Job Searching: Write a ‘Thank You’ Letter
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Overcome Objections
If during an interview there were specific objections raised about your candidacy, use your thank-you letter to respond to and overcome those concerns. Demonstrate that the concerns are not an obstacle but an opportunity and you’re fully prepared to meet the challenge.
Example:
You’re interviewing to be an executive for a well-established company in the Midwest. Although you’re extremely well-qualified, the CEO is concerned you’ve never lived in the area and have no network of local contacts. Eliminate those concerns by explaining your network of professional contacts is nationwide and, in fact, you know John Doe of Local Company X, have a long-standing relationship with an economic development director in the area, etc. These contacts will only serve to expand the company’s already-established network.
Reiterate Your Expertise
If the company communicated its specific needs, issues or challenges, use your thank-you letter to demonstrate how you can meet those needs.
Example:
You’ve interviewed to be the CFO of a distressed company in need of immediate action. It needs a candidate with proven success in fast-track turnarounds and revitalizations. Highlight your experience in turning a company around and showing profitability.
Highlight Your Core Professional Competencies and Successes
If the company communicated its ideal qualifications for a candidate, use your thank-you letter to outline how you meet or exceed each qualification.
Example:
You’ve interviewed for the position of EVP of technology and product development with a high tech venture, and company officials have clearly communicated four essential candidate qualifications. Help them see that you have those four qualifications by providing an overview of your career highlights.
How Long Should Your Thank-You Letter Be?
Of course, as with anything else in a job search, there is no definitive answer. One page is the norm, depending on the amount of information you want to communicate. Letters certainly do not have to be only one page.
Remind yourself that you already have the company’s interest or you wouldn’t have been interviewing, and use your thank-you letter as a tool to communicate valuable information. The entire job search process is marketing and merchandising your product — you. There is no reason why writing thank-you letters should be any different than any other of your job search activities.
Courtesy of Microsoft Office Online and Monster.com.
March 27th, 2009 at 8:28 am
We often get asked whether a thank-you note should be an email or a physical letter. There’s considerable debate about that, but here are things to consider:
* Speed is important
* A physical thank-you note stands out
* You should follow the interviewer’s style
* Content and tone are critical
* Never send the same basic thank-you note to multiple people.
My default recommendation is to send a quick, Thank You email immediately after the interview that hits the highlights (short is key here) and follow that up with a physical thank you letter.
My standard Thank-you email includes something like, “I am going to write you a longer note, but wanted to send a quick ‘thank you’ for your time today.”
Steve Davies
President
PerfectJob Software
March 27th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Thank you for responding, Steve. I had always sent a physical hard copy thank you note. If I wanted to make a sure impression, I”d senda quick email, like you said, then follow up with a hard copy. Great advice.
March 28th, 2009 at 12:16 am
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