Ask Mike: Interview etiquette
Hey Guys,
In these rough economic times, there are a lot of people fighting over the same job openings. Which is all the more reason to practice good interview etiquette. One question I’ve seen come up on Yahoo! Answers: Is it OK to send an email thank you note after an interview or is snail mail still the way to go?
A few years ago, Ask Yahoo! covered this topic and concluded that snail mail was the proper way to thank a prospective employer. But that was back in 2003. Have the rules changed? I found a survey at Vault.com that asked hiring managers their thoughts on getting thank you notes after interviews. According to the survey, 98% of responders said that an email is perfectly acceptable. Interestingly, only 5% of those surveyed said they would automatically disqualify a candidate for not sending a note. Certainly not what I expected.
According to a careers page from Virginia Tech, a thank you should come in whatever form the interview was set up. So if the primary form of communication prior to the meet and greet was email, then it’s perfectly fine to log on and fire off a message. Some folks don’t agree. The Atlanta-Journal Constitution asked a group of employers their opinion. While some said that email is “acceptable,” applicants shouldn’t underestimate the personal touch that comes from a real letter. It really does help you stand out from the crowd.
But even if you do send an email, the correct form should still be followed. HotJobs offers a lot of hints on proper etiquette and grammar when thanking somebody for an interview.
What are your opinions of thank you notes in the age of email? Do you think it is acceptable or is it bad form? Please leave a comment below.
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I have been using e-mail. it is faster,and since most applications are done online,why shouldn’t the thank you letter? also, I had an interview for a job where they said they would decide by end of the week because they wanted the person to start on the following Monday. my interview was Tuesday afternoon. if I went home and mailed a snail mail letter, it wouldn’t have gone out until Wednesday and not have even arrived before they made their decision. I e-mailed them a thank you letter— but I still didn’t get the job
A handwritten thank you is still the way to go. It’s a simple way to stand out from the crowd and leave something tangible for your interviewee. I interview dozens of applicants every year and while I don’t disqualify anyone for not sending a letter, the ones that do are the ones I remember better.
Leaving an email is faster. But sending a snail mail thank you note denotes more. It shows the time taken off to show the appreciation for the interviewer. A fast email, anyone can do
Mike,
It’s a great topic that you bring up, especially with the conditions nowadays and everyone trying to look for a job. I agree with the comments before mine. I’ve always been taught to write a personal and sincere letter afterward. Whether it be an email or snail mail, as long as it’s personal, that’s the main key.
Obviously as some mentioned before, time plays an important role as well. If the follow up interview is just the next day, it might be difficult to send that snail mail in time as the recipient may not receive it in time.
Also, after an interview is not the only time you can thank your interviewer. You should always thank them for the opportunity at the interviews, after they announce if you received the position or not, but especially one after you received it as well as maybe a small token of appreciation, like a Starbucks gift card.
I believe you should always be thanking your interviewers when you get the chance as it helps you build up that relationship with your interviewers and it may help you even you didn’t receive the job. They’ll keep you in mind and if an opportunity presents itself, you’ll be one of the first that they’ll remember. (If you’re in sales, this is a very important key.)
Overall, a personal, hand-written letter is the best if time permits. It has become more of an art and “ancient” tradition that seem to have loss some appreciation but definitely not value. Those who I have sent personal letters have definitely felt appreciated and have said they genuinely would remember what I did. But if it is not possible to write a letter, then email will do in the meantime.
If we received any level of communication from the business we are interviewing with via e-mail, I think that they’ve set the tone and therefore it should not be looked down upon if we respond with a thank you letter via e-mail. If however, they have not used your e-mail in any form of communication then the “tried and true” as they put it is the best way – snail mail it!
I just say “You are lucky to have me!” and leave it at that. I got your etiquette.
Hey *Mike*, what is up with these stupid cops going around reporting things that don’t need to be reported! Get rid of their accound whether they are from Y!A or people being annoying.
What is snail mail? Never heard the term. I am so out of the loop. LOL
First of all, if I were an interviewer, then who would impress me most and whose communcation impress me best would be the one that imports the original and sincere means of communicating his or her gratitude and in fact, given the type of person I am, the etiquette of us both would be well known beforehand such that neither of us would start the proceeding in the first place with affectation, as if the the interview were likened to so many squares needed filled in.
Most of all, I should honor him or her who bears a fine detecting instinct, which, after all, is the man, the woman — the who and not the what; which is a most rare human quality to find, which evidences to have otherwise waned and disappeared along with the meaningful handshake, the experienced heart, and that which comes forth from out of the eyes themselves.
“I e-mailed them a thank you letter— but I still didn’t get the job”
Yeah, a thank you letter doesn’t automatically qualify you for a job. If I dropped my pants and began humping my interviewer’s Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, and sent them a thank you e-mail, would I get the job? Although interview etiquette is part of getting a job, it can’t nearly match your qualification for the job.
But no, I think an e-mail is fine.
If you’re REALLY desperate, and you want to suck up big time to your interviewer, send a snail mail to them.
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Why does yahoo no longer post my questions on yahoo answers? I have no problem posting answers to other peoples questions.
Pens and pencil along with paper are for the truly unique beings left! I like Paper !