Want to learn how to set yourself apart from equally qualified job seekers and land job offers? A well-written thank you note, sent immediately after a job interview is key, says an IT staffing expert.
By Meridith Levinson |Thu, October 07, 2010 | CIO.com
In this employer’s market for talent, job seekers need to pull out all the stops to impress hiring managers and distinguish themselves from the legions of other qualified candidates looking for jobs. That means sending thank you notes to hiring managers immediately after job interviews. It sounds like basic job search advice, but the practice of sending thank you notes is not as common as it should be, especially among younger workers, according to Tracy Cashman, partner and general manager of the information technology group at staffing firm Winter, Wyman & Company.
A prompt, sincere thank you note can make all the difference in your job search. When faced with two equally qualified candidates for a job, Cashman says she has seen her corporate clients pick the job seekers who sent thank you notes after job interviews over individuals who didn’t. She adds that she’s received calls from clients expressing surprise and delight upon getting a post-job interview thank you note from a candidate she sourced. (Her clients also let her know their disappointment when they don’t receive thank you notes from prospective employees.)
“Writing a good thank you note is never going to be a negative for a candidate,” says Cashman. “It’s one more way to sell yourself. It shows initiative and an interest in the position.”