by Meredith Davises

Created on: January 29, 2010   Last Updated: February 03, 2010

Bring an informal thank-you to the interview. It is customary to bring another resume to your interview so that the employer will have a copy in front of him if he does not bring yours to the interview. It is very important to write a brief thank-you memorandum at the top of the resume even if you have to print a portion of the resume on the backside of the page. This presents a very powerful image seeing his name at the top of your resume and it is almost like forecasting your future employment with the company. The employer is not going to hand this back to you because you have addressed it to him.

You do need to send an official thank-you letter following the interview with detailed information regarding your meeting. If you write the thank-you letter as business, your chances of getting another interview are much greater. You do not want your thank-you letter to look like the end. It is good business to refer to the discussion, questions and answers with a closing like “I look forward to following up these details at our next meeting.”

When you land that second interview, the employer has probably narrowed his decision down to three prospects so do not be discouraged if he does not make a job offer. You should send a follow-up thank-you letter because it is a courtesy and another step toward employment. Whether you are entering the door in person or via mail, you are becoming a familiar sight and the employer is becoming comfortable with you and even more reason to hire you.

Do not let emotions run wild in your second thank-you letter. You do not want to sound disappointed, anxious, or concerned. Write your second thank-you letter as though you are subscribing to a magazine. You want to be sincere and show some anticipation for the coming invitation of another interview and possibly a job offer. Write your letter with professional quality, content, and never render friendly overtures.

Thank-you letters become part of your employment history with the company, make the difference for a promotion, and merit increases in your salary. Your letter writing should convey that you want a long-term position with this company and you are a valuable asset. This makes a thank-you letter all the more serious and you never want to fill it with mundane content but with future windows of opportunity.

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