of one amazing recruiter I had for a whopping 2 positions (I’ve hired dozens over the years).
I have always done this. When I was an employer I paid attention to it. Unfortunately for me I just interviewed last week and they all but invited me to the second interview, I felt very good about it, but got busy and forgot the follow up Thank You. Think I got bounced. The search continues.
times have changed. it's possible that the other interviewees are waiting for a letter from you reiterating an interest in their candidacy. both sides checking email but not sending.
This is 100% true….and also I can only use what the candidates show me. A thank-you follow-up is really low on the list of things I evaluate, but it does make me see them as a little more professional and it can help break a tie after I evaluate resumes, interviews, impressions I took from the conversation, body language, etc.
With one exception - I had one candidate who I thought was pretty strong who wrote a personal thank you with effusive gratitude right up until the point where they called my #2 a moron “literally” and told me I’d be making a huge mistake if I didn’t fire them and give him that job. Sorry. That’s elimination criteria.
It is still advisable to send one. Im not hard core on it as a hiring manager, but I've worked with managers who will remove people from consideration if there's no thank you email.
That’s cool when it works and it’s a viable strategy for a smaller company….but you’re not getting that VP position at Wells Fargo by calling HR everyday and getting an HR manager on the phone. Have to know what kind of place you’re dealing with and adjust strategies accordingly.
Done well, that could be an absolute banger of a follow-up. That’s the kind of thing that makes you stand out for sure.
This is the correct answer.
There is a hierarchy to follow:
Interview >> Give handy to hiring manager >> Offer is made >> Give 2nd handy to hiring manager >> Meet HR to sign paperwork >> HR fists you >> Meet teammates >> Teammates peg you >> Meet IT guy to get setup >> Blow IT guy
It’s all covered in Emily Post under expressing gratitude in the workplace.
I’m the reverse.
I currently have 350+ resumes for this position and have been through all of them. I never leave screening to HR or the automated system. I want to see everything.
I agree. Relationships matter as much as technical skills. I want someone who knows the game, knows how to get along with colleagues, knows how to get stuff done, etc.
I view the interview process as a two-way street - each side deciding whether they want to work together. If I don’t get a follow up, should I assume you didn’t think we would work well together? Didn’t like what you heard about the role? Your silence leaves me guessing.
Obviously all roles are different.
And also shows you whether they can string a few sentences together.
Considering most employers won't even take the time to do 1st interviews face to face anymore, I agree.
The other thing to me is that even if you don’t get that job, sometimes that note/email will help you get remembered and they’ll think of you for the next job.
It’s way less common. But even more shocking (and a very good tip for those looking for jobs) the art of a well written Cover Letter with the resume has also gone “poof”. As a hiring manager, when I get one and it is clear they tried to do a little research on my company and the position, it takes them to the top of the pile (if qualified). I get a ton of hilarious bad resumes and hysterical salary requests.
This reminds me, it is critical to have good grammar and spelling in follow up notes for positions as well.
I sent quick thank you emails immediately after interviews I had when I went through a job change a couple months back. Even though I've been working remotely since Covid, I found Zoom/Teams interviews to be a bit awkward. But on the plus side I wasn't limited to companies in the IC/Cedar Rapids area for job openings in the world we are in now.
I’m pro-thank you note, but I’m anti-cover letter for the most part. If you can write a really good one, then it meets the thank-you note category (can’t hurt you, could help you), but having been on the hiring manager side for a while now, most cover letters are trash. So much of going through a stack of resumes (that can be 350+ as noted in this thread) is weeding people out. Show me bad grammar, disjointed thought, blandness and it makes it easier to peel things off the top. Cover letters are largely just giving the hiring manager more chances to weed you out.
My business line involves scientists and engineers writing detailed technical reports of findings. If someone can write me a good, non boiler plate cover letter, it helps because, and not trying to hijack thread, but writing in general is a lost art and I am shocked at how poor some of the people I have hired are at it. And you can’t tell by interview or even where they graduated college from. Seen horrible writers from good universities. I also don’t get 350 resumes for these positions (thank god!)
Certainly understand this position. At my firm we don't track, nor do we particularly care if we receive a thank you, whether for in person or on campus. The interested and qualified candidates typically make it clear in numerous ways other than through a thank you note. Personally I'm not moving someone down the list if they don't send. That said, with many similarly situated candidates, it could help a candidate stick out if done correctly (i.e. it can't hurt to send, should only marginally help).
Are you hiring monkeys? Haven't seen that and we have a lot of 20 year olds working for us.
I'd say less then have, maybe a 3rd send in a thank you email afterwards anymore.
Funny, not sending a follow up note thanking them for the time and reiterating why I believe I'm the best candidate never would have occurred to me.
They have the job opening, not me.
They have the job opening, not me.
And that’s fair. There is some variability by industry for sure. I used to be in journalism, where you had a clip portfolio to share that stuff, which mattered more than a cover letter and now I’m in tech/info security, where the ability to write will set someone apart, but generally comes more as a nice-to-have.
No way I want to read 100 computer science cover letters. Also worth noting is most of the current application systems actually make it actively difficult to submit a cover letter.
I do it, but I think generally it is a waste of time because I figure they are shredded quicker than they are written.
It’s a common courtesy to thank the interviewer for their time.
But I can understand why you are confused by common courtesies and think it’s ass kissing.
Meh, I guess we're all different. I would never want to be in the employ of a person/company that expects you to kiss the ring.
