by Kristen M. Anderson

Created on: January 31, 2010

In this tough employment environment, it’s important to stand out.  Sending a thank you letter after an interview is one sure way to stand out from the pack.  In addition, you will convey interest in the open position and inform the hiring manager about what kind of employee you will be.

The main reason to send a thank you letter after an interview is to thank the hiring manager for his or her time.  Interviewing prospective employees takes valuable time away from a manager’s daily tasks.  You want the hiring manager to know that you are cognizant of their schedule and valued the time they spent to meet with you.  The hiring manager will be impressed that you took that extra step to thank them.

Another pivotal reason to send a thank you letter is to convey interest in the position.  During the interview, it’s easy to focus so much on answering the manager’s questions that you forget to show genuine interest in the job.  At the end of the interview, the manager may determine that you have the ability to do the job but don’t appear to be excited about it.   The thank you letter is an excellent opportunity to tell the manager that you think your skills would be a great fit for the position and that you want the job.

The thank you letter is also an opportunity to clear up any potential areas of confusion during the interview.  For example, if you didn’t provide a very strong answer for a particular question, address the question briefly in your thank you letter.  You can also provide additional information that the manager has requested, for example, a list of references and their contact information.

Sending a thank you letter is also a strategic way to show the hiring manager how you will perform on the job.  Thanking the manager indicates that you will show thanks to other people if you were hired, such as clients and upper management.  If you send a thank you letter immediately after the interview, you show the hiring manager that you are timely and aware of important deadlines.  You will also demonstrate your writing style in a thank you letter.  Aside from your cover letter and resume, the thank you letter is an important example of how you can convey information via business correspondence.

Lastly, sending a thank you letter keeps you visible throughout the interview process.  Managers are busy people who see lots of candidates.  If for some reason he or she doesn’t remember your interview, they will most assuredly remember you when they receive your letter.  Since most candidates don’t send thank you letters, you will immediately have that extra edge. 

When it comes time to select a candidate, the thank you letter may be what separates you from another qualified employee.  Sending a thank you letter takes a small amount of effort but conveys a powerful message about what you will bring to a job.

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