Lauryn says that writing a thank you note “isn’t rocket science.” 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 CareerBuilder.com 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:

• 32% said they would still consider a candidate but would be less likely to hire the person because he or she didn’t send a thank-you note;
• 26% said they not only expect a thank you note but expect it within two days after the interview;
• 36% said they expect a note within three days;
• 25% said they expect an e-mail note;
• 19% said they wanted an e-mail followed up with a hard copy; and
• 23% said they wanted just a handwritten note.

So make no mistake. Writing a thank you note is a big deal. If you don’t write a good one and don’t write it in a timely manner, you’re shooting yourself in the foot.

Source: www.CareerBuilder.com.

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