A LOW-Tech Strategy for Maximum Impact After the Interview

With the lightning fast e-mail communications we have come to take for granted today, not to mention the way word processed correspondence has largely replaced handwritten letters, I have long been convinced that many employment candidates are bypassing a powerful tool that can make a lasting impression on prospective employers and move them ahead of their competition. That tool is the handwritten thank-you note.

I was reminded of this today as I read an article in the Crossroads jobseeker newsletter that emphasizes the impact such a note can have. The author, Kathy Condon, relates the results of a poll she conducted among Hewlett Packard managers revealing 100% agreement that their favorite way to receive a thank you from an interviewee would be through a handwritten note. When Robert J. Centonze, a director of compensation and planning at Campbell's Soup Company was interviewed for a CareerJournal.com article last year, he said, “Email is very efficient and business like, but the personal handwritten note or card [shows] your personality and individualism.”

Unlike an e-mail quickly dashed off upon arriving home, the handwritten note tends to find its way into the candidate’s file. It may even enjoy circulation around the office or prominent display in the recipient’s office or cubicle. This is priceless personal advertising for the cost of a postage stamp!

All of this is not to say that a handwritten note is absolutely necessary or even that it is the best route to take in every situation. Whether an e-mailed, printer-generated, or handwritten note is most appropriate will depend on the culture of the organization and the formal or informal nature of the relationship you’ve established with your interviewer(s). In some cases, especially where a decision is imminent, e-mail may be the only viable choice. If your handwriting is hopelessly illegible or juvenile in appearance, you would certainly be better off with a printer-generated or e-mailed note.

Whether handwritten, printed, or electronic, your thank-you needs to be on its way within 24 hours of the interview. If you interviewed with several people within the company, most career experts advise that each should receive a personalized note that can be similar to but not identical to the others. (This would be embarrassing should your recipients compare notes, to say the least!)

Jeffrey S. Wells, recently retired VP of Human Resources for Circuit City Stores, expressed a contrarian view when interviewed for the CareerJournal.com article cited above. His biggest peeve was when candidates sent thank-you notes to everyone they met at the company: “That was a turnoff.” However, I would pose the question: Were those other people who received the notes annoyed? I sincerely doubt it.

A USA Today piece bemoaning a decline in the fine art of handwritten thank-you notes in our culture stated, “The trend is a reflection of how Americans' short attention spans and electronically wired lives — combined with a diminished mindfulness of etiquette — have made the USA, well, a pretty ungrateful nation.” I couldn’t agree more. And when a hiring manager has to choose between two apparently equally qualified candidates, a handwritten thank you note just might tip the balance.

Posted by Laurie Smith

Comments

[Dave Howlett]

I lecture extensively to the corporate world on word of mouth and the power of personal interaction to get a job, sales and great word of mouth. The value of a hand-written card is extraordinary as long as it is sincere, specific and searchable.

The key is to make this part of a system, not simply a response to a job interview or favour. See http://davehowlett.blogspot.com/2006/07/2-cards-week-for-rest-of-your-life.html