Suppose you could take all the job-seeking advice ever written and separate it into topic-specific piles. When you were done, you'd find that the biggest pile, by far, is the one about interviews. And for good reason. After all, the face-to-face interview is the defining moment of the job search process. This remains true even in (and especially in) a cyber world.

But, important as it may be, the interview does not by itself define the failure or success of your candidacy. If you want that job, you still have work to do. It's incumbent on you to follow-up the interview. One of the ways to do that is by composing an effective thank-you note. Here are six tips to help you do that.

1. Make It Personal

A cookie-cutter thank you note doesn't cut it. Keep in mind that you are unique and that your interview experience is unique. Your note should capture the qualities that define you and the experience. The note should rekindle the connection you had with your interviewer. For example, mention something that you discussed:

2. Refer to Your Notes

The more you can remember about the interview, the more effective your thank-you note is likely to be. You don't have to rely completely on memory. It's perfectly fine to take notes during an interview and especially smart to recap an interview in notes to your file. Use your notes to identify points to reinforce, objections you hope to overcome or new information that supports your candidacy.

3. Use the First Draft to Get Your Points on Paper

Once you know what you want to say, prepare your first draft. Use this draft to get your message on paper. Write down the points you want to make as if you were actually talking to the person. Keep it conversational and don't fuss over the perfect word. Avoid long, stilted sentences.

4. Walk Away

When your first draft is finished, take a break. Do something else for at least an hour. This way, when you return to the note, you'll have a fresh eye.

5. Hone and Refine

Use the second draft to polish the note. What can you cut? How can you convey your point with fewer words? Is your message clear and concise? Does every word add value? Brevity without loss of meaning is the objective of a second draft.

6. Run the Draft by a Third Person

Once you've composed the final draft, give it a fresh read. Ask your spouse or somebody you trust to review the draft and offer an opinion and to proofread it for errors, especially if you're not 100 percent comfortable with what you've written.

Conclusion

A poorly written thank-you note-or the failure to send a thank-you note at all-can undermine the benefits of a positive interview experience and cost you a job offer. The good news is that writing a thank-you note is not rocket science. Your note needn't be long; and it needn't dazzle. All it needs to do is remind interviewers of the qualities that make you special and reassure them that the positive impression you made during the interview was not a fluke.

Wishing you career success!

Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet
www.execunet.com

THE THANK-YOU NOTE

Is It Worth the Effort?

By Glenn Demby

Lauryn says that writing a thank-you note "is not rocket science." Maybe not, but the writing process she describes sure sounds like a pain in the behind. Do you really need to go to all this trouble? After all, isn't a thank-you note just a courtesy-a mere formality? At the end of the day, if you shine during the interview, how many employers aren't going to hire you because you didn't send them a thank-you note?

The Answer: Nearly 15%

That's the percentage of hiring managers who said in a recent survey that they wouldn't hire a job candidate who failed to send a thank-you note after an interview-no matter how well the interview went. And that's not all:

So make no mistake. Writing a thank-you note is a big part of getting the job. If you fail to write one in a timely manner, you're hurting your candidacy.

Source: www.CareerBuilder.com

Story Tools:  Email This Post  Print This Post Top