by Randa Morris

Created on: May 10, 2010

With so much competition in the job market today, following up with a potential employer after your interview can be a critical element in the process of getting the job you want.  After several successful interviews, an employer may narrow down the choices of candidates based on resumes and interview performances. If you are one of the candidates being considered, a well written follow up and thank you letter may be the one factor that sets you ahead of the competition.

A thank you letter should be just that, a short letter, thanking your interviewer for the time he or she spent in interviewing you, as well as for considering you for the position. It is generally sent the day after your interview.  The thank you letter shows that you are appreciative of your interviewers time and efforts. It also shows that you are motivated towards getting the position.

Here are some tips to writing a thank you letter that can help sway the odds in your favor.

- A good thank you letter should be brief. Recognize that your potential employer is busy, and respect their time by not submitting a lengthy letter detailing everything you already told them in the interview. One to two brief paragraphs is a good legnth for a follow up letter.

- Be certain the letter is properly addressed, with names and titles spelled correctly.

- Be certain that your contact information is accurate, and easy to locate. Include a proper business heading, with your name, address,  e-mail address and phone number, including area code.

- Be specific regarding the date of your interview. "I wanted to thank you for taking the time to meet with me on 3/16." If your potential employer has interviewed a large number of candidates, this simple detaill can help refresh their memory.

- Highlight one thing from the interview that you feel went very well. "I specifically enjoyed talking with you about upper management." for example. While you don't want to go into detail about the discussion you had, this simple sentence can help to remind the interveiwer about your discussion.

- Mention that you enjoyed learning more about the company or organization that you applied for.

- Close with a reference regarding the future. "I am looking forward to hearing from you" or "I hope to talk with you more in the future."

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