It is a formality. It shows you know the formality, and are just being formulaic.
Not everyone does it, though. It separates one.
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It is a formality. It shows you know the formality, and are just being formulaic.
I still do a handwritten note (assuming I can get a physical address), but things sometimes go fast enough these days that decisions are made before those get there sometimes, so I definitely do email as well. I’ll email anyone I talk to, but I do only do handwritten for hiring managers.
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 don't like this practice at all but it sounds like I should be doing it coming up here. What an awful custom
I think you are confusing the post-interview thank you with the post-interview back alley BJ.Disagree, it shows they have heard it was customary. It's low effort so I'll remember to do it going forward but that's just to fool hiring managers.
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 is a formality. It shows you know the formality, and are just being formulaic.
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.At a store though. If I’m changing jobs I’m dealing with HR that is far removed from the manager I would work for. It’s just hard. I’ll stay with guberment cheese for now. I want out but the public sector seems weird.
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.We get dozens of resumes and they are all very similar: great grades, other academics, community service, etc.
Anything you can do to distinguish yourself from your competition and show that you really want the job.
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.Or it could be a POS that happens to know that sending thank you emails will increase your odds of being hired at some businesses.
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.
Handjob > HandwrittenI think you are confusing the post-interview thank you with the post-interview back alley BJ.
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).Hiring is one of my least favorite tasks. Especially in my company which sort of has dedicated HR people, but they do zero prescreening. They just load the max amount of resumes into Beeline or something and I have to sift through it.
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....
I am hiring someone and only one of the four candidates I’ve interviewed thus far has followed up with an email reiterating their interest in the position.
...
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.You can really only guess as to who wanted it more. Maybe your intuition is right but a thank you note as an indicator of "wanting it more" is kind of not doing it for me. As an indicator of "good at following customs I'm familiar with" it's pretty good.
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.Is this still common practice?
I am hiring someone and only one of the four candidates I’ve interviewed thus far has followed up with an email reiterating their interest in the position.
I have always done that and when I’ve hired in the past (pre-COVID) most people followed up.
Another formality gone by the wayside?
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.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.
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.I'll draw them a moral of the interview and see what happens.
This is the correct answer.Handjob > Handwritten
I’m the reverse.Hiring is one of my least favorite tasks. Especially in my company which sort of has dedicated HR people, but they do zero prescreening. They just load the max amount of resumes into Beeline or something and I have to sift through it.
The last person I hired- they mailed their equipment to the wrong place; and set up the credentials with their last name spelled wrong.
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.Is it just a custom or does it exhibit qualities that might give clues that this person would be a good employee?
And also shows you whether they can string a few sentences together.Disagree. A good thank you note includes gratitude and a sentence or two explaining why the candidate believes they are best for the role. That absolutely shows who wants it more.
This is what I tell my kids.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.
Considering most employers won't even take the time to do 1st interviews face to face anymore, I agree.But why? Seems like pure pretense to me
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.We get dozens of resumes and they are all very similar: great grades, other academics, community service, etc.
Anything you can do to distinguish yourself from your competition and show that you really want the job.
This reminds me, it is critical to have good grammar and spelling in follow up notes for positions as well.Really? I ain’t begging for shit. They need me worst than I need them.
This reminds me, it is critical to have good grammar and spelling in follow up notes for positions as well.
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.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.
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.
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).We track whether we receive a thank you email when we do on campus interviews.
Also, a handwritten TY note is by far the best imho.
Are you hiring monkeys? Haven't seen that and we have a lot of 20 year olds working for us.Dear God I’m shocked when an applicant under 30 can write out more than their name. I cringe when they hold a pen like they are going to stab you with it. But, I’m old apparently.
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.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!)
We get dozens of resumes and they are all very similar: great grades, other academics, community service, etc.
Anything you can do to distinguish yourself from your competition and show that you really want the job.
It’s a common courtesy to thank the interviewer for their time.Ass kissing among them apparently.
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.